Key takeaways:
The BRAT diet stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Because this diet is low in nutrients, it’s not meant to be followed long term.
This diet recommends certain bland, starchy foods that may help you eat if you are dealing with nausea, diarrhea, or an upset stomach.
Though the diet might ease symptoms, if you can tolerate it, it’s best to eat various whole foods and get plenty of fluids when you’re sick.
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Reviewed by Preeti Parikh, MD
If you or your child is struggling with nausea or diarrhea, food may not seem appealing. You might worry that eating will worsen the symptoms, especially if you have something too rich or flavorful. At the same time, you might feel like you or your child should eat something.
One long-standing approach to eating while dealing with nausea and diarrhea is the BRAT diet.
What is the BRAT diet?
People have used the BRAT diet in their homes for years, even if they didn’t know it by name. The BRAT diet is an acronym for:
Bananas
Rice
Applesauce
Toast
It is not a weight-loss diet, and it is not a long-term approach to healthy eating. Instead, it is a self-care method for eating while coping with nausea and diarrhea.
What are the main foods of the BRAT diet?
The staples of the BRAT diet for diarrhea and upset stomach include:
Bananas
Rice
Apples and applesauce
Toast
There are also a number of similar bland and low-fiber foods that you can include in the BRAT diet. Other bland foods that you could try include:
Saltine crackers
Plain potatoes
Plain pasta
Clear soup and broths
Eggs
Cooked cereals, such as cream of wheat or oatmeal
Tofu
Lean meat, such as chicken breast
Bland vegetables, such as cooked spinach or carrots
Tea
As a general rule, cooked foods are easier to digest than uncooked foods. Aim for small meals, and see how your stomach handles it. It’s also helpful to chew your food slowly and thoroughly. Chewing is the first step in the digestive process. The better you chew your food, the less work your stomach and intestines have to do to digest.
Finally, drinking plenty of fluids is often the most important part of treating nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It’s generally fine to eat less than you normally would if your appetite is low, but try to stay as hydrated as possible. Vomiting and diarrhea cause fluid loss, so they raise the risk of dehydration.
What foods are not allowed on the BRAT diet?
It goes without saying, but you should avoid foods that might trigger nausea or more diarrhea. This can vary from person to person, but for some people, this means foods that are rich, fatty, or sweet like:
High-fat dairy, including butter, cheese, and whole milk
Spicy food or foods with lots of seasoning
Acidic fruits, which includes not just citrus fruits but also strawberries and grapes
Whole-grain bread and pasta
High-fat meat, such as beef, bacon, and sausage
Dressings, sauces, and gravies
Pickles
Cruciferous veggies, like cabbage and cauliflower
Caffeinated beverages, such as coffee or energy drinks
Alcohol
Along with avoiding these foods, it’s also a good idea to avoid large meals when dealing with an upset stomach. Large meals are generally harder for your body to digest, which means they could end up worsening nausea, diarrhea, or stomach pain.
Who is the BRAT diet best for?
The BRAT diet can help you eat when you have a low appetite or upset stomach due to sickness, such as:
Gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
Food-borne illness or food poisoning
The flu
Motion sickness
Experts agree that it’s not a good idea for people who are actively vomiting to eat solid foods. They recommended just taking sips of clear liquids instead. You might be able to incorporate foods from the BRAT diet once you have stopped vomiting.
If you have a medical condition that causes you to have frequent diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, it’s not a good idea to use the BRAT diet regularly. The BRAT diet does not offer all of the nutrients necessary for long-term health. You should talk to a healthcare provider to find the cause and find a sustainable treatment for your symptoms.
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How to start the BRAT diet
While you’re actively vomiting, stick to fluids. Take frequent sips of clear liquids, such as water or electrolyte drinks.
Once you’re feeling up to it, try small bites of solid foods from the BRAT diet. See if you can eat foods like bananas or toast without throwing up. And instead of three large meals a day, aim for six to eight small meals, and chew food well.
One to two days after your symptoms feel better, you should be able to start expanding your food choices beyond the BRAT diet. Try adding in more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to get more nutrients. It may help to limit very rich, sugary, or spicy foods at first, which can upset your stomach or cause diarrhea.
If you cannot keep any food or liquid down, contact your healthcare provider.
Who recommends the BRAT diet?
There is some debate about whether the BRAT diet is a good approach to managing vomiting and diarrhea. The American Academy of Family Physicians says that the BRAT diet may help adults and children to ease back into normal eating after episodes of vomiting and diarrhea.
But, the National Institutes of Health notes that many experts do not recommend following a restricted diet (such as the BRAT diet) to manage diarrhea. Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that the BRAT diet may not be useful or effective to help kids recover from diarrhea.
The bottom line
The BRAT diet is a self-care approach to eating when you have nausea or diarrhea, but it is not a treatment or cure. If you find it helpful to follow the BRAT diet, you should only use it for a day or two. Otherwise, experts say that you don’t need to restrict your diet to manage nausea and diarrhea. It’s currently not recommended that children follow the BRAT diet. As always, reach out to your healthcare provider if you or your child has been vomiting for more than a day or has had diarrhea for more than 2 days.
References
Familydoctor.org. (2021). BRAT diet: Recovering from an upset stomach.
Healthychildren.org. (2021). Diarrhea in children: What parents need to know.
View All References (6)
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MedlinePlus. (2022). Bland diet.
MedlinePlus. (2022). When you have nausea and vomiting.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2016). Eating, diet, & nutrition for diarrhea.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Your digestive system & how it works.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2018). Eating, diet, & nutrition for viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).
Weir, S. S., et al. (2021). Bland diet. StatPearls.
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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