What To Eat (And Avoid) When Your Stomach Is Upset

You might wonder what to eat when your stomach is upset or if you have trouble keeping anything down. Bland foods and clear liquids, such as crackers, white rice, toast, and broth, help ease diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. 

It's important to stay hydrated and fuel your body so it can recover. Diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration and make you feel weak from not eating enough calories. Read on to learn about what to eat with an upset stomach.

1. Applesauce

Applesauce is part of the BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This snack is easier to digest than raw apples since the apples are cooked and the skins are removed.

Applesauce is also lower in fiber than raw apples, so it’s easier on your stomach and may improve diarrhea. One medium fresh apple with its skin contains 4.37 grams (g) of fiber compared to just 1.24g of fiber in a snack-sized cup of unsweetened applesauce.

2. Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium. Stomach symptoms like nausea and vomiting can cause you to lose fluids and electrolytes like potassium and sodium. Electrolytes are essential minerals that your body needs to maintain normal cellular function. It’s important to choose electrolyte-rich foods if you are sick.

The fruit is part of the BRAT and bland diet, which is slightly more expansive. The bland diet includes foods that are low in fat and fiber and are easy to chew.

3. Bland Vegetables

Some vegetables, including beets, carrots, and spinach, can help an upset stomach. Make sure you eat them cooked instead of raw. Cooked foods are easier to digest than raw ones.

4. Certain Lean Proteins

Some protein options are part of the bland diet. You'll want to pick lean choices such as chicken, whitefish, and shellfish. Try them baked, grilled, or steamed, but keep them plain.

5. Gelatin and Popsicles

Gelatin is a soft food that's on the bland diet list. This dessert is also easily digestible since it does not contain fiber. Popsicles are also an option on the bland and clear liquid diets. The clear liquid diet consists of room-temperature clear liquids and foods you can eat if you have an upset stomach.

Research has found that popsicles effectively reduce nausea and vomiting after an operation. Opt for ones without fruit or fruit pulp and yogurt.

6. Ginger

Pregnant people sometimes use ginger products like tea and concentrated ginger supplements to manage nausea. Try adding fresh, minced ginger to tea and plain water. You can even use chopped ginger to make refreshing and soothing ice cubes.

7. Hot Cereals

Another food that can be easy on the stomach is hot cereal. Just keep in mind that you'll want to limit your intake of this food. Some whole wheat hot cereals can offer 564 milligrams (mg) of sodium per cup, almost one-quarter of the recommended 2,300mg daily limit for adults.

8. Hydrating Foods and Drinks

Broth helps replenish fluids and minerals when you have been vomiting or having diarrhea. Chicken stock and bone broth pack electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and calcium.

Coconut water is another way to replenish lost fluids and calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium when you are sick. Coconut water sometimes acts as a rehydration solution in children with diarrhea caused by gastroenteritis and cholera.

You can also try drinking tea to calm your stomach. This soothing drink is an option for a bland and clear liquid diet.

9. Potatoes

Like bananas, potatoes are part of the bland diet and contain a lot of potassium. One small white potato, about 92g, contains 374mg of potassium. Cook and eat potatoes plain without any extra toppings to help settle your stomach.

10. Refined White Flour

When your stomach is upset, refined white flour, including white rice, toast, and crackers, is a better choice than whole grains. Refined white flour is low in fiber and easy on your digestive tract, which allows it to heal effectively.

White rice can help firm up your poop, improving diarrhea. Wild, brown, or black rice variations are generally healthy and recommended for when you are feeling well. Still, those options are hard to digest, especially on an upset stomach.

Try toasting bread, which turns the bread brown due to a process called the Maillard reaction. This process enhances the toast's taste, smell, and texture, making it more appetizing if you are not feeling well. Like toast, crackers are a salty source of carbs that may ease an upset stomach. Eating salted crackers helps replenish the sodium you may have lost through sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. 

You can choose a bland topping for your toast or crackers to prevent digestive upset. Try creamy peanut butter to get potassium. Just limit the peanut butter to a tablespoon since its fiber content can be high in increased amounts.

Foods To Avoid

While certain foods and beverages could help you feel better and recover from an upset stomach, others can worsen your symptoms. Foods to avoid include:

• Acidic (e.g., oranges, lemons, and limes) and dried fruits 
• Fatty meats and fish
• Fermented foods (e.g., pickles and sauerkraut)
• Foods high in sugar (e.g., high-fat dressings and sauces)
• Full-fat dairy (e.g., cheese, ice cream, and milk)
• High-fat fried, greasy foods 
• High-fiber foods (e.g., raw vegetables and whole grains)
• Nuts and seeds
• Spicy foods
• Vegetables that may cause excess gas (e.g., cabbage, cauliflower, and onions)

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

Contact a healthcare provider if you have nausea that does not go away or worsens in 48 hours. Seek medical attention if you have diarrhea that does get better in five days or two days in infants and children.

You'll also want to see a healthcare provider if you have:

• A fever that does not get better
• An inability to keep any food or drinks down
• Not urinated for eight hours or longer
• Stomach pain
• Stool that has an unusual odor or color, blood, or mucus 
• Vomiting that occurs three or more times in one day
• Weakness

A Quick Review

Foods and drinks like bananas, white rice, toast, crackers, and broth are gentle on your digestive system and can help you recover from an upset stomach. It's best to avoid foods and drinks that are difficult to digest and may worsen GI symptoms.

When you're feeling better, slowly reintroduce foods and start with small portions of bland, easy-to-digest meals. If you're experiencing severe diarrhea or vomiting and seem to can't keep fluids or food down, contact a healthcare provider.