What is the best food to cure diarrhea?
What to Eat
- Dairy (except yogurt)
- Fried, fatty, or spicy meat
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Beans and legumes
- Raw vegetables
- Corn
- Onion and garlic
- Potato chips
- Sugar-free candy or gum
What foods should you eat to control diarrhea?
Some foods containing soluble fiber include:
- Grains, including oatmeal, oat bran, bran cereal, rye bread, pearl barley, brown rice
- Nuts and Seeds, including flax, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, lentils
- Legumes, including navy beans, black beans, lima beans, pinto beans and kidney beans
- Vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, asparagus, turnip, carrots, eggplant
What fruits are good for diarrhea?
- Eat fewer fruits in smaller portions
- Limit high fiber fruits such as unpeeled apple, avocado, blueberries, dates, blackberries, pears, oranges, prunes and raspberries.
- Choose fruits that contain less than 1.5 g of fiber per half-cup serving
How long should you wait to eat after diarrhea?
After suffering from diarrhea, stay hydrated and follow the BRAT diet. It’s best to wait at least 24-48 hours before trying to reintroduce regular foods to your stomach.
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.
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 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.
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?
There are a number of foods you can eat when recovering from a bout of diarrhea. These foods include: 1. Canned Fruit. Since it is already peeled and ready to eat, canned fruit is a good option, though you will want to avoid fruit that promotes bowel function such as apricots and prunes.
What foods are easy to digest?
4. Potatoes . Without its skins, potato is a type of food that is easy to digest. Potatoes contain nutrients such as vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, and the trace mineral iodine. Eat them plain with no butter or sour cream, as this can irritate your intestinal tract. 5.
What is the best meat to eat for a lean diet?
Be sure to choose lean cuts of skinless fish, chicken, or turkey, canned tuna, lean skinless ham, and lean lunch meats such as chicken and turkey. 6. Pasta or Noodles Made with Refined Flour. Pasta provides dietary fiber and carbohydrates.
How to recover from malnutrition?
Diarrhea can result from suffering an illness or from gut irritation due to such conditions as diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Changes to your diet until your gut has settled down will keep you from losing too many valuable nutrients.
What foods can help you recover from a traumatic brain injury?
Besides the BRAT diet—Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast— there are other foods that can ensure you get the necessary nutrients.
What to drink when your phone won't play?
Butter, or sour cream. Lean meat such as turkey , beef, or chicken . You can also drink sports drinks such as Gatorade, herbal tea, or fruit juices to keep your body well-hydrated. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Is broth good for diarrhea?
It also contains vitamin B1, selenium, and manganese, as well as being a good source of soluble fiber. 8. Broth-Based Soup. Broth allows you to replenish lost fluids and prevent dehydration after a bout with diarrhea.
What to eat when you have diarrhea?
The following diet tips may help control diarrhea. People with diarrhea should include binding foods such as bananas, plain white rice, applesauce and white toast while they have active episodes of loose stools. Drink plenty of water or low- sugar beverages to replace the fluids lost from diarrhea. Drink plenty of clear liquids ...
How to get rid of diarrhea fast?
Drink plenty of water or low- sugar beverages to replace the fluids lost from diarrhea. Drink plenty of clear liquids and electrolyte beverages such as water, clear fruit juices, coconut water, oral rehydration solutions and sports drinks. These drinks help replenish fluids and electrolytes in the body. Add plain yogurt, buttermilk and kefir ...
What causes diarrhea in travelers?
Travelers' diarrhea is generally contracted by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Food is the primary source of travelers' diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is the cause of up to 70% of all cases of travelers' diarrhea. There are five unique classes of E. coli that causes gastroenteritis. Other bacteria responsible for travelers' diarrhea include Campylobacter, jejuni, shigella, and salmonella. Viruses such as rotavirus and Norwalk virus (norovirus) and giardia lamblia a parasite may cause travelers' diarrhea. Prevention is careful eating and drinking of water.
Why does diarrhea occur in the colon?
In practical terms, diarrhea develops when there is a larger-than-normal amount of water in the stool. When your digestive tract is healthy, processed food from the stomach and small intestines proceeds to the colon. In the colon, water is absorbed from the remaining waste matter until a solid stool is formed.
What are the symptoms of diarrhea?
Symptoms associated with diarrhea are cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency. Causes of diarrhea include viral, bacterial, or parasite infection, gastroenteritis, food poisoning, and drugs. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
What foods are high in potassium?
High-potassium foods include apricots, avocado, bananas, canned tomatoes, oranges, pears, potatoes and sweet potatoes (especially baked) and tomato juice. High-sodium foods include broth or bouillon, canned soup, salty snacks (chips, crackers, pretzels), seasoned rice and pasta packets. Applesauce is an awesome aid to get your stomach back in ...
What to do when you have a stomach ache?
Try some ginger tea bags or simply grate fresh ginger into some hot water with lemon and sip it. Ginger is an anti-spasmodic and is considered very good for soothing an unsettled stomach. Chicken soup is also a classic choice when people are ill.
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 to do if you have diarrhea?
At first after having severe diarrhea, steer clear of fried foods; fruits and vegetables that can make you gassy (like prunes and broccoli): and alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated beverages. Limit your intake of milk products as well.
What to do if you have diarrhea and your stomach can't handle food?
If you feel your stomach can handle some food while you have diarrhea, try something salty like pretzels or soup, or foods high in potassium, such as bananas or skinless potatoes. These will help prevent an imbalance of electrolytes. Drink lots of clear liquids, especially after having a loose bowel movement.
What is the FODMAP diet?
The diet involves the restriction of certain carbohydrate-containing foods described by the acronym FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols). Unlike the BRAT diet, the FODMAP diet can be maintained on a long-term basis, ideally under the supervision of a dietitian to ensure that adequate nutrition is being consumed.
Why do you need to replace fluids when you have diarrhea?
Diarrhea causes the rapid depletion of water and electrolytes from the system. To compensate for this, you will need to replace fluids on an ongoing basis even if you are finding it hard to keep them down. 3
What to eat to help with watery stool?
Lunch and dinner would focus on the increased intake of protein, the avoidance of excessive fats, and the addition of certain carbohydrates to help bind watery stools. A small portion of carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, or peeled zucchini.
What foods have live bacteria?
Oatmeal, cream of wheat, farina, or rice porridge. Plain, low-fat yogurt with live bacterial culture. Pancakes or waffles without syrup (check to ensure the product or mix does not contain fully or even partially hydrogenated oils) Unflavored rice cakes.
What are some good foods to eat for breakfast?
Safe breakfast items include: Crisp rice cereal. Eggs boiled or scrambled with a minimum of butter or oil. Oatmeal, cream of wheat, farina, or rice porridge.
What are the risks of diarrhea?
Risks Associated With Diarrhea 1 Diarrhea involves the rapid loss of fluid from your body, as foods and liquids you ingest are not absorbed by your colon. 2 According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, children and elderly individuals who have diarrhea are at increased risk of dehydration.
How much water should elderly people drink a day?
Because diarrhea may lead to dehydration, consider consuming at least six, eight-ounce glasses of water per day to help combat fluid loss.
What is loose stools?
Diarrhea, described as loose, watery stools, is a common health complaint that affects people of all ages, including seniors. Some seniors may develop chronic diarrhea, or diarrhea lasting four weeks or more, which may be indicative of chronic disease. To improve your understanding of the role of diet and nutrition in treating your diarrhea, ...
Is diarrhea a risk factor for seniors?
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, children and elderly individuals who have diarrhea are at increased risk of dehydration. A senior who has chronic diarrhea may experience a significant reduction in her quality of life, feel embarrassment about her health problem and suffer poor self-esteem.
Is apple sauce good for diarrhea?
Applesauce may be a beneficial food in treating your diarrhea. Applesauce is an easily digestible food that contains significant amounts of dietary fiber, including pectin. According to BreastCancer.org, pectin is a water-soluble fiber that helps resolve your diarrhea 2. Applesauce also contains significant amounts of vitamin C. Apples that are heavy and firm, and that display a vibrant color, are optimal for making applesauce .
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.