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What to eat with an upset stomach? The majority of people will face it at some point in their lives. A lot of things can induce that.
Food poisoning and viral gastroenteritis are two short-term, or acute, causes of Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common symptoms of acute stomach distress.
Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disorders are two long-term or chronic causes of stomach upset (IBD). Diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating are all possible symptoms.
Some meals aggravate the symptoms of an upset stomach, while others soothe them. If you have a stomach upset, keep reading to learn what food for an upset stomach to eat and what foods to avoid.
1. Chamomile Can Help With Vomiting and Intestinal Pain.
- Chamomile is a traditional cure for unsettled stomachs. It’s a flowering herb with small white blooms.
- Chamomile can be dried and used as a tea, or it can be taken orally as a supplement.
- Historically, chamomile has been used to treat gas, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, among other digestive issues.
- Despite its widespread use, just a few studies back up its efficacy in treating digestive problems.
- Chamomile pills were found to lower the severity of vomiting after chemotherapy treatments in one small trial, but it’s unclear whether they’d have the same effect on other types of vomiting.
- Chamomile is also typically included in herbal remedies for babies who suffer from indigestion, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
- However, because chamomile is sometimes combined with other herbs in these concoctions, it’s impossible to tell if the positive benefits are due to chamomile or a mixture of the other plants.
- Although chamomile’s gut-soothing properties are well-known, research has yet to prove how it aids in the relief of stomach trouble.
2. Ginger
Symptoms of a stomach upset include nausea and vomiting.
- Ginger, a fragrant culinary root with beautiful yellow flesh, is commonly used to treat both of these symptoms.
- Ginger is helpful in all forms, whether eaten raw, cooked, steeped in hot water, or taken as a supplement.
- Ginger may help people who are undergoing chemotherapy or major surgery, as these treatments can cause severe nausea and vomiting.
- Before undergoing chemo or surgery, taking 1 gram of ginger every day can dramatically minimize the intensity of these symptoms.
- Ginger can also be used as a natural motion sickness treatment. It can help minimize the severity of nausea symptoms and the time it takes to recover if taken ahead of time.
- Although the exact mechanism is unknown, ginger is thought to modulate neural system signaling in the stomach and speed up the rate at which the stomach empties, reducing nausea and vomiting.
- Although ginger is generally regarded as harmless, amounts greater than 5 grams per day might cause heartburn, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
3. Green Bananas
Diarrhea is frequently associated with an upset stomach caused by an illness or food poisoning.
- Interestingly, offering cooked, green bananas to children with diarrhea has been shown in multiple trials to help reduce the number, severity, and duration of bouts.
- According to one study, adding cooked green bananas to a rice-based diet virtually quadrupled the effectiveness of reducing diarrhea.
- Green bananas have strong antidiarrheal properties due to a form of fiber called resistant starch that they possess.
- Diarrhea can occasionally accompany an unsettled stomach. Green bananas contain resistant starch, a form of fiber that is highly useful in treating this type of diarrhea, especially in children.
4. Papaya
- Papaya, commonly known as pawpaw, is a delicious tropical fruit with bright orange flesh that is occasionally used as a natural indigestion treatment.
- Papaya contains papain, a powerful enzyme that aids in the digestion and absorption of proteins.
- Because some people don’t create enough natural enzymes to thoroughly digest their meals, using additional enzymes like papain can help them feel better.
- Papaya seeds have also been used to treat intestinal parasites, which can cause severe stomach pain and malnutrition if they dwell in the gut.
- Constipation, bloating, and stomach ulcers may be relieved by papaya concentrate, while intestinal parasites may be eliminated by papaya seeds.
5. Electrolyte-Fortified Clear Liquids Can Help Prevent Dehydration
- It’s easy to become dehydrated when an unsettled stomach is accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea.
- Electrolytes, the minerals that keep your body’s fluid balance and nervous system functioning properly, are lost when you vomit or have diarrhea
- Drinking clear liquids and eating foods that naturally contain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, can typically restore mild dehydration and electrolyte losses.
- Water, fruit juice, coconut water, sports drinks, broths, and saltine crackers are all good options for rehydrating and rebalancing electrolytes after mild dehydration.
- If dehydration is severe, it may be required to drink a rehydration solution containing an optimal ratio of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes.
6. Linseed can help with constipation.
Constipation sufferers should consume linseed oil while boosting their fluid intake. This combination should result in soft, thick stools that aid in regularity.
Linseed can be sprinkled on breakfast cereal or blended into a smoothie.
If you take linseed, drink plenty of water; otherwise, your stools may become thick and hard. This could aggravate constipation.
7. Applesauce
Polyphenols are antioxidants found in apples. Polyphenols may help reduce inflammation linked with IBDs, according to a 2015 analysis. Dietary polyphenols, according to the review, may aid in:
- protect the gut lining from injury by regulating a person’s immunological response and thereby managing inflammation
- boost the gut microbiota, which refers to the billions of bacteria that exist in the intestines
- Applesauce or stewed apples are simpler to stomach than whole apples.
CONCLUSION
Several meals can help soothe an upset stomach.
- Digestive aids include natural stomach-soothing herbs and spices like ginger, chamomile, mint, and licorice, as well as fruits like papaya and green bananas.
- Avoiding high-FODMAP diets can assist some people to minimize gas, bloating, and diarrhea, while probiotic foods like yogurt and kefir can help manage bowel movements.
- Drink plenty of water and restore your electrolytes if you experience a stomach ache that is followed by vomiting or diarrhea. It’s also possible that bland carbohydrates are easier to consume.
- While it’s natural to experience stomach trouble from time to time, eating these meals can help you feel better and get back on your feet.