If you haven’t heard of the BRAT diet yet, it makes sense to learn a little more about it. Indeed, dietary nutrition according to this system can be unexpectedly necessary and helpful for any person. Why?
Because that such a dietary menu is traditionally recommended for gastrointestinal disorders caused by a stomach virus (stomach flu), rotavirus, or food or alcohol poisoning.
The BRAT diet, developed in the 1920s, is recommended for adults and children with gastrointestinal disorders such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis.
The BRAT diet is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of acute digestive problems.
The BRAT diet is a strict, restrictive diet that you should not follow for long.
However, you can safely eat foods from this diet for several days, which will help eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of poisoning or gastroenteritis.
What is the BRAT diet?
This acronym refers to a diet that initially includes only four foods: bananas, rice (white rice), applesauce, and toast.
This diet is prescribed for problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or intestinal discomfort. All foods in this diet are highly digestible and contain essential nutrients to maintain electrolyte balance.
But at the same time, this diet lacks proteins and other essential trace elements. Therefore, when the first acute phase of intestinal symptoms has passed, it is necessary to start introducing other foods into the diet.
And, of course, we must remember sufficient fluid intake (weak tea, boiled water) these days.
BRAT diet food list
Banana, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast – the BRAT diet.
This diet relieves gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea (loose or watery stools), nausea, or vomiting.
As symptoms improve, it is essential to add familiar foods to the diet gradually.
List of the BRAT diet foods
Let’s take a closer look and make a BRAT diet food list.
Why does the BRAT diet contain these particular “BRAT diet foods”?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested by the human body.
There are two main types of fiber.
- Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber can quickly pass through the body and exacerbate diarrhea. Insoluble fiber is found in the skins of fruits and vegetables, legumes, seeds, and whole grains. This type of fiber can quickly pass through the body and exacerbate diarrhea.
Such products are not recommended to be used in the BRAT diet menu! - Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water and turns into a gel. Using such fiber helps make the stool firmer, soothe the gastrointestinal tract and relieve vomiting.
Soluble fiber is found in rice, bananas, a wheat toast. Applesauce or baked apples are high in pectin and help restore proper bowel function.
The BRAT diet is based on these foods.
Sometimes another letter T is added to the abbreviation, implying the 5th component of the Tea diet, and the name of the diet is written as BRATT (the BRATT Diet).
This is another reminder that we must not forget the timely and sufficient fluid intake. It can be herbal teas, weak black or green tea, or water with a bit of salt added to it.
It is better to drink the bulk of the liquid between meals. But a small amount should also be consumed with meals.
Food list of the BRAT diet, the first phase
- In the early days of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, such as repeated diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, it is recommended to follow a strict BRAT diet when the list of allowed foods includes only the four foods: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
- From drinks are recommended: water with the addition of a small amount of table salt, weak teas without sugar, chamomile tea, and sage tea.
- This strict BRAT diet for adults is recommended for no more than three days, and for children, no more than two days.
- During this time, the most severe symptoms should subside, so it will be possible to move on to the 2nd phase of using the diet and include other foods.
Food list of the BRAT diet, the second phase
- Liquids: plant milk: rice, soy, almond or oatmeal, unsweetened and weak teas, herbal infusions.
- Vegetables: boiled or baked, peeled potatoes or mashed potatoes in water.
- Fruits: applesauce, baked apples without skin, bananas.
- Cereals and bread: wheat toast, baked goods made from wheat flour (flatbread, pasta), rice on the water, oatmeal on the water.
- Proteins: egg whites.
- Fats: a small amount of olive oil.
- Other: Sugar-free jelly, sugar-free jam.
Food list of the BRAT diet, the third phase
After 3-4 days, you can move on to the third stage of the BRAT diet.
Here is a sample list of foods for adults and children that you can include in the products of the first and second phases of the BRAT diet.
- Drinks and liquids: low-fat yogurt without sugar and fillers, decaffeinated coffee, and sugar.
- Vegetables: baked or boiled yucca, carrots, pumpkin, asparagus.
- Canned soft fruits: peaches, pears, apples.
- Bread and cereals: crackers, oatmeal, couscous.
- Proteins: boiled eggs, boiled chicken, boiled turkey, boiled lean fish.
The total duration of the BRAT diet is approximately 14 days.
During this time, all symptoms of a stomach virus or poisoning should disappear, and gradually you can return to your normal lifestyle and diet.
BRAT Diet Recipes
BRAT Diet Recipe – “Baked apple with banana”
- Take one apple, wash it and remove the core.
- Take half a peeled banana.
- Put an apple in a microwave-safe container, insert half a banana in the middle, and microwave for 7-15 minutes (depending on the size of the apple).
- When the apple is soft, remove it from the microwave and leave it to cool.
- After cooling, remove all the pulp from the peel.
- Spread the pulp on the toasted toast.
- The dessert is ready.
- You can also eat the pulp directly from the apple.
BRAT Diet recipe – rice porridge with banana, cinnamon, and applesauce
Ingredients:
- 1 glass of rice,
- 2 glasses of water,
- 5 spoons of applesauce,
- 0.25 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Rinse the rice, cover it with water and simmer until it boils. When it boils, cover it with a lid and cook over very low heat for another 10-15 minutes until the rice absorbs all the water.
- Then turn off the gas, cover the pot with a towel and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Peel the banana and cut it into slices.
- Put the rice on a plate, and top it with banana slices, applesauce, and a little cinnamon.
BRAT Diet Recipe – Toasts for diarrhea
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of wheat toast,
- applesauce,
- 1 banana.
- Dry the bread in the toaster.
- Put applesauce on one toast and sliced banana on the other toast.
- If you want, put applesauce on the toast first and put a banana on top. Eat such a toast with chamomile infusion or weak tea.
Attention! Remember that various reasons can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Some of them can be very serious and require special attention.
Therefore, never self-medicate and do not prescribe treatment and diets for yourself.
Promptly contact your doctor at the first symptoms of malaise.
And if your doctor prescribes the BRAT diet for you, you can always use the tips from this article. More formal reference information is here.
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