How to Follow the BRAT Diet: Tips and Guidelines (2024)

FAQs

What is the BRAT diet in order? ›

The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) was once a staple of most pediatricians' recommendations for children with an upset stomach. The idea was that it gave the gut a chance to rest and reduced the amount of stool produced.

The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. However, many health professionals no longer recommend it due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.

Begin to add bland, low-fat foods as listed above, like bananas, rice, applesauce, crackers, cooked cereals (Farina, Cream of Wheat), toast and jelly, yogurt, cooked carrots, and chicken or turkey. Eat small meals every few hours.

Peanut butter could be added to the BRAT diet in small amounts. It's easily digested. But a lot of it might cause belly discomfort because it's high in fat.

One of the most familiar anti-diarrhea strategies is the BRAT diet (which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). But there are other foods that are just as useful, including soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt, clear broths, plain pasta, and saline crackers.

Start with things like soft-cooked eggs, cooked fruits and vegetables, and white meat, like chicken or turkey. The important thing is to follow your body's cues. If you eat too much variety too soon, your symptoms may return. No formal guidelines for the BRAT diet exist.

With diarrhea, it is advisable to eat bland foods such as toast. If people wish to, they can add bananas, peanut butter, or applesauce on toast.

Clear Liquid/ Bland Diet

Both children and adults need to drink plenty of fluids while they're sick to prevent dehydration. Water is good, but adding broth, a sports drink, or a rehydration solution such as Pedialyte can help replace lost electrolytes. Broth or broth-based soups (chicken noodle, vegetable, etc.)

Unsweetened applesauce contains a compound called pectin, a type of soluble fiber that works as a prebiotic in your gut. It has been shown to boost the amount of bifidobacteria which supports the gut in calming inflammation, which in turn decreases intestinal permeability and fluid loss.

These tips may help you when you have diarrhea:

Try light meals of clear soups, such as chicken soup or bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water. Drink plenty of fluids to replace what you are losing with diarrhea. Stay hydrated by sipping clear liquids throughout the day.

Is applesauce better than apples for diarrhea? ›

Applesauce: Unlike whole, raw apples, applesauce is broken down into an easy-to-digest form, which is a good choice for people with diarrhea. Toast: White toast that's low in fiber is easy for people with diarrhea to tolerate.

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. Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.

The BRAT (bananas, rice, apples, toast) diet is often recommended for patients suffering from diarrhea or the stomach flu. In addition to these foods, you may also consume other mild foods that ease the GI tract such as saltines, oatmeal, or boiled potatoes.

Here's how it works: Mix 1 teaspoon carob powder or cinnamon powder with 1/2 cup applesauce (use half this amount for children). Cinnamon has antimicrobial, demulcent (soothing), and astringent (tissue-tightening) properties to help fight infections, tighten tissue, and stop diarrhea.

Foods that are easier to digest include toast, white rice, bananas, eggs, chicken, salmon, gelatine, applesauce, and oatmeal. Symptoms of digestive problems include acid reflux, bloating, or abdominal pain.

There's no medicine for stomach flu. Antibiotics don't work on viruses — they're for bacterial infections. The best thing you can do to help your immune system do its work is to stay home and rest, stay hydrated and eat a little if you can. Give your body the energy it needs to fight the infection.

What foods help diarrhea go away? Eating bland foods can help diarrhea clear quicker and prevent stomach upset and irritation. This can include bananas, plain white rice, applesauce, toast, boiled potatoes, unseasoned crackers, and oatmeal.

Diarrhea after eating can stem from various causes, including foodborne illnesses, food intolerances, allergies, as well as underlying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis.