What foods should I eat if I have diarrhea?
People with diarrhea should eat bland foods, as spicy or complex foods can irritate the bowels. Bland foods that may help with diarrhea include: hot cereals, such as oatmeal, cream of wheat, or rice porridge. bananas. applesauce. plain white rice. bread or toast. boiled potatoes. unseasoned crackers.
How to help a person with diarrhea?
Home care. People with diarrhea should also ensure they get enough rest, as putting the body in stressful situations while dealing with diarrhea may make matters worse. Limit physical activity while diarrhea symptoms are presenting, as strenuous activity may put the body at a greater risk of dehydration.
Why should I stick to bland foods?
Spicy ingredients can act as irritants in the digestive system. This is why people dealing with diarrhea should stick to bland foods, as they pose the least risk of agitating the digestive system.
How often does diarrhea disappear?
Most people will experience an episode of diarrhea at least once or twice a year that will disappear in a couple of days. Luckily, there are many foods to eat that may help a person reduce the symptoms of diarrhea. There are also some foods to avoid when dealing with a bout of diarrhea, and some additional home care tips to consider.
How long does diarrhea last?
It is a common problem and may occur a couple of times each year. Diarrhea will usually last no more than 3 days. Soft, bland foods, such as toast, will help to absorb excess water and ease the symptoms of diarrhea.
What are the symptoms of diarrhea?
In addition to loose or runny stools, diarrhea is also associated with other digestive symptoms, including: cramps. abdominal bloating and pain. a bubbly feeling in the intestines. an urgent need to have a bowel movement. nausea. vomiting. fever.
Can sugary foods cause diarrhea?
Sugary foods and artificial sweeteners. Sugars that pass into the colon may disrupt the already sensitive bacteria there, making diarrhea worse. This includes fruit juices and high-sugar fruits. People with diarrhea should also avoid artificial sweeteners, as some can have a laxative effect.
How to recover from a diarrheal infection?
Another way to help your gut recover from a diarrheal infection is to consume probiotics — a food or dietary supplement that contains live bacteria, which replaces or adds to the beneficial bacteria usually found in the gastrointestinal tract.
How often do you get diarrhea?
Eat the right foods to ease your symptoms and discomfort. Most of us experience diarrhea a couple of times a year, whether it’s from a bacterial infection, a food allergy or simply something you’ve eaten that disagrees with you. Diarrhea usually is not serious and often disappears within a day or so. Advertising Policy.
What happens if you have diarrhea three times a day?
The biggest danger with a short bout of diarrhea is dehydration , or the loss of water and nutrients from the body’s tissues. You could become dehydrated if you have diarrhea more than three times a day and aren’t drinking enough fluids. Dehydration can cause serious complications if it isn’t treated.
How to prevent dehydration?
The best way to guard against dehydration is to consume liquids that contain salt and sugar, says digestive disease specialist Donald Kirby, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. The salt slows down the fluid loss, while the sugar helps your body to absorb the salt.
Can bananas help with diarrhea?
Bananas also are high in potassium and help to replace nutrients your body has lost because of diarrhea. Dr. Kirby says you also can add oatmeal, boiled or baked potatoes (peeled), or baked chicken with the skin removed. Advertising Policy. “These are simple foods that people often tolerate very well,” Dr. Kirby says.
Can you drink yogurt with diarrhea?
While it’s wise to avoid dairy products when you have diarrhea, Dr. Kirby says, there’s one notable exception — yogurt or kefir, a fermented milk drink, that contain probiotics. These can restore the beneficial bacteria that your body flushes out with diarrhea.
Does salt help with diarrhea?
The salt slows down the fluid loss, while the sugar helps your body to absorb the salt. “We tend not to want people to have salt in general, but when you’re having significant diarrhea, you want to make sure you’re getting salt and enough sugar to keep out of the emergency room,” Dr. Kirby says. Advertising Policy.
What to eat when you have diarrhea?
While you're still having diarrhea, stick to peeled, plain potatoes instead. Avoid broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, peas, green leafy vegetables, and corn, as they tend to cause gas . Grains: Hot cereals like farina are easy to digest and fortified with nutrition. As you recover, you may want to add oatmeal as well.
What to do if you can't drink water after diarrhea?
If you aren't feeling any better after a couple of days of following the diarrhea diet, call your doctor. If you can’t drink enough fluid, get a high fever, see blood in your stool, or are experiencing severe pain, go to the emergency room.
Why is diarrhea important?
Having diarrhea causes your body to lose a lot of water, and preventing dehydration is especially important to your wellbeing when you are following the diarrhea diet. Babies, young children, and the elderly are especially at risk.
What is a low-residue diet?
A low-residue diet is similar to a diarrhea diet, but with additional limitations. It's usually prescribed temporarily when you are preparing for or recovering from a procedure such as a colonoscopy . One of the main considerations when on a low-residue diet is the restriction of dairy products.
How to get rid of diarrhea from potatoes?
Make them into a more diarrhea diet-friendly option by peeling them, removing any seeds, and cooking them thoroughly. The skin of a baked potato is nutritious, but it may contain more fiber than your system is up for handling. While you're still having diarrhea, stick to peeled, plain potatoes instead.
What is the BRAT diet?
BRAT is an acronym for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. You’ll find these items along with others on the list of approved diarrhea-diet foods.
How many loose stools can you have in a day?
Comparison to Other Diets. Diarrhea, or having more than three loose or watery stools per day, can happen for a variety of reasons. While it’s uncomfortable and unpleasant, diarrhea can usually be managed at home with rest, plenty of fluids, and the easily digested foods that make up the diarrhea diet.
What to eat for diarrhea?
Continue with primarily bland, low-fiber foods for lunch and dinner. Applesauce, which has a lower fiber content than raw apples, makes a soothing choice when suffering from diarrhea. A baked white potato sprinkled with a no-salt seasoning or a bowl of white rice will fill you up and be easy for your stomach to digest. Baked or poached chicken or clear soup makes a healthy, easily digestible addition to either lunch or dinner. Serve with a plain white roll with no butter. While the doctors at the National Institutes of Health recommend avoiding most dairy products, yogurt with live bacteria cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus may help lessen your diarrhea, while replenishing your digestive system with healthy bacteria.
How to get rid of diarrhea from eating a lot of food?
Eat small amounts of food throughout the day rather than three large meals. A smaller meal may digest more easily, and not trigger further bouts of diarrhea. In addition to applesauce, blueberries make a sweet, diarrhea-friendly food, according to Theresa Cheung, author of "The IBS Healing Plan." Choose dried blueberries over fresh because of the higher concentration of tannins and antibacterial properties in the dried berries. Soothing drinks include peppermint or chamomile tea. If your doctor recommends sports drinks or fluid replacement drinks, use them to replenish electrolytes you lose through excessive diarrhea.
What causes diarrhea in healthy people?
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that infections cause the majority of diarrhea episodes in healthy people. The infection may come from a bacteria that is present in food you eat, a viral infection or infection from a parasite present in water or food.
How many times a day does a woman have diarrhea?
She has a Bachelor of Science in finance from Florida State University. Diarrhea involves passing frequent loose stools, typically more than three times a day, according to the World Health Organization. Always ask your doctor for a thorough evaluation if your diarrhea does not subside within a few days.
What to eat with no salt?
A baked white potato sprinkled with a no-salt seasoning or a bowl of white rice will fill you up and be easy for your stomach to digest. Baked or poached chicken or clear soup makes a healthy, easily digestible addition to either lunch or dinner. Serve with a plain white roll with no butter.
Can blueberries cause diarrhea?
A smaller meal may digest more easily, and not trigger further bouts of diarrhea. In addition to applesauce, blueberries make a sweet, diarrhea-friendly food, according to Theresa Cheung, author of "The IBS Healing Plan.".
Can bananas help with diarrhea?
A bland breakfast that can help you maintain a proper nutrient intake while recovering from diarrhea involves making careful choice. The relatively high potassium content in bananas can help balance and replace the electrolytes in your body that you may lose through frequent diarrhea.
What foods can help with diarrhea?
drinks and foods containing fructose. fruits such as apples, peaches, and pears. spicy foods. diet drinks and sugarless gum and candies containing sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol. Research shows that following a restricted diet does not help treat diarrhea in most cases. Most experts do not recommend fasting or ...
Can you lose appetite after diarrhea?
If you have diarrhea, you may lose your appetite for a short time. In most cases, when your appetite returns, you can go back to eating your normal diet. Parents and caretakers should give children with diarrhea their usual age-appropriate diet and give infants breast milk or formula.
Can you give a child with diarrhea breast milk?
Parents and caretakers should give children with diarrhea their usual age-appropriate diet and give infants breast milk or formula. Your doctor may recommend changing your diet to treat some causes of chronic diarrhea, such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease.
What is the best diet for diarrhea?
There is a diet out there called the BRAT diet, which stands for Bananas, Rice, Apples, and Toast. It is all about eating soft and bland foods when dealing with diarrhea. It's a pretty basic diet but the foods recommended are good choices.
Is diarrhea easy to get rid of?
Diarrhea is probably easier to avoid in the first place than to get rid of once you already have it . The easiest way to do so is simply to eat a well-balanced diet that seems healthy… Generally speaking you want to have lots of colors in your meals and avoid things that are overly spicy, sugary or acidic.
Is fiber bad for diarrhea?
Not all fiber is a bad choice during a time of diarrhea, but generally speaking it is best to avoid it and eat foods that don't contain too much. These include things like…
Can oranges cause diarrhea?
We all know that oranges and some of the other citrus fruits are extremely good sources of vitamin C. However, they will not be listed here due to their acidity, which can increase stomach irritation and just lead to more diarrhea in some cases. The same goes for tomatoes.
What supplements can help with diarrhea?
Supplements that May Help to Control Diarrhea. Probiotics may help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea. They are found in yogurts that contain Live Active Cultures (LAC) such as lactobacillus acidophilus. Look for the term LAC on the label of yogurts in the dairy aisle (note: frozen yogurt does not contain LAC).
How to get rid of diarrhea?
Foods/Fluids that may Improve Diarrhea. Increase fluids to prevent dehydration. Try to drink these fluids between your meals. Liquids with a meal may speed up stomach emptying and. possibly worsen diarrhea. Eat and/or drink foods and beverages with sodium and potassium.
What foods can cause diarrhea in sensitive individuals?
Foods that May Lead to or Worsen Diarrhea in Sensitive Individuals. Milk and other dairy products. Legumes (chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils and lupins) and cabbage family vegetables—these are all high in fiber. Fruits and juices that contain fructose. Caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee and tea.
How to prevent diarrhea from frequent bowel movements?
To prevent complications that can result from frequent bowel movements, do try to do the following: Keep a food and symptom diary to help identify which foods, drinks, and supplements may be leading to or worsening your diarrhea. Eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day.
What are some foods that contain sorbitol?
High fat foods such as fried foods, pastries, and chips. Artificial sweeteners such as NutraSweet®, Splenda®, Equal®, sorbitol, etc. Sugar-free gums and mints that contain sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol.
How to keep a diary of your diarrhea?
If you have chronic diarrhea, it is a good idea to keep a food diary. This can help you identify problem foods, difficult times of the day, and symptoms. You should share your food symptom diary with your healthcare provider or dietitian. This will help them see if there are any foods causing your symptoms .
Can diarrhea be controlled?
In some people, chronic diarrhea may be controlled to some extent through changes in diet ...
Benefits of A Diarrhea Diet
How It Works
- The foods in the diarrhea diet are simple because the idea is to give your body the break it needs. The diet may seem hard to follow, but it helps to know that you only need to stick with it temporarily. On the other hand, adding foods back too quickly may make your symptoms worse and your diarrhea last longer. You'll likely be making changes in how much fiber you eat each da…
Considerations
- Whenever you need to make changes to your diet, even if only temporarily, it’s important to consider how it will impact your life. Diarrhea usually isn't a long-term issue, but it can present some day-to-day challenges while you're dealing with it.
Dietary Restrictions
- If you follow a special diet due to a food allergy or prefer to avoid certain foods, you will need to consider that when looking for diarrhea-diet approved options. For example, if you usually buy gluten-free wheat bread, most brands also offer a version that is in the style of soft white bread. If you’re looking for gluten-free pasta, pay close at...
How It Compares to Other Diets
- The diet recommendations for recovering from a brief bout of diarrhea overlap with those of other diets that can be used to treat chronic bowel conditions, or help people before and after surgery.
Summary
- You'll be able to manage a bout of diarrhea on your own in most cases, but that means changing what you eat and drink for a few days. The diarrhea diet will help you to recover by choosing foods that are gentle on your system while still providing key nutrients and fluids.
A Word from Verywell
- At first, you may not mind being on a limited diet because you don’t feel well. If you’re tired and nauseated, then easily digested foods will be a comfort. But once you start feeling better, you may be eager to resume eating as usual. Pace yourself so diarrhea doesn't return, and you'll get back to life (and your favorite tasty foods) a lot faster.