Diarrhea can be uncomfortable, but dietary changes can often help manage symptoms. This article explores which foods help with diarrhea and which to avoid, providing guidance for a quicker recovery. A temporary diet of bland, binding foods can ease symptoms. The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is a well-known example. Soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt, clear broths, plain pasta, and saltines are also helpful.
These foods can offer quick relief. It’s also important to stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids, especially for children. If diarrhea persists or occurs with other symptoms like fever, consult a healthcare provider.
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The image shows slices of white bread coming out of a toaster, representing easily digestible foods beneficial for managing diarrhea.
Foods to Eat When You Have Diarrhea
Unlike some diets, managing diarrhea through diet can be straightforward: some foods help, others don’t, and results are often noticeable. This diet is intended for short-term use. To maximize its effectiveness, eat smaller, snack-sized meals frequently throughout the day instead of three large meals. Large meals can strain the digestive system. Also, drink beverages at room temperature, avoiding extremes of hot and cold.
1. Bread or Toast
Refined wheat in white bread helps bind stools. Bread and toast are good choices. Avoid whole grains, which are more difficult to digest.
2. Plain Pasta
Plain pasta offers benefits similar to plain toast when recovering from diarrhea. Saltine crackers and pretzels also help firm up stools.
3. White Potatoes
Plain white potatoes, boiled or steamed, can be beneficial. Avoid the peels, which can aggravate digestive issues. Cooked carrots, plain white rice, and squash are also good options.
4. Bananas
Bananas are bland and easily digested, making them ideal for managing diarrhea. They are also a good source of potassium, an important electrolyte lost during diarrhea.
5. Applesauce
Applesauce is preferable to raw apples because the skin contains insoluble fiber, which can worsen diarrhea. Applesauce contains pectin, which helps bind stools. Canned pears are another safe fruit choice.
6. Cereals
Hot cereals like farina (milled wheat) are easy to digest and often vitamin-fortified. Oats are also rich in soluble fiber and can help firm stools.
7. Lean Protein
Skinless chicken breast is excellent when you have diarrhea. You can also eat lean, fat-free cuts of turkey, beef, pork, and fish. Soft-cooked eggs are another diarrhea-friendly protein source.
8. Low-Fat Yogurt
While most dairy should be limited during diarrhea, yogurt is a good option. It contains probiotics that help restore a healthy balance of gut microorganisms, aiding normal digestion. Kefir is another dairy-based probiotic choice.
Foods to Avoid When You Have Diarrhea
Certain foods can exacerbate diarrhea symptoms and should be avoided.
1. Dairy
Limit dairy products other than yogurt and kefir until your diarrhea improves. Lactose (the sugar in dairy) can be difficult to digest and worsen diarrhea.
2. Whole Grains
Avoid oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat and other bread products containing the bran and germ of the grain. The refined grains in white bread are easier to digest.
3. Nuts and Seeds
Avoid whole grains, nuts, and seeds, as these can worsen diarrhea. Also avoid beans and legumes, including lentils.
4. Raw Vegetables
Raw vegetables and dried fruit are harder to digest and should be avoided. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, as they can cause gas and bloating. Skip corn, onion, and garlic as well.
5. Fried and Fatty Foods
Avoid fatty red meat, especially ground beef or processed meats like sausage, bacon, and salami, which are high in saturated fat. Fried foods, including snack products like potato chips, can also be harder to digest.
6. Butters and Sauces
Nut butters, like peanut butter, can worsen symptoms. Regular butter should also be avoided as it’s a dairy product. Avoid sauces, gravy, mayonnaise, or heavy spices.
7. Sugar-Free Candy
Avoid treats made with artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, xylitol, or erythritol, which have a mild laxative effect. Also avoid ice cream, baked goods, pudding, and whipped topping, as they can contain these sweeteners, fats, and other problematic ingredients.
What Should You Drink With Diarrhea?
Replacing fluids and electrolytes lost to diarrhea is crucial. Plain water is a good choice, but coconut water, electrolyte-rich sports drinks, and other low-sugar beverages can also be helpful.
Consider these options:
- Clear bone broth
- Weakly brewed decaffeinated tea
- Kefir
Avoid these beverages until diarrhea resolves:
- Caffeinated coffee and tea
- Citrus fruit juices
- Sodas
- Alcohol
- Carbonated drinks
- Extremely hot or cold drinks
These drinks can stimulate bowel movements or cause gas and bloating. Limit milk consumption. Ice pops can help prevent dehydration, especially in children. Brands like Pedialyte offer freezer pops that are low in sugar and provide added nutrition.
Benefits of a Diarrhea Diet
A temporary, restrictive diet can bind watery stools and allow your bowels to rest. It can also restore lost fluids and balance electrolytes (electrically charged minerals like sodium and calcium). Foods that help are often high in soluble fiber, found in potatoes, bananas, and refined wheat. Soluble fiber absorbs fluid in the gut, slowing digestion. Insoluble fiber, found in bran, some fruits, and whole grains, doesn’t absorb fluid and can speed up digestion, worsening diarrhea.
This diet is for short-term treatment of occasional diarrhea. It can also ease sudden, severe diarrhea in people with chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and celiac disease.
Modifications to the Diarrhea Diet
Modifications may be necessary for specific medical conditions.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Consult a healthcare provider if your diarrhea doesn’t resolve or if you experience other symptoms like fever, fatigue, or trouble breathing. Ask your healthcare provider if anti-diarrheal medications are safe for you, as they can be dangerous in certain conditions like some bacterial infections and colitis. Underlying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome may require treatment.
If symptoms improve by day three, you can gradually reintroduce other foods over one to two weeks.
A diarrhea diet is generally safe for older children and adults but watch for signs of nutritional deficiency, including paleness, weakness, increased sensitivity to cold, depression, and high blood pressure.
A diarrhea diet is not intended for long-term use. If symptoms don’t significantly improve within a few days, other treatments, including anti-diarrhea drugs like Imodium A-D (loperamide), may be needed.
Summary
Dietary changes can often manage occasional diarrhea. Focus on bland, binding foods that are gentle on your digestive tract. Adequate hydration is also essential. For babies and toddlers with diarrhea, a healthcare provider should oversee dietary changes, as restrictive diets can be harmful to small children.
