We explain what you should eat and what you should not eat during this annoying disease.
During gastroenteritisit is natural to suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, fever, joint pain, tiredness and loss of appetite. Part of the risk of gastroenteritis is dehydration and lack of nutrients stemming from diarrhea, which hinders the normal activity of the intestine. Therefore, a correct diet is essential to minimize the discomfort caused by this disease.
What we can eat during gastroenteritis
Loss of appetite and nausea are common in gastroenteritis. This makes it difficult for us to eat food and keep it inside, which has a certain danger associated with it. We can become dehydrated, which makes it difficult for our body to fight the infection properly. In some vulnerable groups, the risks of dehydration are higher and should be taken very seriously, such as in children or people over 60.
Below welist some of the foods that we can eat if weare suffering from gastroenteritis. It is recommended to start with the softest foods and add foods with more substance as we can tolerate them. If when consuming a food we notice strong nausea, it is better to change it for another that we can tolerate better.
1. The first two or three days of illness
In the early stages of gastroenteritis, when it has a greater impact on our appetite, we should look mainly at ourhydration. Depending on the severity of the infection it will be more or less complicated to tolerate food, but the first days it is common for practically anything to cause nausea.
To avoid dehydration, it is recommended:
- Drinking water, including sparkling water
- Drink clear broths, without too much substance
- Drink sugar-free or low-sugar sports drinks
- eat crushed ice
As we have mentioned, the first two or three days we must mainly avoid dehydration caused by diarrhea. The consumption of sugar-free and light liquids is recommended. To avoid nausea, try to consume fluids constantly in small sips, otherwise you could make yourself vomit and lose more fluids.
- It might interest you: “The 7 types of feces according to the Bristol scale”
2. After the first days of gastroenteritis
As the days go by, our body slowly returns to normal and can tolerate solid food without vomiting . This stage can last up to two weeks, so we must maintain as complete a diet as possible, but we still have difficulties digesting certain foods. Among the recommended foods for these days, we would find:
- Caffeine-free infusions for breakfast or snacks
- White rice
- Grilled chicken
- boiled hake
- Cooked ham
- Jelly
- Toasted bread
- Pretzels
- Boiled vegetables
- Pasta
- Boiled potatoes
- Low-fat yogurt or cheese
We must avoid raw, seasoned, high-fat or sugary foods . If we start eating something and see that we cannot tolerate it, we should not force ourselves to continue eating, it is better to return to another food that we know will not cause nausea. As the days go by, we can try increasingly solid and dense foods, but without going overboard.
Forbidden food
Your own body will send you pretty clear signals about what you can and cannot eat , in the form of intense nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. To avoid this unpleasant experience as much as possible, we must avoid certain substances, at least until we do not have symptoms such as diarrhea.
Some of the foods that we should avoid would be:
1. Fat cheeses
Fat digestion is impaired during gastroenteritis . Whenever we can, avoiding fats while we have symptoms of gastroenteritis will facilitate the digestion of the food and will alleviate part of the discomfort of the disease.
Cheese or other high-fat foods, such as other dairy products (butter, yogurt…) should be avoided to ensure the most comfortable digestion possible.
2. Caffeinated drinks
Caffeine is a gastrointestinal irritant . Taking into account that gastroenteritis occurs due to inflammation of the internal membranes of this system, it does not seem like a good idea to add “wood to the fire” by eating irritating foods. Caffeine, unfortunately, should be avoided while we have gastroenteritis.
3. Alcoholic beverages
Alcohol, in addition to the health problems that it can cause if abused, is not very recommended for those with gastroenteritis. Like caffeine, alcohol can irritate our intestines, worsening the symptoms of the disease. In addition, its diuretic effects make it difficult to maintain proper hydration, which is essential while we recover from gastroenteritis. Avoid at all costs.
4. French fries
French fries are a very unhealthy food, as they contain high amounts of fat and salt . In fact, as a curiosity, some studies affirm that it is better for our health to eat two hamburgers in one sitting than to accompany a hamburger with fries. Their high fat content makes them highly inadvisable for people with gastroenteritis.
5. Spicy food
Spicy food is a known irritant of the gastric and intestinal mucosa . Without gastroenteritis, it is common for spicy food to cause diarrhea, stomach pain and burning when passing stool, especially if we have abused it or are not very used to it. Like alcohol and coffee, hot sauce should be actively avoided when we have gastroenteritis.
6. Sugary drinks
Any food rich in sugar, especially refined sugar, will be detrimental to our health if we have gastroenteritis. It is known that foods with a high sugar content can worsen diarrhea , so we must avoid them to relieve our gastroenteritis.
7. Ice cream
Ice cream may seem like a good choice, since it’s smooth. Unfortunately, its high fat and sugar content rule it out as part of a proper diet for a gastroenteritis patient. Even if it’s too hot, we should avoid ice cream, especially those that contain milk.
8. Dried fruits
Dried fruits can dehydrate us during their passage through the body . In addition, they tend to have a high sugar content. This is a very bad combination for a person with gastroenteritis, so we should try to avoid them.
9. Fruits in syrup
Syrup is basically sugar and water. The proportion of sugar in syrup is very large, so fruits that are stored in syrup tend to contain less water and more sugar than pieces of fresh fruit. For the reasons we have mentioned above, fruit in syrup is also prohibited for gastroenteritis patients.
10. Chocolate
Sorry. Chocolate is also a stomach irritant, as is caffeine. In addition, if we take it with milk or even white, its fat content begins to be important, so it helps even less to our delicate state of health during gastroenteritis.
11. Raw foods
In general, raw foods are discouraged during gastroenteritis processes. Sushi, carpaccio, steak tartare or uncooked vegetables are foods whose digestion is a little more laborious. Whenever we can, we should consume cooked foods to avoid worsening gastroenteritis.
References
- Stuempfig ND, Seroy J. Viral Gastroenteritis. (2019). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-. Available in: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518995/.
- Chow, C. M., Leung, A. K., & Hon, K. L. (2010). Acute gastroenteritis: from guidelines to real life. Clinical and experimental gastroenterology, 3, 97–112.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.