If you’ve ever felt sick after eating a sketchy meal, you know just how uncomfortable the cramping, bloating and frequent trips to the bathroom can be. But for people with irritable bowel syndrome - a chronic condition that affects the large intestine - foods that many of us eat without problems every day, like pasta and onions, can cause severe stomach pain. (Think: bloating, gas, diarrhoea and constipation.) While stress can be an IBS trigger for some people, in many cases, a specific food or food group is the culprit.

There is no official test for IBS, but if you are diagnosed with the condition, “there are a few diagnostic tests that can give some clues as to which foods are responsible for your symptoms,” explains dietitian Karen Ansel.

IBS affects everyone differently, so a food that leaves you hunched over in pain may not do the same for someone else dealing with the condition. “Switching up your diet is going to be your first line of defense,” Ansel says. “Because this often involves a lot of trial and error, it’s key to work with a health professional, such as a gastroenterologist or dietitian, who can help you know which foods to eliminate, which to reintroduce, and how to fill any nutrient gaps in the process.”

So, which foods might you be told to keep off your plate? Here are 17 that are known IBS triggers.

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