Bland, low-fiber foods and plenty of fluids are the foundation of eating well through a bout of diarrhea. The old standby known as the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) still works as a starting point, but you don’t need to limit yourself to just those four foods. A broader range of easy-to-digest options will keep you nourished while your gut recovers.
The Best Foods to Eat
During the first day or two, stick to what’s sometimes called a “white diet”: bananas, white rice, applesauce, white toast, plain noodles, chicken breast, white fish, eggs, soft tofu, cottage cheese, and smooth yogurt. These foods are low in fat, low in insoluble fiber, and gentle on an irritated digestive tract. White rice and refined grains are easier to digest than whole grains because the outer bran layer has been removed, so your gut does less work breaking them down.
Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and unsweetened dry cereals are also good choices. Oats contain soluble fiber, which absorbs water in the gut and helps add bulk to loose stools. Other soluble fiber sources like bananas, carrots, and applesauce do the same thing, forming a gel-like material that slows digestion and firms things up.
Once your stomach has settled, typically after a day or two, start adding more nutritious foods back in. Cooked squash (butternut or pumpkin), cooked carrots, sweet potatoes without skin, avocado, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, and eggs all provide the protein and nutrients your body needs to recover without overwhelming your digestive system.
What to Drink
Replacing lost fluid is the single most important thing you can do. Diarrhea pulls water and electrolytes out of your body quickly, and dehydration can set in faster than most people expect. Signs include excessive thirst, dry mouth, dark urine, dizziness, and fatigue. In children, watch for a dry mouth and tongue, crying without tears, or no wet diaper for three or more hours.
Water is a fine starting point, but it doesn’t replace the sodium and potassium you’re losing. Oral rehydration solutions are specifically designed for this. They contain a precise balance of sodium and a small amount of sugar to help your intestines absorb fluid efficiently. Sports drinks are an alternative in a pinch, but they contain roughly three times less sodium and nearly twice the sugar of a proper rehydration solution, so they’re not ideal when diarrhea is the primary source of fluid loss.
Clear broths are another excellent option because they provide both fluid and sodium. Sip fluids steadily throughout the day rather than drinking large amounts at once, which can sometimes trigger more cramping.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid
Several common foods and beverages actively make diarrhea worse by pulling extra water into your intestines or speeding up digestion.
- Caffeine speeds up the digestive system. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, and most sodas.
- Sugary foods and drinks stimulate the gut to release water and electrolytes, loosening bowel movements further. Soda, juice, candy, cakes, and desserts all fall into this category.
- Sugar-free gum and candy contain sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol that are well-known triggers. Even small amounts can worsen symptoms.
- High-fructose foods are a major offender. Peaches, pears, cherries, apples, applesauce with added sugar, fruit juice, and soda can all push you over the threshold. People who consume more than 40 to 80 grams of fructose per day commonly develop diarrhea even when they’re healthy.
- Dairy products like milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream. Yogurt is sometimes tolerated because fermentation breaks down some of the lactose.
- Fried and fatty foods such as French fries, doughnuts, and chips can trigger stronger intestinal contractions.
- Insoluble fiber found in leafy greens, fruit and vegetable skins, popcorn, nuts, seeds, and beans. This type of fiber speeds things through the gut rather than absorbing water.
- Spicy and acidic foods including citrus fruits, tomato sauces, vinegar-based dressings, and hot peppers.
- Alcohol in any form.
Probiotics Can Shorten Recovery
Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods and supplements, have solid evidence behind them for infectious diarrhea (the kind caused by a stomach bug or food poisoning). A large review of clinical trials found that probiotics reduced the average duration of diarrhea by about 30 hours and cut the risk of diarrhea lasting beyond three days by roughly a third. Not all strains are equal. Lactobacillus GG and a yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii have the strongest track records. You can find these in certain yogurts, fermented drinks, and over-the-counter supplements.
Feeding Babies and Young Children
For infants, breast milk or formula remains the best food during diarrhea. If you’re breastfeeding, nurse more frequently. If your baby is formula-fed, offer formula more often and mix it at normal strength (don’t water it down). Avoid fruit juice entirely, as the sugar content tends to make diarrhea worse.
For babies already eating solid foods, starchy options are easiest to digest. Infant cereal, crackers, rice, and pasta are all good choices. As with adults, the goal is to keep calories and fluids coming in steadily rather than restricting the diet too aggressively. If a child’s diarrhea doesn’t improve within 24 hours, or if they develop a fever above 101°F, bloody stools, or signs of dehydration, that warrants a call to their pediatrician.
How Long to Eat This Way
Most acute diarrhea resolves within two to three days. During that window, the bland approach outlined above keeps your gut calm while still providing enough nutrition to support recovery. Once stools start firming up, gradually reintroduce your normal diet over the following two to three days. Add one food group at a time so you can identify anything that sets you back.
For adults, diarrhea that persists beyond two days, a fever above 101°F, severe abdominal pain, or bloody or black stools are all signals that something more than diet needs attention.