6 Foods to Avoid When You Have Diarrhea
“It is best to eat thicker, bland foods, including oatmeal, bananas, plain rice, and applesauce,” he says. Other bland foods that are easy to stomach include: Boiled potatoes. Toast.
Yes, in most individuals with diarrhea, eggs help slow down bowel movements and help the patient recover faster from diarrhea. Cooking them makes them easier to digest. So, a person can eat boiled eggs when they have diarrhea, provided they are not allergic to eggs.
Eating probiotic foods, taking a fiber or probiotic supplement, or eating BRAT diet consisting of bread, (white) rice, applesauce, and toast can also help make poop more solid. Loose stool is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).
To try out the BRAT diet when you're experiencing symptoms, start small with a snack rather than a full meal as to not overload your already-distressed digestive system. This is why we have deemed our Peanut-Butter Banana Cinnamon Toast the best snack to eat when you have diarrhea.
Eating When you Have Diarrhea
If you have very severe diarrhea, you may need to stop eating or drinking dairy products for a few days. Eat bread products made from refined, white flour. Pasta, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes are OK.
Toast adds bulk to your stool, making it more likely you will have a normal bowel movement. It is the 'T' in the anti-diarrhoea diet BRAT, which comprises bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These plain foods supply energy and nutrition without upsetting the stomach because they are easier to break down.
Myth. Bland "BRAT" foods -- bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast -- were once recommended to treat diarrhea. But BRAT foods don't have enough of other nutrients you need, like protein and fat. You can eat bland foods for the first day or so.
Avoid high-fiber foods like beans, raw vegetables or fresh fruits like apples or peaches—they can be hard on your system. Alcohol, caffeine and dairy products can all make diarrhea worse, so nix the cocktails, coffee and ice cream while your stomach recovers.
Cocoa beans contain a large amount of chemicals called flavonoids. Scientists believe that these flavonoids can be used to create natural supplements to ease diarrhea symptoms. Dark chocolate contains high concentrations of cocoa and may offer mild relief.
In children, diarrhoea will usually pass within 5 to 7 days and will rarely last longer than 2 weeks. In adults, diarrhoea usually improves within 2 to 4 days, although some infections can last a week or more.
Studies have confirmed that honey shortens the duration of diarrhea in patients with bacterial gastroenteritis through its antibacterial properties. In nonbacterial gastroenteritis, honey had the same effect as glucose on the duration of the diarrhea.
Watery diarrhea is commonly caused by a viral infection or food poisoning from eating undercooked meat or rotten foods. It can be serious if it causes dehydration. Keep an eye out for blood in the stool, and be sure to drink water and fluids with electrolytes. Ezekiel Richardson, MD.
Yogurt may help prevent or treat diarrhea
Certain types of yogurt contain friendly bacteria, also known as probiotics, which may help prevent or treat diarrhea.
Oatmeal is an example of a food containing soluble fibre and may be helpful in managing diarrhea, D'Ambrosio says. “Soluble fibre is a type of fibre that works by attracting water and turns it into a gel during digestion,” she explains. “This slows the digestion process and can help adding bulk to bowel movements.”
Diarrhea is a common problem. It may last 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own. If diarrhea lasts more than 2 days it may mean you have a more serious problem.
Contaminated food and fluids are common sources of bacterial infections. Rotavirus, norovirus, and other kinds of viral gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as “stomach flu,” are among the viruses that can cause explosive diarrhea. Anyone can get these viruses. But they're especially common among school-age children.
BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This diet is effective due to the bland nature of these foods, and the fact that they're starchy, low-fiber foods. These foods have a binding effect in the digestive tract to make stools bulkier.
Eat BRAT diet foods
Liquids: cranberry, apple and grape juice, tea (without caffeine), water. Snacks: canned peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, crackers, cream of wheat, eggs, gelatin, oatmeal, creamy peanut butter.
Pectin, a water-soluble fiber, helps reduce diarrhea. Eat foods that have a lot of potassium, such as fruit juices, sports drinks, potatoes without the skin, and bananas. Potassium is often lost through diarrhea.
Don't consume caffeine, alcohol, or certain sodas.
Caffeine and alcohol can irritate the digestive tract and worsen diarrhea, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine. Sodas containing high-fructose corn syrup can also cause trouble when you have an upset stomach.
Choose lean meats, poultry, fish and vegetables that are baked, broiled, steamed or stir-fried. Avoid foods that are deep-fried or served in creamy sauces. 2. Use butter, margarine, cream cheese or peanut butter in small amounts, for example 1 – 2 teaspoons per meal.
Other foods recommended on a diarrhea diet include soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt, clear soups and broths, plain pasta, and soda crackers, like Saltines.