The BRAT diet is a bland food diet recommended for adults and children with occasional episode of upset stomach and diarrhea. There are several benefits of the BRAT diet. These include:Making your stools firmerBananas help to replenishing potassium that your body lost due to vomiting & diarrheaBland foods don’t irritate your stomachBRAT diet helps your body ease back into normal eating
Basic components of BRAT DIET:B - Banana - not fully ripped (greenish/yellowish)R - Rice - plain white rice no sauce or oilA - Apple sauce - unsweetenedT- Toast - white bread not whole wheat; black teaAvoid the following foods at least for 1 week: Dairy products- milk, cheese, yogurtCold liquids or solid foodJuices, sodas and all other soft drinksFresh fruits or vegetablesSugary or fatty foodsAll of the foods above may worsen or slow down recovery from diarrhea
How to use BRAT DietFollow the BRAT diet for the first 24 hrsAfter the initial 24 hrs, start slowly adding more lean protein into your diet ( hard boiled eggs, chicken/noodle soup with crackers...)Try saltine crackers, plain potatoes, or clear soup brothsAvoid large quantities of any liquid at one timeIf diarrhea is very watery – drink ¼ cup of Gatorade mixed with ¾ cup of room temperature water 2-3 x a day
