Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Eating the BRAT diet
• Part 2 of 2: Adding more foods to the BRAT diet
• Warnings

The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) has been followed for years by people with diarrhea or morning sickness. These foods are good for people with an upset stomach, but recent studies show that eating only the foods included in the BRAT diet actually slows down the recovery process by not getting enough protein, calories and vitamins. The best way to kick-start the recovery process is to start with the BRAT diet and add some nutritious, easily digestible foods to it.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Eating the BRAT diet

1. Eat bananas. Bananas are easy to digest and contain a lot of potassium. Vomiting and diarrhea cause your body to lose potassium. Bananas are also high in starch that is resistant to amylase. It has been proven that you get rid of diarrhea faster because of this.
   • According to some people, ripe bananas are easier to digest than bananas that are not yet ripe. Find out what works best for you.
2. Prepare white rice. Rice ensures that your body can replenish the moisture shortage faster and that you are sick for less time. You can prepare rice in different ways:
   • Use a rice cooker.
   • Bring 190 grams of rice and 360 ml of water to the boil. Then put the lid on the pan, turn down the heat and let the rice cook gently. Wait until all the water has been absorbed. This will take about 20 minutes.
   • Cook the rice in boiling water until soft enough to eat. Then sieve the rice.
3. Buy or make applesauce. Apples are low in fiber and help make your stool firmer. Raw fruits are difficult to digest, so it is better to eat applesauce instead of a whole apple or apple wedges. To make your own applesauce, do the following:
   • Peel 6 apples, core and cut the apples into four pieces. Place the pieces in a large saucepan along with 240 ml of water and 15 ml of lemon juice.
   • Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes.
   • If necessary, use a potato masher to mash large pieces.
   • Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar. You can also add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, but this can cause an upset stomach.
   • If you buy applesauce, make sure to buy unsweetened applesauce or applesauce that has no added sugar.
4. Make toast. Toast or toast is another easy-to-digest food that is low in fiber and helps make your stools firmer. To get more nutrients, spread jam on your toast if you want if your stomach can tolerate it. It is best to avoid butter and peanut butter as this is high in fat and will be heavy on the stomach.
   • Toasted whole grain bread is generally healthier than toasted white bread, but that's not so important now. The high amount of fiber in whole grain products can cause an upset stomach.

Part 2 of 2: Adding more foods to the BRAT diet

1. Drink lots of fluids. Do not eat solid foods if you keep vomiting. Instead, stick with liquids that are high in electrolytes, such as sports drinks or ORS. When you no longer have to vomit, you can also drink broth, fruit juice diluted with water, soda without caffeine or tea with honey. Take small sips and drink most liquids between meals.
   • According to some people, chewing ice shavings helps to prevent dehydration when nauseated.
2. Include simple carbohydrates such as salty crackers, pasta, boiled potatoes or boiled carrots in your diet. Be careful with pasta sauce and only add it to your pasta if you think your stomach can handle it. Make sure to peel the potatoes.
3. Eat chicken for protein. Plain chicken meat that has had the fat removed is easy to digest and is a good source of protein, which is an important aid in the recovery process.
   • Regular eggs or egg whites are also easy to digest and an excellent source of protein.
4. Eat a lot of yogurt. The probiotics (good bacteria) in yogurt have been proven to make your diarrhea shorter and less severe. The most useful strains of bacteria include Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
   • You can also buy probiotics as pills or powder. These pills and powders usually contain a lot of beneficial strains of bacteria.
5. Prepare a cup of chocolate milk or eat a little dark chocolate. Research shows that the ingredients in chocolate milk target and switch off the protein that causes the intestine to excrete water. A little chocolate can therefore make your stool firmer. If you are making chocolate milk, add very little milk as this is not good for an upset stomach.
6. Try carob powder or psyllium seed. A tablespoon of carob powder mixed with applesauce can help calm your stomach. Eating 9 to 30 grams of psyllium seed daily will make your stool thicker so that your diarrhea will be less severe.
7. Make sure to avoid foods that cause an upset stomach or dehydrate you. It's important to get back to a normal diet as soon as possible, but you should start with the simple foods in this article and then slowly start eating other foods. Be careful not to eat the following:
   • Fatty foods, especially fried foods.
   • Dairy products other than yogurt.
   • Raw or dried fruits and vegetables, as well as undiluted fruit juice.
   • Caffeine and alcohol. These are diuretics that dry you out.
   • Desserts and sweets. Foods that contain a lot of sugar are difficult to digest.
   • Salty foods. If you take in too much salt and not enough water, your body will dry out even more.

Warnings

• See your doctor if you have the following symptoms:
  • Suffering from diarrhea or vomiting for longer than 3 days.
  • Body temperature of 38 ° C or higher.
  • Light-headedness.
  • Little or no need to urinate.
  • Sunken cheeks or no tears when crying.