Yes, a plain baked potato is an excellent food choice after a stomach virus because it is bland, low in fat, and easy to digest. Potatoes help restore lost potassium, acting as a gentle source of carbohydrates to aid recovery. However, it must be eaten plain, without butter, sour cream, or cheese, which can worsen symptoms.
After you can tolerate drinking clear fluids, start eating smaller meals of bland, low-residual foods, such as mashed potatoes, plain noodles, crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken.
Plain potatoes are a good bland food because of their ability to be easily digested and their abundance in potassium, which is an electrolyte that can help rehydrate your body. Steaming the potato is best because it breaks down fiber, which can be hard to digest.
Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes Complex carbs are great for the flu or food poisoning. They're palatable, relatively bland (especially opting for regular potato), and efficient in replacing nutrients. Sweet potatoes are particularly nutritious with plenty of vitamin A and beta-carotene. You can really add on to these, too.
drinks with caffeine, such as coffee and tea, and some soft drinks. foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods, pizza, and fast foods. foods and drinks containing large amounts of simple sugars, such as sweetened beverages and some fruit juices. milk and milk products, which contain the sugar lactose.
Balance your gut
Consider taking a probiotic supplement to rebalance. You can also naturally restore your gut bacteria by eating probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt or kimchi. A diverse whole-food diet can support a healthy gut microbiome long after you bounce back from your sickness.
If you are experiencing diarrhea, the diet suggested below may help solidify your stools. You may have heard of the BRAT diet which stands for Bananas, Rice, Apples, and Toast. The BRAT diet was often recommended for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but is no longer because of how restrictive it is.
Your potato is at a dangerous temperature when it is between 41–135 degrees Fahrenheit. Food experts call this range the temperature danger zone because within these temperatures, it is easiest for bacteria to multiply to unsafe levels on your food.
Cooked potatoes of all varieties are examples of easy-to-digest foods. Sweet potatoes are especially gentle on the digestive tract because they are mostly made up of insoluble fiber, which speeds up digestion and promotes regularity.
Easy-to-digest foods that are binding can help stop diarrhea, including pasta, rice, potatoes, crackers, oatmeal, and bananas. Diarrhea is defined as loose stools that occur three or more times in a day.
Main meals and snacks
Potatoes have a special quality of “resistant starch” which means that the starch is mostly not digested and arrives in your colon undigested to feed your gut bacteria and improve digestive health. This is the concept of “pre-biotic”, because it helps to develop your gut microbiome.
Cooling boiled potatoes triggers retrogradation, turning digestible starch into potato-resistant starch. This passes into the colon, feeds good bacteria, and forms SCFAs that improve motility, repair the gut barrier, and enhance the overall health benefits of potatoes for long-term digestive well-being.
After a week or so: You should be back to your normal diet
Knowing what you can and can't eat after a stomach bug or food poisoning (as well as when) is pretty personalized, but the guide above can help you ease back into things without overdoing it.
Stomach flu and stomach bug are informal terms for viral gastroenteritis, a sickness in which a viral infection causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines.
Supports gut health
This is because it is 'resistant starch', meaning it's resistant to our digestion but can be broken down by our gut bacteria, providing them with the fuel they need to function and thrive. When we cook and cool potatoes, the starch granules lock together, making them more resistant to digestion.
Whole grains, legumes, and leafy greens are excellent fiber sources that aid digestion and help maintain a diverse gut microbiome. Incorporating fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi can introduce beneficial probiotics into the digestive system, bolstering gut health.
The hardest foods to digest are typically fried and fatty foods, processed foods, and items high in certain fibers or sugars, like cruciferous vegetables, legumes, onions, garlic, and dairy (for the lactose intolerant), as well as red meat, due to their fat content, complex fibers (like cellulose in corn), or FODMAPs, slowing stomach emptying and potentially causing gas, bloating, or cramps.
While potatoes are high in easily digestible starch that can lead to blood sugar spikes, they are also high in resistant starch – a type of fiber that is “resistant” to digestion by human enzymes.
Mold or rot: Any visible mold or rotting on the potato means it's no longer good to eat. Leaking: If a potato is leaking liquid while still whole, it's likely decaying or infected with a fungus. Wrinkled skin: Potatoes with shriveled or wrinkly skin are likely dehydrated and may be past their prime.
Potatoes for health and nutrition
Another major nutrient in potatoes is potassium, an electrolyte which aids in the workings of our heart, muscles, and nervous system. Potato skin contains fiber, which is important for digestive health.
The BRAT diet is no longer considered the go-to eating plan to control diarrhea and nausea. For diarrhea, focus on eating foods containing soluble fiber and lean proteins. Oral rehydration solutions are ideal for replenishing lost fluids. For relief of nausea, sip ginger tea or eat ginger chews.
Plain Toast
Toast can also help to absorb excess stomach acids and settle the stomach. However, it is important to avoid butter or margarine on toast, as these can increase symptoms of diarrhea. Toast is best eaten plain or with a light spreading of jam or honey.
Highly processed foods and refined grain products
The healthiest eating is mostly based on plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and nuts/seeds. They also include healthy protein sources, such as beans, fish, or poultry, while limiting red and processed meats.