The BRAT Diet

When you're nauseated, vomiting, or have diarrhea from a virus or other stomach ailment, eating is probably the last thing you want to think about. While your stomach is still unsettled, your doctor may recommend that you suck on ice chips or take small sips of water or flat soda. As you feel better you can start to reintroduce foods, but to help your stomach readjust, doctors often recommend limiting your diet to bland foods.

One type of diet that has been prescribed by doctors for people recovering from diarrhea, upset stomach (dyspepsia), and stomach infection (gastroenteritis) is the BRAT diet, which is an acronym for:

Bananas

Rice

Applesauce

Toast

These bland, low-fiber foods are easy to digest and may help with diarrhea, and most people who have a stomach illness can tolerate them pretty well. The BRAT diet has spawned other eating regimens that have a similar effect on upset stomach. They include the BRATY diet, which stands for:

Bananas

Rice

Applesauce

Toast

Yogurt

And the BRATT diet, which stands for:

Bananas

Rice

Applesauce

Tea

Toast

Once your symptoms have subsided, you can start transitioning back to a normal diet, but you'll want to stick to a relatively bland diet for a couple of days. Avoid the following foods:

• Milk and dairy products
• Fried, greasy, or spicy foods
• Rich desserts
• Raw fruits and vegetables such as corn on the cob, onions, beets, raisins, figs, and cherries
• Citrus fruits (oranges, pineapples, grapefruits) and juices
• Alcohol and caffeinated drinks

Is the BRAT Diet OK for Children?

The BRAT diet was once a staple of most pediatricians' recommendations for children with an upset stomach. The idea was that it gave the gut a chance to rest and reduced the amount of stool produced. Now experts say the BRAT diet may not be the best option for children.

Because BRAT diet foods are low in fiber, protein, and fat, the diet lacks enough nutrition to help a child's gastrointestinal tract recover. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that kids resume eating a normal, well-balanced diet appropriate for their age within 24 hours of getting sick. That diet should include a mix of fruits, vegetables, meat, yogurt, and complex carbohydrates.

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.

Call the doctor if you or your child experiences:

• Diarrhea that lasts for more than three days
• A temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Reduced urine
• Lightheadedness
• No tears or sunken cheeks