The BRAT Diet: What It Is and How to Eat it

diet may seem like a simple enough thing to worry about, but for people with digestive problems or food sensitivities, it can be really difficult to find the right one. The BRAT diet is an option that many people who have trouble digesting certain foods turn to. What is this diet? And How should you eat it? Read the article and find the answers!

The BRAT Diet

BRAT Diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce or Oatmeal, and Toast. This diet is often prescribed for people who are having trouble digesting certain foods to help give their digestive system time to recover. It also can be used as part of a treatment plan for ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Who Can Do The BRAT Diet?

This diet is suitable for anyone who has a stomach bug or infection, like the flu. It's also good for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance and anyone else who is following a vegetarian/vegan diet.

This diet will only work if you can manage to eat foods that are easy on the digestive system, such as bananas, rice milk toast, boiled or baked potatoes, saltine crackers, and tea.

How Does BRAT Diet Help?

Helps with symptoms of upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting

The BRAT is a bland diet and easily digestible meal plan that helps to calm the symptoms of an upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting. It provides relief from these conditions while giving your body time to recover by avoiding hard-to-digest foods.

Hydrate and provide fiber to the body

This diet provides relief from the symptoms of an upset stomach and provides your body with hydration. It's easy to digest foods that are high in fiber and help prevent constipation.

Ease into more complex food choices after recovery

This diet is still a viable meal plan for those who want something gentle on their tummy. It's a good starting point for those who want to start easing into more complex foods and flavors after an illness or surgery but have waited too long since their last meal.

Reduce stress on your body

The BRAT diet is a great way to reduce stress on the body. It allows your intestines time to recover from digestion, giving you relief and energy for other things in life.

It helps ease pain by reducing inflammation

The BRAT diet is also helpful in easing pain by reducing inflammation. A study was done on the effects of this diet in reducing inflammation and noted that it was helpful for those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Restore fluids, electrolytes, carbohydrates

The BRAT diet is also a great way to restore fluids, and other nutrients like potassium or magnesium lost when vomiting or diarrhea has been going on unchecked. It provides an easy way to replenish these essential nutrients and gives your body the time it needs to recover.

There are many benefits to the BRAT diet. It’s an excellent way for those who have had an upset stomach or diarrhea and need relief from their symptoms while giving your body a period of time to recover. Following this diet will hydrate you, provide the fiber that prevents constipation, and help you ease back into complex foods. The BRAT diet is also helpful in relieving pain by reducing inflammation caused by these conditions.

BRAT Diet Routine

The BRAT diet is low fiber, high carb, and high potassium regimen. The goal of the diet is to control diarrhea by replacing what was lost in fluids and electrolytes through vomiting or illness with fluid containing these elements from foods without excess fiber that could cause constipation. This type of diet should be followed only as long as needed and should not be used for any other reason.

To start your diet routine, consume a bowl of unsalted, unbuttered oatmeal with a little sugar or honey every morning. You can also add some fruit to your oatmeal for added flavor and nutrients like bananas or berries. 

For lunch, you will be eating small amounts of meat such as poultry, beef, ham. You can also eat potatoes or white rice without any seasoning, and vegetables that are not high in fiber. You can have a small serving of fruit for dessert, but be mindful not to overindulge as this could lead to other problems and should only be consumed in moderation.

For dinner, you will stick with the same rules from lunch, meat, or potatoes or you can try rice without any seasoning and vegetables that are not high in fiber. You can have a small serving of fruit or anything sweet like pudding, gelatin, or ice cream for dessert.

In order to drink fluids throughout the day, try drinking lots of water and unsweetened iced tea. You can also drink a sports drink or an electrolyte drink. You should also be mindful not to consume too many juices as they often contain natural sugar that could lead to diarrhea in those who are susceptible to it.

What To Eat And Not To Eat

The following are the foods you should eat for BRAT Diet:

• Oatmeal with little sugar or honey (morning)
• Bland foods like rice, sweet potato, pasta, noodles
• Meat or rice without any seasoning, and vegetables that are not high in fiber.
• Fruit is also allowed for dessert but should be eaten in moderation as it can lead to other problems if consumed too much. 
• Eat soft fruits only
• You may eat meat at lunchtime and dinner time each day of the BRAT Diet.
• Vegetables that are not high in fiber for lunch and dinner

The following foods should be avoided:

• Foods that have caffeine because they will only complicate matters and should not be eaten
• Foods with a lot of fiber because they could lead to diarrhea if consumed in excess
• Unsweetened carbonated beverages as the bubbles may cause gas and bloating. You can drink water or unsweetened tea instead.
• Spicy foods like hot sauce
• Raw vegetables
• Citrus fruits and raw fruits
• Anything that contains caffeine such as chocolate, coffee, tea. Caffeine exacerbates diarrhea and should not be consumed while you are on the BRAT Diet
• Soda, coffee, beer, any carbonated drinks, alcoholic, and sugary drinks.
• Avoid foods with artificial sweeteners
• Caffeinated, high fiber products such as oatmeal and whole-grain bread. These should be avoided because they can cause diarrhea or constipation, respectively, for some people
• Dairy based foods like cheese, milk, yogurt could make the stomach feel uncomfortably full and uncomfortable. However, dairy rich items are allowed but should be eaten in moderation.
• Different types of fruit juice often contain natural sugar that could lead to diarrhea in those who are susceptible to it.
• High sugar fruits like grapes, raisins, or dried dates. They are high in fiber and can lead to constipation for some people.

The BRAT diet can be beneficial for anyone who is suffering from stomach problems or abdominal pain. The diet has a low fiber, high carb, and high potassium regimen, which helps replace what was lost in fluids and electrolytes through vomiting or illness with fluid containing these elements from foods that do not have excess fiber to cause constipation. It should only be eaten when necessary and cannot be used for any other reason. It is best to consult your doctor before starting the diet and to make sure that it is safe for you.