The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. But, many health professionals no longer recommend it as a treatment option due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends the BRAT diet for management of diarrhea in children. Instead, it recommends oral hydration therapies using re-hydration drinks. Using the BRAT diet for short periods, usually less than 48 hours, is unlikely to cause any harm.
One of the reasons for change is because too many food groups and essential nutrients were left out of the BRAT diet. "This is a restrictive diet," says Zeratsky. "It is inadequate of nutrients like calories, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber."
Though the BRAT diet is no longer recommended by most health care professionals, making modifications to your diet is still useful when you're dealing with digestive distress. In particular, a bland diet is also often recommended as a remedy for digestive issues.
As you feel better, return to a normal, healthy diet. The BRAT diet doesn't provide all the nutrients of a healthy diet. You should be able to start eating a more regular diet, including fruits and vegetables, within about 24 to 48 hours after vomiting or having diarrhea.
Make toast.
White bread is better because the flavor is milder and there is less fiber and will help firm up your stools. Avoid putting butter and sugary jams on your toast. Butter is high in fat and sugary jams can make your stomach worse.
To try out the BRAT diet when you're experiencing symptoms, start small with a snack rather than a full meal as to not overload your already-distressed digestive system. This is why we have deemed our Peanut-Butter Banana Cinnamon Toast the best snack to eat when you have diarrhea.
Milk, Butter, Ice Cream, and Cheese Even if the diarrhea isn't caused by lactose intolerance — a difficulty processing lactose, a sugar found in dairy products — stay away from these foods when you have diarrhea. You may be temporarily sensitive to dairy products, even if you usually have no problem with them.
Bananas are also a low residue food that helps deal with the weakness and dehydration. You can either have it as a fruit or add it to your yoghurt or smoothie. Add 1-2 bananas for 2 times a day to ease the stomach issue.
Eat foods high in potassium and sodium to replace the minerals lost from diarrhea. High-potassium foods include apricots, avocado, bananas, canned tomatoes, oranges, pears, potatoes and sweet potatoes (especially baked), and tomato juice.
The BRAT diet is a restrictive diet that was once recommended for people, particularly children, with gastrointestinal distress like vomiting, diarrhea, or gastroenteritis. Evidence, however, does not support a benefit.
Myth. Bland "BRAT" foods -- bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast -- were once recommended to treat diarrhea. But BRAT foods don't have enough of other nutrients you need, like protein and fat. You can eat bland foods for the first day or so.
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.
Toast is another easily digested, low fiber food that will help to firm up your stool. For added nutrition, you should feel free to spread jam on your toast if you can stomach it. You will probably want to avoid butter and peanut butter, as they are high in fat, which is hard on your stomach.
Bananas can help to replenish potassium and other electrolytes that a person may lose as a result of vomiting or diarrhea. Bananas make up part of the “BRAT” diet, which some people recommend for an upset stomach with diarrhea. The acronym “BRAT” stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
Yogurt can usually help with diarrhea. However, if you have an intolerance or allergy to lactose, it may worsen diarrhea. If you have diarrhea and would like to try yogurt as a home remedy, choose a brand that contains probiotics and is low in sugar.
You should avoid certain kinds of foods when you have diarrhea, including fried foods and greasy foods. Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
There's also a study concluding that Yakult reduces the incidence of diarrhea in children. A review of 63 studies also noted that probiotics seem to help some people become diarrhea-free faster. Still, note that Yakult shouldn't be a substitute for medical treatment.
Having a very high fibre or low fibre intake can make toddler diarrhoea worse. Change from white bread and low fibre cereals to wholemeal or wholegrain products e.g. wholemeal or seeded bread, Shredded wheat, Weetabix or Shreddies, brown rice or pasta. Include more fruit and vegetables.
Studies have confirmed that honey shortens the duration of diarrhea in patients with bacterial gastroenteritis through its antibacterial properties. In nonbacterial gastroenteritis, honey had the same effect as glucose on the duration of the diarrhea.
A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 1 cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement. Water, Pedialyte, fruit juices, caffeine-free soda, and salty broths are some good choices. According to the Cleveland Clinic, salt helps slow down the fluid loss, and sugar will help your body absorb the salt.
It is a bland food that is simple to digest, so grilled cheese is a good option if you have diarrhea. When diarrhea is caused by an infection, dairy may not be the best option; symptoms may become worse. Diarrhea causes your body to lose more fluids than usual.
Take Probiotics.
Present in aged soft cheese and cottage cheese, sauerkraut, sourdough bread and many fermented foods including yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, and miso, probiotics have been found effective by researchers in providing symptomatic relief for certain types of diarrhoea, as well as shortening its course.