Best Foods to Eat When Sick with Diarrhea

The Best Foods to Eat When You're Sick With Diarrhea

Diarrhea can leave you feeling drained and dehydrated. While an upset stomach may curb your appetite, its important to continue eating the right foods when sick with diarrhea. Certain foods can actually help relieve your symptoms and get you feeling better faster.

Why Its Important to Eat When You Have Diarrhea

Diarrhea often leads to decreased appetite and reduced food intake. However, not eating enough can make diarrhea worse and lead to complications like dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and weight loss.

Continuing to eat will help you get essential nutrients, calories, and fluids. Eating the right foods can also help firm up loose stools while providing relief for common symptoms like cramps, bloating, and nausea.

The Best Foods to Eat With Diarrhea

Certain foods are easier to digest and provide benefits that can help relieve diarrhea. Focus on including these items in your diet when sick:

BRAT Diet Foods

BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These bland, low-fiber foods are easy on the stomach. The bananas, rice, and applesauce add potassium lost through diarrhea.

Probiotic Foods

Probiotic foods contain beneficial bacteria that support gut health. Items like yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods can help restore balance to your microbiome after diarrhea.

Clear Liquids

Staying hydrated is critical when you have diarrhea. Clear, electrolyte-rich liquids like water, broth, sports drinks, or diluted fruit juices are easily absorbed.

Chicken Soup

Warm, salty chicken soup can help replace fluids and electrolytes lost through diarrhea. Its warmth can also soothe cramping and discomfort.

Herbal Teas

Ginger, chamomile, peppermint, and fennel teas contain compounds that relax digestive muscles and reduce inflammation. This helps calm diarrhea symptoms.

Oats

Cooked oatmeal contains soluble fiber that can help absorb excess fluid in the intestines and reduce diarrhea. Avoid raw oats and other fibrous whole grains.

Lean Proteins

Skinless poultry, eggs, tofu, and low-fat dairy provide protein without aggravating diarrhea. Protein helps maintain your energy and supports healing.

Foods to Avoid With Diarrhea

While some foods provide relief, others can make diarrhea worse. Steer clear of:

High-Fiber Foods

Fiber moves through the intestines undigested, adding bulk. Its best to avoid high-fiber foods like beans, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and bran when diarrhea occurs.

Fatty, Greasy Foods

High-fat foods take longer to digest, so they linger in the stomach and can irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Limit fatty meats, fried foods, and creamy sauces.

Lactose

Those with lactose intolerance may struggle to digest milk when they have diarrhea. Stick to lactose-free dairy or temporary avoid milk products.

Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeinated and alcoholic drinks can irritate the digestive tract and worsen diarrhea. Its best to avoid coffee, energy drinks, soda, and alcohol.

Sugary Foods

Excess sugar can draw water into the intestines via osmosis, worsening diarrhea. Limit candy, baked goods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other sweets.

Spicy Foods

Heavily spiced foods can irritate the stomach and stimulate faster transit time in the colon. Skip spicy cuisines and hot sauces until diarrhea improves.

Raw Produce

Raw fruits and vegetables carry a higher risk of contamination with diarrhea-causing pathogens. Cook produce thoroughly when sick.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration is common with diarrhea because of the high fluid losses. Make sure to sip electrolyte-rich clear liquids throughout the day. Chicken or vegetable broth and diluted fruit juices are great choices.

If diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours, supplement your diet with oral rehydration solutions (ORS). These contain the optimal balance of water, sugars, and electrolytes to replenish whats lost through diarrhea.

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Instead of three big meals, opt for smaller, more frequent feedings. This puts less volume-related pressure on your digestive system. Eating every few hours also keeps energy levels stable.

Avoid Raw Foods

Raw produce, undercooked meat and eggs, unpasteurized dairy, and other raw foods commonly harbor pathogens that cause diarrhea. Thoroughly cook foods when sick and stick to pasteurized dairy.

Take Probiotic Supplements

Probiotic supplements provide a concentrated dose of beneficial bacteria to fortify gut health. Look for broad-spectrum formulas containing well-studied strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Consider Anti-Diarrheal Medication

Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal agents like loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) can help control diarrhea episodes. Use them cautiously and speak to your doctor if diarrhea persists.

Foods for Recovery After Diarrhea

Once your diarrhea starts settling down, you can gradually reintroduce more fiber-rich foods and follow a balanced diet. Foods that are great for diarrhea recovery include:

Probiotic foods

Continue eating probiotic-rich items like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut. This supports the gut microbiome as it recovers.

Prebiotic foods

Prebiotics like onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, and bananas help nourish probiotics. Combine prebiotic and probiotic foods.

Lean proteins

Chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, yogurt, and other lean proteins help repair gut tissue damaged by diarrhea.

Colorful produce

Gradually reintroduce fiber from cooked fruits and vegetables. Their antioxidants support healing. Berries are great choices.

Whole grains

Fiber from oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and the like can help firm up stools as diarrhea resolves.

When to Seek Medical Care

Contact your doctor if any of the following occur:

• Diarrhea lasts more than 2 days
• You observe blood or mucus in the stool
• You develop a fever over 101F (38C)
• Diarrhea returns after improvement
• You have severe abdominal pain or cramping
• Nausea or vomiting prevent fluid intake
• Signs of dehydration like dizziness, dry mouth, or dark urine

Severe dehydration, lasting complications, or an underlying health condition may require medical treatment, testing, and medication. Seek help if home care does not resolve diarrhea after a couple days.

Sample Diarrhea Diet Meal Plan

Eating the right foods in the right portions can help control diarrhea. Heres a sample menu with foods that are gentle on your stomach:

Day 1

• Breakfast: 1 cup cooked oatmeal with sliced bananas and cinnamon. Glass of water.
• Snack: Chamomile tea. 4 crackers.
• Lunch: Chicken noodle soup. Slice of toasted white bread.
• Snack: 1 cup vanilla kefir. Rice cake.
• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with white rice and steamed carrots.
• Beverages: Herbal tea, diluted fruit juice, electrolyte sports drinks, water.

Day 2

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and white toast. Melon chunks.
• Snack: Smoothie made with yogurt, banana, honey, and water.
• Lunch: Turkey sandwich on white bread with lettuce. Apple sauce.
• Snack: Rice cakes with peanut butter. Ginger tea.
• Dinner: Baked salmon with white rice and roasted zucchini.
• Beverages: Herbal tea, diluted fruit juice, electrolyte sports drinks, water.

Focus on simple, low-fiber choices cooked thoroughly. Small portions several times a day are best. Stay hydrated with clear fluids between meals. Listen to your body and avoid foods that seem to worsen diarrhea.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.