What kind of food helps diarrhea

Mundkur says boiled rice, noodles, wheat, or oats can help, especially if you have watery stools. Raw vegetables can be harder to digest and can cause discomfort in the form of gas and bloating, so boiled vegetables may be easier on your system when you have diarrhea. Mundkur recommends opting for boiled vegetables like green beans, potatoes, and carrots.

Soup can help replenish your fluid and nutrient levels, whereas crackers are helpful since they typically have a high salt content. Diarrhea can result in considerable loss of fluid and electrolytes, which are minerals like sodium and potassium, so eating salty foods can help restore them.

Greasy foods with a high fat content can make your diarrhea worse, so opt for low-fat meat options like skinless chicken or turkey.

Mundkur recommends baking the meat and eating it unseasoned, since spices and seasonings can irritate your system. You can use dry or fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or cilantro to flavor the meat, says Mundkur. Cooked eggs are safe to consume when you have diarrhea.

Opt for preparations that don't involve a lot of butter, cheese, or seasonings, like scrambled eggs seasoned with salt.

While the BRAT diet, consisting of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, was once prescribed to treat diarrhea, the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders says that this diet is not nutritionally adequately for long periods of time. However, you can eat these foods when you have a short bout of diarrhea. If you don't have an appetite, or if you have nausea or vomiting in addition to diarrhea, Mundkur says you can stick to only liquids for a short while, until you're able to tolerate some food.

Liquids are easier to digest and can help prevent bowel irritation. These are some foods that tend to worsen diarrhea. Mundkur recommends checking with your doctor about what foods might trigger diarrhea for you if you have it chronically i. Foods that have a high fat content can make diarrhea worse , resulting in more trips to the bathroom as well as greasy and smelly stools.

Mundkur says this can happen because diarrhea can sometimes temporarily affect your body's ability to absorb fat. Fat typically takes longer to digest so it slows down the movement of food through your system; however, if your body is unable to digest fat, food may pass through your system a lot faster.

Some foods to avoid include fried foods, meat dishes with added fat or a high fat content, nuts, and creamy sauces or dressings.

It's also worth noting that the reverse can also happen sometimes — you may develop fat malabsorption, which is the inability to digest fats, and that can lead to chronic diarrhea, says Mundkur. According to Mundkur, you may not be able to adequate digest dairy products while you have diarrhea, and sometimes up to several weeks or months after your illness. Dairy products to avoid include milk, cheese, cream, and butter; yogurt however is the exception because it's a probiotic that can help treat diarrhea, says Mundkur.

Spicy foods and seasonings can irritate your digestive system and add to your discomfort, so avoid them while you have diarrhea. Moreover, what makes spicy food so spicy going down might also make it spicy coming back out.

Therefore, do your rump a favor and season your food with just salt or herbs instead, since that can help replenish your electrolyte levels. Rice is binding, and that can help your poop become more firm before it exits the premises, Warren says.

This has no fiber , which makes it easier for you to digest when you have diarrhea, Warren says. Weight Loss. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. The Healthy Cooking Awards. There are some medications or supplements you can combine with the diarrhea diet.

People who are lactose-intolerant may take enzymes like Lactaid when eating foods that contain dairy. If you experience diarrhea frequently due to a condition like irritable bowel syndrome IBS , your healthcare providers may suggest a probiotic supplement.

Diarrhea usually isn't a long-term issue, but it can present some day-to-day challenges while you're dealing with it. Being on a limited diet for even a short period of time can result in low levels of essential nutrients.

A restricted diet also makes it harder to eat enough calories each day and drink enough fluid to stay hydrated. The diarrhea diet is only meant to be followed for a few days while you recover. Prepping food for the diarrhea diet can take work. If you have another medical condition, it could become complicated by an sudden change in your diet.

While following the diet as recommended doesn't pose any safety concerns, doing so without seeking medical attention when you might need it can. If you aren't feeling any better after a couple of days of following the diarrhea diet, call your healthcare provider. If you have diabetes and get diarrhea frequently, talk to your healthcare provider or endocrinologist. Some people with diabetes develop a type of neuropathy that affects the intestines.

The condition, called diabetic enteropathy , can cause diarrhea. Note that several of the most common medications used to treat diabetes, such as Metformin , list diarrhea as a side effect, though it typically improves with time. Changes in your body and your diet can cause occasional bouts of diarrhea during pregnancy.

Toward the end of pregnancy, diarrhea can even be an early sign of labor. If you have diarrhea from a bacterial infection or condition like small bowel bacterial overgrowth SIBO , you may need antibiotics. Unfortunately, diarrhea can also be a side effect of antibiotics.

Additional symptoms of SIBO include nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, and gas. Foodborne illness is a common cause of diarrhea. You can reduce your risk by properly washing, storing, and preparing fresh produce. For example, if you become anemic low on red blood cells from a lack of iron, you may feel especially fatigued and short of breath. A severe lack of vitamin C can lead to scurvy , which can cause gum bleeding and skin rashes. Most of the foods approved for the diarrhea diet are meant to slow digestion and reduce diarrhea, but that can also lead to constipation.

The best thing you can do is be sure to drink plenty of water. If your constipation isn't getting better, your healthcare provider might suggest you try a fiber supplement to get things moving again.

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.

While you may not feel up to guzzling down glass after glass, be sure to sip on water or another approved beverage as frequently as you can. If the balance of fluid and salts or electrolytes in your body is off, not only will you continue to feel rundown and generally unwell, but it can lead to potentially serious complications.

The diarrhea diet is meant to be used a short time until your symptoms resolve. Staying hydrated is a priority, and so is making sure that you're getting enough nutrients to avoid other issues. In some cases, you may have an underlying illness like diabetes or a digestive disease. 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.

Many alternatives to traditional noodles are made from beans and lentils. Likewise, if you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet, you'll want to avoid most plant-based protein sources including nuts, legumes, and beans, which can make diarrhea worse. 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.

For adults eating 2, calories a day, the daily recommended intake for fiber is at least 28 grams, or about an ounce. On a low-fiber diet , you restrict your intake to around 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day.

If you limit your fiber intake to manage diarrhea, carefully consider which sources of fiber you choose to include in your 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 concerns for people on a low-residue diet is the limit on dairy products.

You may find dairy makes digestive symptoms worse and choose to avoid these foods while following the diarrhea diet too. These short carbohydrate chains are present in many foods, but especially grains, beans, and legumes.

Some people find that foods high in FODMAPs tend to trigger or worsen digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, and bloating. 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.

But once you start feeling better, you may be eager to resume eating as usual. Pace yourself so the diarrhea doesn't return, and you'll get back to life and your favorite tasty foods a lot faster.

One of the most challenging aspects of having IBS is trying to figure out what's safe to eat. Our recipe guide makes it easier. Sign up and get yours now! Health-promoting benefits, value-added products, and other uses of banana. Non-Timber Forest Products. Springer International Publishing; Are oral rehydration solutions optimized for treating diarrhea? Nutr Health. February 14, Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals.

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