Eating bland, low-fiber foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast may help firm up stool, though experts caution against a strict BRAT diet for more than a day or two.
The BRAT diet — bananas, rice, applesauce, toast — has been the go-to advice for diarrhea for decades. Most people have heard it from a parent, a doctor, or a quick internet search. But here’s what often gets left out: those four foods were never meant to be a full meal plan.
Today, major health organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and Cleveland Clinic advise that a strict BRAT diet is too restrictive for more than a day or two, especially for kids. This article covers which foods may help settle your stomach, which ones can make diarrhea worse, and how to get back to eating normally without prolonging the problem.
What the BRAT Diet Actually Does
The BRAT diet was designed as a short-term tool, not a long-term solution. It gives your digestive system a break by providing bland, low-fiber foods that are easy to break down. Bananas also supply potassium, an important electrolyte often lost during diarrhea.
Why Balance Matters
The diet’s popularity comes from how simple it is to remember — four foods, no measuring, no special prep. But many sources now point out that it lacks protein, fat, and a range of micronutrients. Relying on it for several days can leave you undernourished at a time when your body needs energy to recover.
The key takeaway? Use the BRAT foods as a starting point, not the entire menu. Once you’re keeping those down, you can add other gentle options like cooked carrots, plain chicken, or mashed potatoes. The goal is to broaden your diet as soon as your stomach can handle it.
Why the Old BRAT Rules Have Changed
The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends a strict BRAT diet for children with diarrhea. Their reasoning is straightforward: the diet is too restrictive and may lack sufficient nutrition to support recovery. This shift in thinking applies to adults too — your body needs more than starch and sugar to heal.
Here’s what the updated advice looks like:
- Add protein early: Plain chicken, eggs, and lean ground meat are gentle on the stomach and provide protein your body needs to repair and recover. Even small portions can help.
- Include cooked vegetables: Carrots, green beans, mushrooms, and peeled zucchini — cooked first — offer fiber that’s easier to digest than raw options. Well-cooked vegetables are far less likely to irritate.
- Don’t forget electrolytes: Bananas are a good start, but broths, oral rehydration solutions, and sports drinks can replace sodium and potassium more effectively than plain water alone.
- Watch dairy carefully: Some people find dairy products worsen diarrhea during recovery. Yogurt and milk puddings may be tolerated, but start with small amounts and see how your body reacts before adding more.
- Limit the timeline: A BRAT-style approach should last no more than 24 to 48 hours without medical advice, especially for young children or older adults who are more vulnerable to nutrient shortfalls.
The shift reflects a broader understanding that diarrhea depletes more than just fluids. Your body loses nutrients too, and a restrictive diet can slow your return to full health. Adding a wider variety of gentle foods early on helps you bounce back faster and avoids the weakness that comes from under-eating during recovery.
Smart Foods to Reach For First
When your stomach is unsettled, choosing the right foods can make a real difference. The goal is to pick items that are easy to digest, low in fiber, and gentle on the intestines. Bland foods give your digestive system less work to do, which can help firm up stool more quickly.
Plain white rice, bananas, applesauce, and toast remain solid options. But you can also include well-cooked carrots, mashed potatoes without butter or oil, clear broths, and plain crackers. According to NIDDK, replacing lost fluids and electrolytes is as important as what you eat. The agency’s Replace Lost Fluids and Electrolytes guide highlights broths and sports drinks alongside water for maintaining hydration.
These foods work because they leave minimal residue in the gut. They don’t stimulate bowel contractions the way high-fiber or fatty foods do. That gives your intestines a chance to rest and recover while still getting some nutrition.
| Food | Why It May Help | How to Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Bananas | Rich in potassium, an electrolyte lost during diarrhea | Eat ripe, plain |
| White rice | Low in fiber, easy to digest | Cook plain, no butter or oil |
| Applesauce | Provides pectin and simple sugars | Unsweetened only |
| Plain toast | Bland starch that’s gentle on the stomach | White bread, no spreads |
| Clear broth | Replaces sodium and fluids | Chicken, vegetable, or beef |
| Mashed potatoes | Soft, low-fiber starch | Peeled, boiled, no butter or milk |
These six foods form a solid foundation for the first 24 hours. If you tolerate them well, you can slowly introduce more variety. The key is to add only one new food at a time so you can identify what works.
What to Avoid Until You’re Back to Normal
Knowing what not to eat is just as important as knowing what to eat when you have diarrhea. Certain foods and drinks are likely to irritate an already sensitive digestive tract. Avoiding them can help you recover faster and avoid unnecessary discomfort.
- Caffeinated drinks: Coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks may worsen diarrhea. NHS guidance suggests limiting these to no more than 3 cups per day if you can’t cut them out entirely.
- High-fiber foods: Whole grains, brown rice, nuts, seeds, and raw vegetables can stimulate bowel movements and make diarrhea worse. Stick to refined grains until symptoms resolve.
- Greasy or fatty foods: Fried items, rich sauces, and fatty cuts of meat are harder to digest and may prolong loose stools. Choose lean, baked, or steamed options instead.
- Dairy products: Some people become temporarily lactose intolerant during or after a bout of diarrhea. Start with small amounts of yogurt or milk puddings if you try dairy at all.
- Gas-producing foods: Beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, beer, and carbonated beverages can cause stomach cramps and bloating that make an already uncomfortable situation worse.
Artificial sweeteners found in sugar-free gum, candies, and some drinks can also cause diarrhea in some people. Checking ingredient labels is worth the effort during recovery. If you’re unsure about a food, it’s safer to skip it until your digestion normalizes.
Building Back to a Normal Diet
Once diarrhea begins to taper off, you can start reintroducing foods in a gradual, structured way. Jumping straight back to your regular diet may trigger a relapse, so patience is important. Try one new food every few hours to see how your system handles it.
Start by adding cooked vegetables like carrots, green beans, and peeled zucchini. Then introduce lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, or fish. White fish and scrambled eggs are particularly gentle options that many people tolerate well during the transition phase from a liquid-heavy diet. Take it slow and notice how your body responds.
Per the Soft Easily Digested Foods guide from NHS, foods like yogurt, milk puddings, sorbets, and jelly can also be part of the transition phase. These provide calories and nutrients without overloading the digestive system. The guide is a helpful reference for choosing gentle foods during recovery from diarrhea or stomach bugs.
| Stage | Foods to Try |
|---|---|
| First 24 hours | Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, clear broth |
| Day 2–3 | Add cooked carrots, mashed potatoes, plain chicken, crackers |
| Day 4–5 | Yogurt, scrambled eggs, white fish, well-cooked green beans |
| Full recovery | Gradually resume normal diet, watch for triggers |
The timeline varies from person to person depending on the cause and severity of the diarrhea. Listen to your body — if a food causes cramping or loose stool, pull back and try again later. Your digestive system will let you know when it’s ready.
The Bottom Line
When you ask what to eat with diarrhea, the short answer is bland, low-fiber foods that are easy to digest. The BRAT diet offers a useful starting point, but it’s not meant to last more than a day or two. Prioritize fluid and electrolyte replacement alongside gentle foods like cooked vegetables, lean proteins, and clear broths for a more balanced recovery.
If diarrhea lasts more than 48 hours or you notice signs of dehydration, a registered dietitian or your primary care physician can help tailor a plan to your specific needs and health history.
References & Sources
- Nih. “Treatment” When you have diarrhea, you should replace lost fluids and electrolytes by drinking plenty of water and liquids containing electrolytes, such as broths and sports drinks.
- Nhs. “Coping with Diarrhoea” Choose soft, easily digested foods such as white fish, mashed potatoes, sorbets, jelly, yogurt, milk puddings, and ice cream to help manage diarrhea.