What to Eat with Diarrhea: Gentle Foods and What to Avoid

This is general information for mild, short-term diarrhea. See a doctor if there is blood, a high fever, signs of dehydration, severe pain, or if it lasts more than two days (sooner for young children, older adults, or anyone with a health condition).

When you have diarrhea, food is the second priority. The first is fluid, because the real risk is dehydration, not hunger. Once you are keeping fluids down, gentle, easy-to-digest foods help you recover without making things worse. Here is the honest version, which is a little different from the old advice.

First: replace fluid and salts

Diarrhea loses water and electrolytes, so replacing them is the priority. Sip:

• Water, steadily, through the day.
• Oral rehydration solution (ORS) if it is significant; this replaces salts as well as water and is better than water alone for that.
• Clear broths for fluid and some salt.

Avoid relying on very sugary drinks or soft drinks, which can actually pull more water into the gut and worsen diarrhea.

Then: gentle, easy-to-digest foods

You do not have to wait to eat; eating gentle foods when you feel able helps recovery. The old “BRAT” idea (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is a reasonable starting point, though it is dated and too restrictive to stay on for long. Good gentle choices:

• Bananas: easy to digest, and a source of potassium, which you lose in diarrhea.
• White rice, plain: this is the one time refined white rice is the better choice, because it is low in fibre and easy on the gut.
• Plain toast or crackers.
• Oats, which contain soluble fibre that can help firm things up gently.
• Boiled potatoes, plain.
• Lean protein, lightly cooked, once you can manage it.

Note the pattern: this is the opposite of normal advice. Here you want low-fibre, bland, low-fat foods, not the high-fibre pattern that helps constipation. Return to your normal, higher-fibre diet gradually as you recover.

What to skip while you recover

• High-fat and fried foods, which are hard to digest.
• Very high-fibre foods for now: raw vegetables, beans, bran, lots of nuts. Soluble fibre like oats is fine; a big raw salad is not.
• Dairy, temporarily, as diarrhea can leave you briefly sensitive to lactose.
• Caffeine and alcohol, which can irritate the gut and act as mild diuretics.
• Very sugary foods and drinks, which can worsen it.
• Spicy food, until you have recovered.

The honest part

Most mild diarrhea resolves on its own in a day or two, and the single most important thing is staying hydrated. No specific food cures it; gentle eating just supports recovery. Once you feel better, ease back to your usual balanced, higher-fibre diet rather than staying on bland food, which is not nutritionally complete. For the opposite situation, see what to eat for constipation.

FAQ

What should I eat with diarrhea?

Gentle, low-fibre, low-fat foods: bananas, plain white rice, toast, oats, boiled potatoes. And above all, keep up fluids, ideally with some salts.

What should I drink?

Water, steadily, and an oral rehydration solution if it is significant, since it replaces salts too. Avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol.

Is white rice good for diarrhea?

Yes. This is the one time refined white rice is the better pick, because it is low in fibre and easy to digest. Return to brown rice and higher fibre as you recover.

Should I avoid dairy?

Temporarily, yes, as diarrhea can leave you briefly lactose-sensitive. Reintroduce it as you recover.

When should I see a doctor?

If there is blood, high fever, signs of dehydration, severe pain, or it lasts more than two days. Sooner for young children, older adults, or anyone with a health condition.

General information, not medical advice.