Diarrhea is something unfortunately everyone is well familiar with. When you pass loose or watery stool, it’s time to immediately make changes to your diet. Switch to light food that gives your digestive system a break and time to mend itself. In this article, we will talk to you about what to eat during diarrhea as well as what to avoid.
What To Eat During Diarrhea
1. Unflavoured Yoghurt
If you have diarrhea, you must say away from milk products because they’re quite heavy on the stomach. But there’s one exception – unflavoured yoghurt. Yoghurt is quite soothing for the digestive system. It contains bacterial cultures that can both prevent and tackle the stomach problem. Remember to look for unflavoured yoghurt that contains probiotics.
2. Bananas
Bananas make a good addition to your diet during diarrhea. That’s because these fruits are pretty easy on the stomach. At the same time, they have plenty of potassium that your body needs right now since you tend to lose electrolytes when you have diarrhea. Moreover, bananas contain fibre that adds bulk to stool. They’re a healthy and energising snack. So, munch on a couple of bananas everyday to both prevent and help during diarrhea.
3. White Rice
Generally, brown rice is considered the healthier variant. But when you have loose stool, it is wise to stick to white rice. Because it doesn’t have the husk. The husk makes brown rice much heavier to digest. Moreover, white rice also contains no anti-nutrients unlike brown rice – which means that it doesn’t prevent nutrient absorption. You can eat it in the form of khichdi. Here’s a full article that compares brown and white rice.
4. Water
It’s extremely important to drink enough water when you have diarrhea because your body loses a lot of it during this time. The recommended daily amounts of water are 3.7 litres for men and 2.7 litres for women. Ayurveda encourages drinking warm water throughout the day since it’s great for digestion and helps flush out toxins from your system. Drink plenty of juices, warm soups, and herbal teas if you find it hard to meet your daily requirement with plain water.
5. Oats
Next on the list of foods that help cure diarrhea is oats. Oatmeal is a popular stomach-friendly food since it contains a whole lot of soluble fibre. Soluble fibre adds bulk to stool, thus helping alleviate diarrhea. It’s one of the best breakfast options for those with this issue. Instead of dairy milk, you can boil them in soy, almond, or rice milk. These kinds of milk are generally lighter on the system and suit those with lactose intolerance. Don’t add sugar until your stomach is better.
Foods To Avoid
- Dairy
- Pungent food
- Raw vegetables
- Fried food
- Fatty food
- Onions
- Red meat
- Processed food
- Alcohol
- Tea and coffee
- Carbonated beverages
- Citrus fruits
- Sugar
If you have any thoughts on what to eat during diarrhea, go ahead and share them with us in the comments section!
Note: This article is solely for the purpose of sharing information. Please do not substitute it for professional medical advice. Before using anything as a medicine, always consult your doctor.
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