Whatever the cause, experts believe that there is a link between diarrhea and diet.
What you eat affects your digestive system and can aggravate your diarrhea. When dealing with an episode of diarrhea, knowing what to eat and what to avoid can help ease your symptoms.
Here is what you should never eat when you get diarrhea:
Food with High-Fat Content
If you are suffering from diarrhea, you must avoid foods with high-fat content. These include fast food, fried cuisines, greasy and oily foods, creamy foodstuff, fatty meat parts, and foods dipped in gravies. These fatty foods increase the intestinal contractions and further add up to the severity of diarrhea. Replace these fatty foods in your diet with lean meat and soups.
Lactose Rich Foods
Lactose is a sugar that is found in dairy products. Whether your diarrhea is due to lactose intolerance or not, avoid any dairy products. Like milk, butter, ice cream, and even cheese as these products may trigger your diarrhea. Sensitivity to dairy products increases in the body when you are suffering from diarrhea. You can still consume yogurt as it is enriched with probiotics and helps in curing diarrhea.
Gassy Foods
Sodas and Alcoholic Beverages
You should steer clear of alcoholic beverages when battling diarrhea. You may already be losing fluids because of your condition. Drinking alcohol is only going to aggravate it because it dehydrates your body. Moreover, you should avoid sodas with a high dose of fructose. Studies show that fructose in large quantities can affect your digestive system. It could cause bloating gas and diarrhea.
Unhealthy Foods
Unhealthy food should never be consumed, as it is the major cause of all diseases. Never eat unwashed fruits and vegetables and avoid semi-cooked cuisines. Always make sure your food is clean and hygienically cooked and stored properly before consuming it. Follow these food hygiene regimes to avoid any serious gastrointestinal disease.
- Wash all your fruits and vegetables before consuming and cooking.
- Always wash your hands before cooking or preparing any meal.
- Make sure your cooking surfaces are clean and wipe them with soapy water.
- Always cook your food on 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Store your leftover food appropriately in the freezer or refrigerator.
Foods to Eat during Diarrhea:
Knowing what to avoid is important but eating the right stuff can also help cure diarrhea. Banana, apple, rice, and toast, also known as BRAT, are the best food options in diarrhea. They help in firming up the stool. BRAT diet also includes cooked cereals, soda crackers, applesauce, and applesauce.
Liquid intake is very essential in diarrhea as your body gets dehydrated during the disease. Drink plenty of water every day and keep our body hydrated. Besides water, you can also take chicken or beef plain broth, electrolyte-enhanced water or coconut water with vitamins and electrolytes, medicated solutions like Pedialyte, and decaffeinated tea to increase your fluid intake.
The fact of the matter is that your food consumption can trigger or cure your diarrhea so carefully watch out your diet if you are suffering from diarrhea. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you eat some food that makes your diarrhea worse.
