Experiencing diarrhea can be uncomfortable and disruptive. While no single food will instantly cure diarrhea, the right dietary choices can significantly soothe your digestive system and help firm up your stool. A strategic approach to eating, focusing on bland, easily digestible foods, is often recommended to manage symptoms effectively.
One well-known approach is the BRAT diet, which includes bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. However, a wider variety of gentle foods can be equally beneficial. These include soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt (specifically with probiotics), clear broths, plain pasta, and saltine crackers. Alongside diet, staying hydrated is crucial when dealing with diarrhea.
It’s also important to know when diarrhea symptoms warrant medical attention. Persistent or severe diarrhea requires professional medical advice.
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What to Eat When Diarrhea Strikes: Your Food Guide
Managing diarrhea through diet is often straightforward. Certain foods are known to ease symptoms, while others can worsen them. This dietary approach is designed for short-term relief, and its effects are usually felt relatively quickly.
For optimal results, consider eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. Overloading your digestive system can exacerbate diarrhea.
Top Food Choices for Diarrhea Relief
Here’s a list of foods generally well-tolerated and recommended when you have diarrhea:
- White Bread or Toast: Easy to digest and provides simple carbohydrates for energy.
- Clear Broth: Helps replenish fluids and electrolytes. Opt for low-sodium varieties.
- Coconut Water: A natural source of electrolytes, aiding in hydration.
- Plain Pasta: Simple carbohydrates that are gentle on the stomach.
- White Potato (peeled): Boiled or baked, peeled potatoes are easily digestible and provide potassium.
- Bananas: Part of the BRAT diet, bananas are bland, easy to digest, and a good source of potassium.
- White Rice: Another BRAT diet staple, white rice is easily digestible and helps bind stools.
- Canned Pears: Softer and easier to digest than fresh pears, especially without the skin.
- Farina (milled wheat): A hot cereal that is gentle on the stomach and often fortified with vitamins.
- Applesauce: Provides pectin, which can help firm up stools. Choose unsweetened varieties.
- Eggs (soft-cooked): A good source of protein that is easy to digest when soft-cooked.
- Low-fat Yogurt (with probiotics): Probiotics can help restore beneficial gut bacteria. Ensure it’s low-fat and well-tolerated.
- Skinless Chicken Breast: Lean protein that is easy to digest when baked or boiled without skin or added fats.
- Saltine Crackers: Bland and salty, helping to settle the stomach and replace sodium.
- Decaffeinated Tea (weakly brewed): Provides hydration; ensure it’s weak and decaffeinated to avoid stomach upset.
- Pretzels: Similar to saltine crackers, pretzels offer salt and are easily digestible.
Foods to Avoid When You Have Diarrhea
Certain foods can aggravate diarrhea symptoms and should be avoided until your condition improves:
- Dairy (except yogurt with probiotics): Lactose in most dairy products can be difficult to digest and worsen diarrhea.
- Fried, Fatty, or Spicy Foods: These can overstimulate the digestive system and exacerbate symptoms.
- Whole Grains: High in insoluble fiber, which can speed up digestion and worsen diarrhea.
- Nuts and Seeds: Also high in insoluble fiber and fats, making them harder to digest.
- Beans and Legumes: Can cause gas and bloating, further irritating the digestive system.
- Raw Vegetables: Difficult to digest and high in insoluble fiber.
- Corn: Can be hard to digest and may cause gas.
- Onion and Garlic: Can irritate the digestive tract for some individuals.
- Potato Chips and Fried Snacks: High in fat and salt, and generally not easily digestible.
- Sugar-free Candy and Gum: Artificial sweeteners can have a laxative effect.
- Cabbage and Broccoli: Cruciferous vegetables known to cause gas and bloating.
- Dried Fruit: High in fiber and concentrated sugars, which can worsen diarrhea.
- Nut Butters: High in fat and fiber, making them difficult to digest.
- Carbonated Drinks: Can cause gas and bloating, and may not be hydrating.
- Coffee: Caffeinated drinks can stimulate bowel movements.
- Citrus Fruits and Juices: Acidic and can irritate the digestive system.
- Alcohol: Can dehydrate and irritate the stomach and intestines.
Why These Foods Help with Diarrhea
Bananas and Applesauce: These fruits are standouts for diarrhea management. Bananas are gentle on the stomach and provide potassium, an electrolyte often depleted during diarrhea. Applesauce, especially compared to raw apples, is beneficial because cooking softens the fiber, and it contains pectin, a substance known to help bind stools.
Cooked Vegetables: Cooking vegetables significantly improves their digestibility. Steaming or boiling peeled vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and squash makes them easier on the gut. It’s crucial to peel them and remove seeds where applicable. Avoid gas-inducing cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower during diarrhea.
Grains: Choose Refined, Not Whole: Easily digestible grains like farina and oats (soluble fiber) can help firm stools. Refined wheat products such as white bread, plain pasta, saltines, and pretzels are preferable to whole grains. Avoid whole grains, nuts, and seeds as their high insoluble fiber content can worsen diarrhea.
Yogurt and Kefir: Probiotic Powerhouses: While most dairy is best avoided, yogurt with live probiotics can be beneficial. Probiotics help restore the natural balance of gut bacteria essential for healthy digestion. Kefir is another probiotic-rich dairy option. Steer clear of other dairy products due to lactose, which can be difficult to digest when you have diarrhea.
Lean Meats: Keep it Simple: Plain, skinless white meat chicken is an excellent choice. Lean cuts of turkey, beef, pork, and fish are also acceptable, prepared simply. Avoid rich sauces, gravies, excessive butter, or strong spices. Similarly, fatty red meats, processed meats (sausage, bacon, salami), and ground beef should be avoided due to their high saturated fat content.
Ice Pops and Popsicles: Hydration and Electrolytes: Ice pops are a good way to prevent dehydration, especially in children. Consider electrolyte-enhanced freezer pops like Pedialyte. Avoid creamy treats like ice cream, pudding, baked goods, and whipped toppings. Also, be mindful of artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol in frozen treats, as they can have a laxative effect.
Best Drinks for Diarrhea: Staying Hydrated
Hydration is paramount when you have diarrhea to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. Water is always a good choice, but other options can be beneficial:
- Plain Water: Essential for hydration.
- Coconut Water: Naturally rich in electrolytes.
- Electrolyte-Rich Sports Drinks: Help replenish electrolytes, but choose low-sugar options.
- Bone Broth: Provides fluids and some electrolytes, and is gentle on the stomach.
- Weakly Brewed Decaffeinated Tea: Hydrating and soothing.
- Kefir: Offers fluids and probiotics.
Drinks to avoid until your diarrhea resolves:
- Caffeinated Coffee and Tea: Can stimulate bowel movements.
- Sodas: Often high in sugar and can cause gas.
- Alcohol: Dehydrating and irritating.
- Carbonated Drinks: Can cause gas and bloating.
- Extremely Hot or Cold Drinks: Can potentially upset the stomach.
Benefits of a Diarrhea Diet: Rest and Recovery
A temporary, restricted diet when you have diarrhea is designed to help bind loose stools and give your digestive system a rest. It also aids in replenishing lost fluids and restoring electrolyte balance. The primary goal is to consume foods that help firm up stools and avoid those that make them watery.
Foods that help are typically high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber, found in foods like potatoes, bananas, and refined wheat, absorbs fluid in the gut, slowing down digestion. In contrast, insoluble fiber, found in bran, whole grains, and some fruits, does not absorb fluid and can speed up digestion, which is why it’s best to avoid it during diarrhea.
This dietary approach is intended for short-term management of occasional diarrhea and can also be helpful for managing flare-ups in chronic conditions like IBS, IBD, and celiac disease.
Diarrhea Diets for Children
Dehydration is a significant concern with diarrhea, especially in infants and young children. Children dehydrate more quickly than adults. Seek medical advice if your child has additional symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea lasting several days, or if they are an infant.
For mild diarrhea in children, continuing their regular diet, possibly with dairy milk temporarily removed, is often recommended. For more significant diarrhea or vomiting, electrolyte solutions are advisable. For nursing infants or those on formula, continue their usual feeding unless advised otherwise by a healthcare provider.
Always consult a healthcare provider or nurse line for specific guidance on managing diarrhea in children, particularly if symptoms are severe or concerning. Babies under 3 months with a fever require immediate medical assessment.
Expert Recommendation: Rethinking BRAT for Kids
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) no longer recommends the BRAT diet for children with diarrhea due to concerns about nutritional deficiencies. The AAP emphasizes that there isn’t enough evidence to support the necessity or benefit of this restrictive diet for children.
Adapting the Diarrhea Diet for Other Conditions
Dietary modifications may be necessary for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. Always consult with a healthcare professional to tailor dietary recommendations to your specific health needs.
Potential Side Effects of a Diarrhea Diet
Generally, a short-term diarrhea diet is safe for older children and adults. However, prolonged use can lead to nutritional deficiencies, manifesting as fatigue, paleness, weakness, breathing difficulties, increased sensitivity to cold, depression, and high blood pressure.
A diarrhea diet is not meant for long-term use. If symptoms don’t improve within a couple of days, other treatments, including anti-diarrheal medications like loperamide (Imodium A-D), may be necessary. Consult your healthcare provider before using anti-diarrheal medications, as they can be contraindicated in certain conditions, such as some bacterial infections and colitis.
As symptoms improve (usually within three days), gradually reintroduce other foods back into your diet over one to two weeks.
Exploring Other Bowel-Friendly Diets
Dietary principles for diarrhea recovery overlap with other diets used for chronic bowel conditions or for pre- and post-surgical digestive care.
Low-Fiber Diet
A low-fiber diet restricts daily fiber intake to about 10-15 grams, significantly less than the recommended 28 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. When managing diarrhea long-term, carefully select soluble fiber sources to include in your diet.
Low-Residue Diet
Similar to a diarrhea diet but more restrictive, a low-residue diet is often prescribed temporarily before or after procedures like colonoscopies. It further limits dairy intake (to 2 cups per day) and focuses on minimizing undigested material in the colon. Some individuals find avoiding dairy altogether beneficial while following a diarrhea diet.
Low-FODMAP Diet
The low-FODMAP diet focuses on reducing fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs). These short-chain carbohydrates are poorly absorbed and can trigger digestive issues like gas, bloating, and pain in sensitive individuals. While it restricts high-fiber foods, it’s less restrictive than BRAT or low-residue diets and doesn’t necessarily limit dairy unless lactose intolerance is present. Low-FODMAP foods can be a good option as you transition back to a regular diet after diarrhea.
In Summary: Diet as a Tool for Diarrhea Relief
For occasional diarrhea, dietary adjustments for a few days can be an effective management strategy. A diarrhea diet emphasizes bland, binding foods that are gentle on your digestive system, combined with ample hydration. Always consult a healthcare provider for infants and toddlers with diarrhea and for persistent or severe cases in adults.
