If you or your child has ever had a stomach virus, you may have heard of – and implemented – the BRAT diet. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, which are supposed to be easy on the stomach and help relieve symptoms like nausea and diarrhea.
However, the diet has fallen out of favor since it was first introduced and it may not be the best option anymore. Here's what you need to know.
Kids and adults can try the BRAT diet
The BRAT diet "has been around for about a century, and it was originally developed for pediatricians to give to kids to minimize the amount of diarrhea they have when they get acute intestinal illnesses," says David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center.
Though the diet was primarily invented for sick children, adults suffering from acute stomach problems can also use it to reduce their symptoms. But before starting yourself or your child on the BRAT diet, it's crucial that you know what's causing the symptoms in the first place.
"[There are] many different causes of diarrhea and for some, a BRAT diet definitely would not be a good idea [like] if they have some infection going on, if they have some inflammatory condition in their intestines, or if they're having a dietary reaction," says Cutler.
Let's say you've ruled out the other possible problems, and you're simply dealing with an acute viral intestinal illness like your run-of-the-mill gastroenteritis - like a stomach bug - that'll resolve in a couple of days.
To really recover from a stomach bug, experts believe that you need a full range of vitamins, nutrients, proteins, and healthy fats. The BRAT diet provides a small amount of nutrients like vitamin C in applesauce and fiber and vitamin B-6 in bananas. But you'll be lacking other key nutrients including protein and healthy fats.
In fact, the BRAT diet isn't as popular or as endorsed by doctors as it once was. "It's been discovered over the years that it nutritionally is very deficient in a lot of things that kids need. So generally, it's fallen greatly out of favor to use," says Cutler.
Therefore, to get the full range of nutrition you'll want to re-introduce a normal balanced diet after one or two days of the BRAT diet to regain your health.
What's even more important than the BRAT diet
Since prolonged diarrhea and vomiting can be very dehydrating, the most important thing is staying hydrated by consuming lots of fluids.
"The best way to treat diarrhea is simply to replace the fluid that you're losing in the diarrhea," says Cutler.
Related Article Module: The best foods to eat when your stomach is upset
Drink lots of water and consider rehydration solutions such as low-sugar options like G2 or Pedialyte that contain fluids and electrolytes. Avoid high-sugar drinks like regular Gatorade or Powerade because the sugar may actually worsen diarrhea. Soup or plain broths are also good options that are soothing and rehydrating.
"Most experts would now recommend that people just avoid foods that might be aggravating diarrhea, and to stay on a good healthy diet with fiber and protein and mono or polyunsaturated fats," says Cutler.
In addition to sugary drinks, other foods that may upset your stomach and exacerbate your symptoms may include dairy, greasy foods, and foods high in insoluble fiber like beans, nuts, and leafy greens.
Insider's takeaway
The BRAT diet might be helpful short-term, but it's even more important to stay hydrated and avoid aggravating foods when trying to get better.
Overall, the BRAT diet shouldn't be used for more than a couple of days, for either children or adults.
The BRAT diet comprises bland, easy-to-digest foods that are proposed to be gentle on the stomach. The diet is not suitable for long-term use due to a lack of essential nutrients and calories. Alternatives may include staying hydrated, consuming probiotics, and avoiding certain foods can help improve digestive issues.
The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. However, many health professionals no longer recommend it due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.
The use of cereals, rice and milk as a stop-gap eating plan for stomach upset has been validated as a more effective remedy to manage diarrhea than the BRAT diet by recent research in hospitals in South America and Asia.
Both children and adults need to drink plenty of fluids while they're sick to prevent dehydration. Water is good, but adding broth, a sports drink, or a rehydration solution such as Pedialyte can help replace lost electrolytes. Broth or broth-based soups (chicken noodle, vegetable, etc.)
Besides bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, other foods recommended on the BRAT diet include clear broth soups (like chicken or vegetable), apple juice, water, non-caffeinated tea, canned peaches and pears, sweet potatoes, crackers, cream of wheat, eggs, and gelatin.
8 Natural yogurt, kefir, miso soup, and fermented vegetables (e.g., sauerkraut) are great options. While recovering from stomach symptoms and re-introducing solid foods into your diet, it is essential to keep yourself well-hydrated.
Foods and drinks like bananas, white rice, toast, crackers, and broth are gentle on your digestive system and can help you recover from an upset stomach. It's best to avoid foods and drinks that are difficult to digest and may worsen GI symptoms.
Beverages should be clear liquids ( Sprite, 7-Up, Tea, Ginger Ale ). NO DAIRY PRODUCTS. Follow this diet until diarrhea subsides for 24 hours. You may then gradually add soft, bland foods ( Scrambled eggs, noodles, mashed potatoes ) as tolerated.
Common Questions & Answers. What are some foods that are recommended to eat when you have diarrhea? The list includes simple foods like oatmeal, bananas, plain rice, applesauce, boiled potatoes, toast, plain crackers, pretzels, and baked chicken without skin or fat.
Toast is another easily digested, low fiber food that will help to firm up your stool. For added nutrition, you should feel free to spread jam on your toast if you can stomach it. You will probably want to avoid butter and peanut butter, as they are high in fat, which is hard on your stomach.
(No gravy, butter or jelly, please!) You can also try plain bagels, saltine crackers and baked potatoes. No cream soups, meats, vegetables or salads. When you are doing well on the BRAT diet for at least 24 hrs., you can gradually begin eating a regular diet.
Dairy products can make the stomach flu worse, so stick to dry cereal that you can slowly eat. Try to stick with simple cereals like Original Cheerios or Corn Chex; avoid sugary cereals (no more than 10 grams of total sugar and 5 grams of added sugar per serving) because sugar can also complicate the issue.
There's often no specific medical treatment for viral gastroenteritis. Antibiotics aren't effective against viruses. Treatment first involves self-care measures, such as staying hydrated.
The BRAT diet used to be a popular eating plan for children with an upset stomach. The diet is no longer as widely recommended because it's low in nutrients. When recovering from a stomach bug, the most important factor is staying hydrated. This article was reviewed by David S.
The BRAT diet, which consists of bananas, rice, apple sauce, toast, or tea, has fallen out of favor as a treatment option because it does not provide enough electrolytes and other essential nutrients.
Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast are easy to digest, and eating these foods will help you hold down food. The fiber found in these foods will also help solidify your stool if you have diarrhea.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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