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Photo:Getty Images; EatingWell collage
Getty Images; EatingWell collage
Have you ever been nauseated or haddiarrheaor vomiting? Eating may not be your top priority when you are ill, but consuming foods that are gentle on your digestive tract provides your body with some nutrients as you recover.
You may have heard of the BRAT diet, which used to be the go-to diet for children who were experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, but is this diet also applicable to adults? Read more to find out what the BRAT diet is, and whether there are any alternative diets when you are under the weather.
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What Is the BRAT Diet?
BRAT is an acronym that stands for:
While the BRAT diet may be gentle on the GI tract, it is important to note that it isn’t commonly recommended, as no recent scientific evidence indicates its effectiveness in improving GI symptoms. Why? This diet is very restrictive—low in protein, fat and fiber. Its imbalance of nutrients could put one at risk of caloric and nutrient deficiencies over time. In fact, the Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends this diet to children who experience stomach upset and GI issues. The foods included don’t provide enough nutrients to help children recover. Instead, they recommend children resume regular meals within one day.
Foods to Include
Banana
Like all the foods on a classic BRAT diet, bananas are simple to digest for the body. They also haveenzymesthat assist in digestion, plus potassium, an important electrolyte.
White Rice
White rice is quicker to digest compared to a whole grain like brown rice.Generally, the nutrition advice is to make half of your grainswhole grains, which is why you might choose to incorporate brown rice in your diet. But when you’re recovering from an illness, reaching for these easier-to-process foods, like white rice, is a plus for your GI system.
Applesauce
Cooking fruits breaks down their fiber, making applesauce another food that is gentle on the digestive system.
White Toast
Although you may be more inclined to reach forwhole-grain or whole-wheat breadmost of the time (it contains all three parts of the grain and is nutrient-rich), more-refined white bread is another easy-to-digest carb, if you can tolerategluten.
What Is the Bland Diet?
When you’re recovering from an illness, your doctor may suggest following an extended version of the BRAT diet—the bland diet. If you have inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) and are in the midst of a flare, your provider may also recommend a version of the bland diet.
The bland diet is a more inclusive diet that offers a greater variety of foods and nutrients while still focusing on putting less work on your digestive system. It’s important to point out that this diet also lacks scientific evidence to show that it is necessary and effective.The foods within the bland diet are lower in fiber and fat, while also having a more neutral flavor and smell. These include:,
Don’t Forget About Fluids
Drinking plenty of fluids, such aswater, throughout the day keeps you hydrated.Other fluids, such as sports drinks orelectrolyte drinks, are also ideal for replacing lost electrolytes and avoiding dehydration.Clear brothsare also another good source to replenish fluids.
Foods to Avoid
Spicy Foods
Spices or highly seasoned foods, such as hot sauces and hot peppers, could upset your stomach. Consider using salt and herbs like parsley and basil to flavor your food.
Fried and High-Fat Foods
Fried and high-fat foods may not sit well in your GI tract, as they take longer to digest.
High-Fiber Vegetables and Fruits
As much as we always emphasize eating tons of fiber, eatinghigh-fiber foodswhen you have GI upset or an irritated gut can be hard on your digestive system. These foods include raw vegetables, whole apples, berries and more.
Gassy Foods
Dried or canned beans and lentils, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, and bulb vegetables such as onions and garlic can produce gas. Gassy foods may exacerbate gut symptoms.
Seeded and Acidic Fruits
If you have an irritated stomach where you experience heartburn, limit or avoid acidic juices, dried fruits, berries, grapes, prunes, grapefruits, oranges and lemons, among others.
Whole Grains
Fiber puts the GI tract to work. Consider limiting or avoiding whole grains, such as whole-wheat pasta,whole-grain breads, bran, barley, brown rice, rye and products with added fiber, until symptoms ease.
Dairy Products
Depending on how your body responds, you may be able to tolerate lower-fat dairy products like low-fat yogurt and low-fat milk while you have symptoms.
Alcohol and Caffeinated Beverages
Alcohol and caffeine may irritate the stomach, so it is best to avoid them.
The Bottom Line
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Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Penn State College of Medicine.Diarrhea.
American Academy of Pediatrics.Diarrhea in children: What parents need to know.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.What Should I Eat?
Weir SBS, Akhondi H.Bland Diet. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Bland diet.
National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Hydration.
