Several common foods can ease stomach pain by calming muscle spasms, absorbing excess acid, or helping your digestive system move things along more smoothly. The best choice depends on what’s causing your discomfort, but a handful of options work well across most types of stomach upset.
Ginger for Nausea and Cramping
Ginger is one of the most reliable foods for stomach pain, especially when nausea is involved. Its active compounds block serotonin receptors in the gut, which are a major trigger for nausea and vomiting signals. These same compounds also speed up gastric emptying, meaning food moves out of your stomach faster instead of sitting there causing discomfort.
Fresh ginger, ginger tea, and even ginger chews can all help. Grate a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger into hot water and steep for five to ten minutes. If your stomach pain comes with a bloated, overly full feeling, ginger is a particularly good pick because it addresses both the pain and the sluggish digestion that often causes it. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that ginger is alkaline and anti-inflammatory, which helps ease irritation throughout the digestive tract.
Peppermint for Spasms and Gas
Peppermint contains menthol, which relaxes the smooth muscles lining your stomach and intestines. This makes it especially useful when your stomach pain involves cramping, bloating, or trapped gas. Peppermint calms the muscles that hold in digestive gas, letting it pass more easily, and it also improves bile flow, which helps your body break down fats.
In studies of people with irritable bowel syndrome, about 75% of those who took peppermint oil capsules experienced significant symptom reduction, including less abdominal pain, bloating, and gas. A larger trial in Taiwan found that nearly 80% of participants had less abdominal pain after a month of peppermint oil use.
One important caveat: peppermint relaxes the muscle between your stomach and esophagus. If your stomach pain is actually heartburn or acid reflux, peppermint can make it worse by allowing acid to travel upward. Stick to ginger or one of the blander options below if acid is part of your problem.
Bananas, Rice, and Other Bland Staples
The classic BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) has been recommended for decades, and while there’s no formal research comparing it to other approaches, the logic is sound. These foods are low in fiber, easy to digest, and unlikely to irritate an already sensitive stomach. Bananas also replenish potassium and other electrolytes you lose through vomiting or diarrhea.
You don’t need to limit yourself to just those four foods, though. Harvard Health Publishing recommends broadening the list to include brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and unsweetened dry cereal. All are gentle on the stomach while giving your body more to work with nutritionally. After a day or two, you can start adding cooked carrots, butternut squash, avocado, skinless chicken, fish, and eggs. These are still bland and easy to digest but provide the protein and nutrients your body needs to recover.
Bone Broth for Gut Repair
Bone broth is rich in amino acids like glutamine and glycine that support the gut lining. A review published in the European Medical Journal found that these compounds help maintain the integrity of the gut barrier and support cellular repair, which matters when your stomach lining is inflamed or irritated. The warm liquid is also hydrating and easy to keep down when solid food feels like too much.
Sipping bone broth works well during the first hours of a stomach bug, after food poisoning, or any time eating a full meal seems unappealing. Store-bought versions work fine, though homemade broth simmered for several hours tends to have a higher concentration of those beneficial amino acids.
Fennel Seeds for Bloating
If your stomach pain is more of a swollen, pressurized feeling than a sharp ache, fennel seeds are worth trying. They contain a compound called anethole that relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, helping relieve bloating and improve digestion. You can chew a small spoonful of fennel seeds directly after a meal or steep them in hot water for a mild, slightly sweet tea.
Papaya for Sluggish Digestion
Ripe papaya contains an enzyme called papain that breaks down protein efficiently, even at the acidity level inside your stomach. Research from the University of Illinois found that ripe papaya displayed the highest protein digestibility of the forms tested, and its combination of enzymes and fiber supports overall digestive function. If your stomach pain tends to hit after heavy, protein-rich meals, a few slices of fresh papaya can help your body catch up.
Low-Acid Foods for Burning Pain
When stomach pain feels more like burning, especially in the upper abdomen or behind the breastbone, acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus, and coffee will only make things worse. Shifting toward alkaline and low-acid options can help calm the irritation.
Good choices include oatmeal, brown rice, and couscous among grains. For vegetables, root options like sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets are gentle, along with green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and green beans. High-water-content foods such as celery, cucumber, lettuce, and watermelon also help dilute stomach acid. Bananas, melons, cauliflower, and nuts all fall on the alkaline side as well.
Chamomile Tea for General Discomfort
Chamomile tea has a long history in traditional medicine for digestive complaints like nausea and gas. The human research on chamomile specifically for stomach pain is limited, but animal studies suggest it may help protect against stomach ulcers and control diarrhea. What’s well established is that chamomile promotes relaxation throughout the body, and since stress and tension can amplify stomach pain, the calming effect may help indirectly. A warm cup of chamomile is a low-risk option when you’re not sure what’s causing your discomfort and want something soothing.
Foods to Avoid While Your Stomach Hurts
What you skip matters as much as what you eat. Fatty and fried foods slow gastric emptying, keeping food in your stomach longer and increasing discomfort. Dairy can be hard to digest if your gut is already inflamed, especially if you have any degree of lactose sensitivity. Spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks all irritate the stomach lining or increase acid production.
Highly acidic fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and pineapple can worsen burning-type pain. Raw vegetables, while normally healthy, require more digestive effort than cooked ones, so stick to cooked or steamed options until you feel better. The goal is to reduce the workload on your stomach while giving it the nutrients and compounds that help it heal.