Rehydration drink, clear broth, white rice and a sliced banana

What to Eat When You Have Diarrhea: A Clear Answer

ByCraig Brockie Last updated

What should you eat when your stomach is upset with diarrhea?

Start with fluids: sip water, broth and an oral rehydration solution to replace the water and salts you are losing. When you feel like eating, choose plain, low-fat foods such as rice, bananas, toast, oatmeal, potatoes, eggs and chicken. Skip alcohol, caffeine, greasy food, sugary drinks and sugar-free sweets until you recover.

The NHS says diarrhea usually stops within 5 to 7 days. The main risk in the meantime is dehydration, not missing a few meals.

Fluids and electrolytes come first

Diarrhea drains water and electrolytes (salts). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) advises adults to replace them with water, broths, sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions from a pharmacy. Take small sips if you feel sick, the NHS suggests.

The CDC says over-the-counter oral rehydration solutions are most helpful for mild dehydration, while sports drinks can help but may not replace important nutrients and minerals.

Go easy on fruit juice and soda. The NHS says they can make diarrhea worse, and a CDC report on gastroenteritis in children advises avoiding large amounts of highly sugared liquids.

Bland foods that are easier on your gut

Once you are hungry, eat small portions of soft, plain food. Cleveland Clinic suggests low-fat, bland and slightly salty foods, and its BRAT diet guidance lists options beyond the classic four.

Bland foods: plain toast, applesauce and boiled potatoes
FoodWhy it is a reasonable pick
Bananas, white rice, applesauce, white toastThe classic BRAT foods: soft, bland and low in fiber
Saltine crackers, oatmeal, dry cerealPlain starches that are easy to keep down
Brothy soupsFluid and salt in one bowl
Boiled potatoesFilling and mild when eaten plain
Scrambled eggs, skinless chicken or turkeyAdd these as you improve, for protein
Cooked vegetablesBring back slowly once things settle

For more, see easy to digest foods and what to eat when your stomach is upset.

The BRAT diet’s limits

BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These foods are gentle, but Cleveland Clinic says the diet lacks protein, fiber, calcium and vitamin B12, and that adults should follow it for a day or two at most.

For children, Cleveland Clinic notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics considers strict BRAT too restrictive and that staying on it for more than 24 hours may slow recovery. The CDC report called it “unnecessarily restrictive.”

Foods and drinks to avoid for now

NIDDK suggests avoiding these with acute diarrhea:

  • Alcohol.
  • Caffeine, including coffee, tea and some soft drinks.
  • Foods and drinks high in simple sugars, such as fructose and lactose.
  • Sugar alcohols, found in sugarless gum and candy.
  • High-fat foods such as fried food, pizza and fast food.

Cleveland Clinic adds spicy and acidic foods. Dairy deserves extra caution: NIDDK notes that some people have trouble digesting lactose for a month or more after acute diarrhea. Whether yogurt works for you is covered in Is Yogurt Good for an Upset Stomach?

When to return to a normal diet

According to NIDDK, in most cases you can eat your normal diet once you feel like eating again, and most experts do not recommend fasting or a restricted diet beyond skipping the foods above.

In practice, move from bland foods to soft proteins and cooked vegetables, then bring back high-fiber foods, dairy and richer meals as your stools return to normal. Our gut health diet plan covers longer-term eating.

Do probiotics help with diarrhea?

The evidence is mixed at best. A 2020 Cochrane review of 82 studies with 12,127 participants found that probiotics made no clear difference to the number of people whose diarrhea lasted 48 hours or more, and the evidence that they shorten diarrhea was very weak. An earlier version of the review had been more positive before newer, larger trials were added.

NIDDK says many doctors and professional societies do not think the evidence supports using probiotics to treat or prevent diarrhea, and advises talking with a doctor first. Fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir can be part of a normal diet once you are eating again, but they are food, not a treatment; see probiotic foods.

Extra care for children, older adults and dehydration

Children and babies

NIDDK says children with acute diarrhea should keep eating their usual age-appropriate diet, and babies should keep having breast milk or formula. The NHS adds that formula should be made at its usual strength, not diluted. Talk with a doctor before giving an oral rehydration solution to an infant.

Doctors typically recommend against over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicines for infants and children, and for anyone with bloody stools or a fever, according to NIDDK.

Older adults

Dehydration is a bigger concern for young children, older adults and people with other illnesses, the CDC notes. NIDDK advises older adults and people with diabetes, kidney disease or a weakened immune system to talk with a doctor before using oral rehydration solutions, since a specific solution or amount may suit them better.

Signs of dehydration

Mayo Clinic lists these warning signs:

  • Adults: excessive thirst, dry mouth or skin, little or no urination, dark urine, weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness, and fatigue.
  • Babies and young children: no wet diaper in three or more hours, dry mouth and tongue, crying without tears, drowsiness, unresponsiveness or irritability, a sunken look to the belly, eyes or cheeks, and fever above 102°F (39°C).

When to see a doctor

Mayo Clinic advises adults to see a doctor if:

  • Diarrhea lasts more than two days without improvement.
  • You become dehydrated.
  • You have severe abdominal or rectal pain.
  • You have bloody or black stools.
  • You have a fever above 102°F (39°C).

Call a child’s doctor if diarrhea does not improve within 24 hours or comes with dehydration, fever above 102°F (39°C) or bloody or black stools. The NHS lists vomiting blood, a sudden severe stomach ache, severe trouble breathing and confusion as emergency signs. This article is general information, not medical advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is the BRAT diet still recommended for diarrhea?

Only as a short starting point. Adults should not follow it for more than a day or two because it lacks key nutrients (Cleveland Clinic).

Are sports drinks good for diarrhea?

They can help, but they may not replace important nutrients and minerals the way an oral rehydration solution does (CDC).

Can I eat yogurt when I have diarrhea?

Some people can, but yogurt contains lactose, which some people digest poorly for a month or more after acute diarrhea (NIDDK).

How long does diarrhea usually last?

Diarrhea usually stops within 5 to 7 days (NHS). See a doctor sooner if warning signs appear.

Related topics

Sources

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet, supplements or medication, especially if you have a health condition.

Craig Brockie is the founder of Ultimate Health Solutions, the company behind Ultimate Gut, and the author of Ultimate Health, The Ultimate Gut Health Guide and The Unlimited Probiotics Guide. After injuries and chronic health problems in his twenties that conventional care didn’t resolve, he began researching health on his own and has studied natural health for 30 years. He is not a medical professional, and his articles are general information, not medical advice.

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