The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, or banana, rice, applesauce, toast) has been used for years as a food to treat diarrhea or morning sickness. While the BRAT diet is good for stomachaches, recent research shows that the BRAT diet actually slows recovery when you're sick due to its lack of protein, calories, and vitamins. The best way to recover is to eat BRAT plus more nutritious foods that are easy for the stomach to digest.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Eating BRAT Foods
Step 1. Eat bananas
Bananas are easy to digest. Its high potassium content is suitable to replace potassium that is wasted from the body due to vomiting and diarrhea. Bananas are also rich in amylase-resistant starch which is proven to be able to heal diarrhea faster.
Some people find ripe bananas easier to digest than raw. Find out which one is right for you
Step 2. Prepare white rice
Rice helps increase the level of rehydration and reduces the duration of illness. There are several ways to prepare rice:
- Use a rice cooker.
- Boil 1 cup of rice and 1.5 cups of water. Wait until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Cook the rice in boiling water until the rice is soft enough to eat. After that, drain the water.
Step 3. Buy applesauce at the supermarket, or just make it
Apples are a fruit with low fiber content which will help to harden the dirt. It is difficult for the body to digest raw fruit, so applesauce is preferable to whole apples or apple slices. To make your own applesauce:
- Place six apples that have been quartered, sliced, peeled, and cored in a large saucepan. Add one glass of water and 1 ml of lemon juice.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- To crack large apple slices, use a potato mash.
- Add 1 tsp. sugar and stir. You can also add tsp. cinnamon, but it can give you a stomach ache.
- Make sure the applesauce you buy does not contain sweeteners or sugar.
Step 4. Make the toast
Toast is also a low-fiber food that is easy to digest and will help harden stools. To make it even more nutritious, you can spread jam on toast only if you are sure your stomach can digest it. But avoid peanut butter or butter because they contain high fat that is difficult for the stomach to digest.
While whole wheat bread is usually healthier than white bread, that's not the case here. In fact, the high fiber content in wheat products can make you heartburn
Part 2 of 2: Addition to BRAT
Step 1. Drink plenty of fluids
Don't eat solid food if you keep vomiting. Instead, drink fluids that contain lots of electrolytes, such as Pedialyte. After no longer vomiting, you can try broth, fruit juice mixed with water, decaffeinated soda, or tea plus honey. Drink it in small gulps, and most of the liquid is consumed between meals.
Some people find that chewing ice cubes can help reduce nausea and dehydration
Step 2. Add simple carbohydrates, such as crackers, boiled potatoes, pasta, or cooked carrots
However, don't add sauce to pasta unless you're sure your stomach can digest it. Don't forget to remove the potato skins.
Step 3. Eat chicken to get protein intake
Regular lean chicken is easy for the stomach to digest and is a good source of protein that will help the body recover.
Regular eggs or egg whites are very easy for the stomach to digest and are an excellent source of protein
Step 4. Drink lots of yogurt
The probiotics (or good bacteria) in yogurt have been shown to reduce the duration and intensity of diarrhea. The most beneficial bacterial strains included Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacteria bifidum, and Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Probiotics can also be obtained in powder or pill form. Powders or pills usually contain a variety of beneficial bacterial strains
Step 5. Make a cocoa drink, or eat dark chocolate
Research has shown that cocoa contains ingredients that target and inactivate proteins that cause the intestines to secrete water. A little chocolate can help harden the dirt. If you are making a cocoa drink, add a little milk as milk is not suitable for an upset stomach.
Step 6. Try carob powder or psyllium seeds
A tablespoon of carob powder mixed with applesauce can help soothe your stomach. Consuming 9-30 grams of psyllium seeds daily can thicken stools and reduce the intensity of diarrhea.
Step 7. Make sure you avoid foods that upset your stomach or dehydrate you
Although you should return to your normal diet soon, start with the simpler foods described above, then slowly add to the rest. However, you should avoid:
- Fatty and oily foods, especially fried foods.
- Dairy products except yogurt.
- Dried or raw fruit and vegetables, and pure fruit juices.
- Alcohol and caffeine because they are diuretics (causing dehydration).
- Desserts and sweets because the stomach is difficult to digest sugary foods.
- Salty food. Lack of water but too much salt will make dehydration worse.
Warning
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Go to the doctor if:
- Vomiting or diarrhea that lasts more than three days.
- Body temperature higher than 39 Celsius.
- Headache.
- Little or no urine.
- Sunken cheeks or dry tears.
