What is the BRAT diet?

“The BRAT diet acronym stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. It is essentially used for anyone who has nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or a stomach illness and consists of a bland diet.

The BRAT diet is a short-term diet that consists of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It's often recommended for people who have diarrhea or the stomach flu. 

Why people follow the BRAT diet 

• The foods are easy to digest and gentle on the stomach
• The low fiber content can help firm stool
• It can help with nausea and vomiting

What to eat on the BRAT diet 

• Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast

• Clear broths, such as chicken, vegetable, or beef

• Canned peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, crackers, cream of wheat, eggs, gelatin, oatmeal, creamy peanut butter

What to avoid on the BRAT diet 

• High-fiber foods, such as nuts, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables

• Greasy, fried, spicy, or very sweet foods

• Citrus fruits

• Caffeinated beverages

• Alcohol

• Dairy products

When to see a doctor

• You have a temperature of 102ºF or higher 

• You have diarrhea accompanied by rectal pain or bleeding 

• Your diarrhea continues beyond two days or at a higher frequency 

• You have additional symptoms of fever, weight loss, lightheadedness, rectal bleeding, or abdominal pain 

Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast are easy to digest, and eating these foods will help you hold down food. The fiber found in these foods will also help solidify your stool if you have diarrhea.

What to eat after a stomach bug

What should you eat after a stomach virus, vomiting or diarrhea? The BRAT diet can help you refuel and recover after a stomach-related illness like norovirus. 

Doctors recommend giving your stomach a rest for the first six hours after vomiting or diarrhea, Beal says. Drink small amounts of water frequently to avoid dehydration. Later that day, you can progress to clear liquids — anything you can see through and sip.

“Clear liquids include things like water, apple juice, flat soda, Jello, weak tea or broth,” Beal says.

The following day, begin to incorporate foods from the BRAT diet and other bland foods, like crackers, oatmeal, grits or porridge.

By day three, you can re-introduce soft foods, like soft-cooked eggs, sherbet, cooked vegetables, white meat chicken or fruit, Beal says. Avoid using strong seasonings. Fruits and meats should be cooked so they are soft and easy to consume.

Foods to avoid after a stomach bug

Eating certain foods too soon may upset your stomach and trigger another round of vomiting or diarrhea. Foods to avoid in the first three days after a stomach bug include:

• Milk and dairy products

• Greasy, Fried, or spicy foods

• Raw vegetables

• Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts

• Citrus fruits, like pineapples, oranges, grapefruits

• Berries (or any fruit with seeds)

• Alcohol, soda and caffeinated beverages