What Should I Eat With Diarrhea? People who have experienced diarrhea know just how uncomfortable it is; the intense abdominal pain. The diarrhea can cause dehydration and make it hard to perform normal daily activities. The worst part is that within hours, the symptoms will start again. But don’t worry, I have some recommendations based on my experience with food and diarrhea that include which foods to avoid, which foods to eat in moderation, and which foods are okay to eat.
What is diarrhea?
Going to the bathroom, having a bowel movement, pooping – no matter what you call it, stool is a regular part of your life. However, sometimes this process of getting waste out of your body changes. When you have loose or watery stool, it’s called diarrhea. This is a very common condition and usually resolves without intervention.
Diarrhea can happen for a wide variety of reasons and it usually goes away on its own in one to three days. When you have diarrhea, you may need to quickly run to the bathroom with urgency and this may happen more frequently than normal. You may also feel bloated, have lower abdominal cramping and sometimes experience nausea.
Although most cases of diarrhea are self-limited (happening for a fixed amount of time and steady level of severity), sometimes diarrhea can lead to serious complications. Diarrhea can cause dehydration (when your body loses large amounts of water), electrolyte imbalance (loss of sodium, potassium and magnesium that play a key role in vital bodily functions) and kidney failure (not enough blood/fluid is supplied to the kidneys). When you have diarrhea, you lose water and electrolytes along with stool. You need to drink plenty of fluids to replace what’s lost. Dehydration can become serious if it fails to resolve (get better), worsens and is not addressed adequately.
What’s the difference between normal diarrhea and severe diarrhea?
There are actually several different ways to classify diarrhea. These types of diarrhea include:
- Acute diarrhea: The most common, acute diarrhea is loose watery diarrhea that lasts one to two days. This type doesn’t need treatment and it usually goes away after a few days.
- Persistent diarrhea: This type of diarrhea generally persists for several weeks – two to four weeks
- Chronic diarrhea: Diarrhea that lasts for more than four weeks or comes and goes regularly over a long period of time is called chronic diarrhea.
Why does diarrhea develop?
In practical terms, diarrhea develops when there is a larger-than-normal amount of water in the stool. When your digestive tract is healthy, processed food from the stomach and small intestines proceeds to the colon. In the colon, water is absorbed from the remaining waste matter until a solid stool is formed. However, if excess water is absorbed or if the processed food moves through the gastrointestinal tract too quickly, the stool won’t be solid and it will be passed in a loose or watery form.
There are various possible reasons why the colon might not be absorbing enough water or why the digested food is moving too quickly through the intestines, but here are some of the most common causes.
- Ingesting food or water that has been contaminated by bacteria and bacterial toxins
- Ingesting food or water that has been contaminated by parasites
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects the gastrointestinal tract
- Viruses such as norovirus, rotavirus, or the flu
- Sensitivities or intolerances to certain types of foods; a classic example is lactose intolerance
- Some medicines including cancer drugs, antibiotics, or magnesium-containing antacids
Benefits of a Diarrhea Diet
If you have diarrhea and potentially related symptoms like nausea, stomach cramps, and bloating, a temporary switch to a limited diet may reduce stress on your digestive system. The diarrhea diet gives your bowels a chance to rest and helps to restore your body’s fluid and electrolyte balance.
Electrolytes are minerals in your body fluids, like sodium and potassium. They’re important chemical messengers needed for heart beats, nerve signals, and other functions. The fluid loss in diarrhea may lead to electrolyte imbalance, which may cause serious medical issues.
Simple food choices decrease the amount of residue, or undigested waste, in your colon. The colon is the last part of your digestive tract before waste leaves the body, so less waste means fewer urgent bowel movements.
Foods that move slowly through your system give it more time to absorb nutrients you need to stay healthy, and they help to calm the diarrhea.
What Is Good to Eat and Drink When You Have Diarrhea?
People with diarrhea should eat small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals—clear liquids and plain foods that are easy to digest.
People with diarrhea should eat small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals—clear liquids and plain foods that are easy to digest. Diarrhea, or loose watery stools, may be caused by stomach flu, food poisoning, radiation, chemotherapy, other medications, and infections. The following diet tips may help control diarrhea.
- People with diarrhea should include binding foods such as bananas, plain white rice, applesauce, and white toast while they have active episodes of loose stools.
- Drink plenty of water or low-sugar beverages to replace the fluids lost from diarrhea.
- Drink plenty of clear liquids and electrolyte beverages such as water, clear fruit juices, coconut water, oral rehydration solutions, and sports drinks. These drinks help replenish fluids and electrolytes in the body.
- Add plain yogurt, buttermilk, and kefir to your diet.
- 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.
- High-sodium foods include broth or bouillon, canned soup, salty snacks (chips, crackers, pretzels), seasoned rice, and pasta packets.
- Applesauce is an awesome aid to get your stomach back in working order. It’s easy to digest, but still delivers important nutrients such as pectin (a type of fiber) and potassium, a mineral that functions as an electrolyte to help keep fluid levels balanced.
- Cooking vegetables such as carrots or spinach makes them easier to digest and they’re perfect in egg scrambles or broth-based soups. Eggs are an easier-to-digest alternative and an easy way to meet your protein needs without getting too full, too fast.
- Adding whole grains can both soothe stomach ailments and prevent any future intestinal issues. Soluble fiber from oats draws water into your digestive tract and moves food through your body.
- Try some ginger tea bags or simply grate fresh ginger into some hot water with lemon and sip it. Ginger is anti-spasmodic and is considered very good for soothing an unsettled stomach.
- Chicken soup is also a classic choice when people are ill. The chicken component is lean meat (alternatives can also include turkey, white fish, or oven-boiled eggs) that allows you to benefit from some protein and not too much fat that could risk bogging down your system. Protein is required for repair and recovery processes around the body—just what you need after fighting off an infection.
What type of food and drinks should be avoided during diarrhea?
People with diarrhea may be on a clear liquid diet for a day until the body recovers. Below are a few foods and drinks that should be especially avoided during diarrhea.
Grains
- High fiber, whole-grain foods (bran, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain cereals, whole-grain crackers, and brown rice)
Fruits
- Raw fruits with skin, juices with pulp, prune juice, apple juice, and canned fruit in heavy sugary syrup
Vegetables
- Raw vegetables and vegetables with skins and seeds
- Gas-forming vegetables (corn, dark leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, and peas)
Dairy
- Full-fat dairy products (whole milk, cream, sour cream, ice cream, and cheese)
Proteins
- Spicy and high-fat meats (fried meats or fried fish, bologna, salami, bacon, and hot dogs) nuts, seeds, and chunky nut butter
Beverages
- Caffeinated or sugary drinks (coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, alcohol, and drinks that contain sugar alcohols such as xylitol or sorbitol)
Others
- Fried, greasy foods, sweets, and desserts
- Spicy foods (pepper, strong spices, and hot sauce)
- Foods and drinks made with sugar alcohols (Sugar alcohols include xylitol and sorbitol. They are found in many sugar-free products such as candies, gums, and snack bars. Read ingredient lists to look for sugar alcohols.)
Diet Chart for Diarrhoea Patient
| Sunday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Vegetable soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + 1 Apple (Unskinned) |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Khichdi (1/2 cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Boiled Black grams (1/3rd cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Khichdi (1/2 cup) |
| Monday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Boiled White Chickpeas n Tomato (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + Grapes (1/2 cup) |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Chapati (2) + Fish(1pc.) stew |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Roasted Rice Flakes (1/2 cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Baked Pumpkin (1/3rd cup) |
| Tuesday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Carrot soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + Pomegranates (1/2 cup) |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Boiled rice (1/2 cup) + Cabbage curry (1/3rd cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Boiled Potato n Black grams (1/2 cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Mashed potato(2) + 1tsp Ghee |
| Wednesday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Vegetable soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + 1 Guava |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Carrot Uttappam (1) + Raita (1/3rd cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Puffed Rice (1/2 cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Khichdi (1/2 cup) |
| Thursday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Baked Tomato n Brolli wity bell peper soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + Ripe Papaya (1/3rd cup) |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Chapati (2) + Baked vegetables (1/2 cup) + Raita (1/3rd cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Boiled Black grams (1/3rd cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Bottle gourd curry (1/3rd cup) |
| Friday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Broccoli n Bell peper soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + 1 Orange |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Lentil soup (1/2 cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Roasted Rice Flakes (1/2 cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Fish(1pc.) stew (1/3rd cup) |
| Saturday | |
| Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM) | Carrot n Beetroot soup (1 cup) |
| Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM) | Tender coconut water (1 cup) + 2 Chikus |
| Lunch (2:00-2:30PM) | Dosa (1) + Samber (1/2 cup) |
| Evening (4:00-4:30PM) | Boiled Potato n Black grams (1/2 cup) + Black Tea (1 cup) |
| Dinner (8:00-8:30PM) | Boiled Rice (1/2 cup) + Pointed gourd(without seeds n Unskinned) Curryurry |
Diarrhoea Diet Restrictions: Food Items To Limit
- Milk and dairy products
- Fried, fatty, greasy foods
- Spicy Foods
- Raw vegetables
- Alcohol
- Coffee, Soda
Do’s And Dont’s While Following Diet Plan for Diarrhoea
Do’s:
- Re-hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids – Coconut water, pure water
- Have banana, rice cereals, toast
- Eat small, frequent meals. Eating heavy meals after diarrhea puts stress on your digestive system, making it hard for your recovering stomach to process foods properly.
- Be careful with what you eat or drink.
Don’ts:
- Drink Caffeine
- Eat milk, fried foods, sweets
Food Items You Can Easily Consume in Diarrhoea Diet Plan
- Clear broths, like chicken broth
- Electrolyte-enhanced water or coconut water with vitamins or electrolytes
- Decaffeinated tea
- Banana, Apple
- Rice
- Toast