There is nothing more terrible than get sick to your stomach. Because we don’t just experience pain, spasms, nausea and sometimes even diarrhea. Also because we can’t enjoy the food we love so much. It is even normal for us to lose our appetite. But not eating is not an option, so you should know what to eat when you are sick to your stomachand it is equally important to know what foods not to eat.
Therefore, here we show you a list of foods you can eat when you’re sick to your stomach, and another list of foods you should avoid. Consult it whenever you have doubts, but above all remember not to stop eating, as this can have an impact on a chronic stomach condition, such as gastritis. Also, eating nothing or eating only soft food may be too restrictive and cause you a vitamin or caloric deficit, as well as damage to your intestines.
In fact, eating – but well – is part of what you have to do to naturally heal your digestive system. That recommends Dr. Barbara Bolenwho also gives us some hacks what to eat when we have diarrhoea, a useful diet also for when you are sick to your stomach, which we complement with some recommendations… Look!
What YES to eat when you are sick to your stomach?
Banana
The banana is the only fruit that is recommended raw. It contains a lot of potassium that will help you recover electrolytes. It also has a type of fiber, pectin, which will help absorb fluid in the intestines, helping them work better.
White rice
It is high in carbohydrates and is easy to digest. In addition, it can help you with diarrhea, if you have it, since it has an astringent effect – that is, in normal cases, constipation, since it slows down the movement of the stomach.
Apple
The apple can be laxative or astringent – constipating – depending on how it is consumed. In general, it facilitates digestion, but it is a food that you can eat when you are sick to your stomach only if you peel it, since this way you will obtain the pectin – the same soluble fiber present in the banana – and you will avoid the regular fiber. You can eat it cooked but, be careful, without sweeteners: only with cinnamon. This way you will avoid the stomach part of the digestion process of this fruit.
White bread
If it is industrial, white bread is not a great source of nutrients, but it is the only type of bread that will not weigh you down. Basically it will serve you to complement meals and cover nutritional needs. It will be better if you get it handmade – in the form of baguettefor example– and if you eat it roasted.
Pasta
Like white bread, pasta is an easily digestible food that can be used to cover dietary needs and complement dishes with vegetables and soft meats such as chicken or turkey.
baked potato
A classic food to eat when you are sick to your stomach. However, some eat it with the shell, which is a mistake, since it has too much fiber, which is difficult to digest. The best thing about the potato is that it is full of potassium.
Carrot
The cooked carrot is a soft and sweet food that you can eat calmly even if you are sick to your stomach, and it will provide you with many vitamins. Just remove the skin, because as with the potato, it is where the fiber is housed. Eat it sliced or puree it.
Cooked or roasted chicken
Chicken is the perfect meat to eat when you are sick to your stomach, as it is easily digestible and a great source of protein. Prepare it only with salt.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a superfood and is the only exception to the strict dairy restriction that you must have during your stomach recovery. And it is that it is not only light, but it has lactobacilli that can help you deal with the bacteria that are having an impact on the health of your stomach. Just pick one without sugar.
Chicken soup
You can make yourself a chicken broth: all its ingredients will be good for you, from the salt to the chicken. But take care that the vegetables are peeled, because the peel is the one that has fiber and can fall heavy. And preferably use only light vegetables such as carrots, potatoes or pumpkins; no broccoli or cauliflower, because they inflame the stomach a lot.
Oatmeal cooked with rice milk
Cooked oats are a soft but very nutritious food that is ideal at this time. You just have to avoid sweetening it or making it with any type of milk other than rice milk – which is easy to digest. If you want, you can add banana and cinnamon to sweeten.
pretzels
If you want to snack on something, preztels are a great option. They will not fall heavy on your stomach, since they are not fried nor do they have fiber. And if you have diarrhea, they will help you recover the lost sodium.
Serum
When we have diarrhea it is also a good idea to drink sports drinks to recover electrolytes. But they have a lot of sugar, which is not recommended when we are sick to our stomachs. You can choose to make a homemade serum. You only need a glass of water, the tip of a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of honey, half a teaspoon of baking soda and the juice of a lemon. This will help you meet caloric needs and prevent your blood pressure from dropping.
Cinnamon tea
Cinnamon helps the digestive system, has carminative properties –that is, it reduces gas in the stomach–, prevents ulcers and, best of all, prevents vomiting and nausea. It also suppresses the craving for sugar, which can be helpful at times when we must restrict all kinds of sweeteners.
What NOT to eat when you are sick to your stomach?
You should avoid at all costs:
spicy and seasoning
You should avoid all kinds of chilies, sauces or spices, as well as foods that include them.
Saturated fats
Present in processed foods and foods of animal origin. They slow down bowel movement and can inflame.
Alcohol
Not even the supposedly digestive ones, because alcohol is irritating and can alter the balance of the intestinal flora.
Caffeine
This includes caffeine from black tea, cola, and dark chocolate. It can irritate your stomach.
Dairy products
They have a lot of saturated fat and are difficult to digest.
Sugar
It affects metabolic activity, interfering with digestive processes.
Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, kale, and cabbage
They are vegetables with refinosa, a difficult-to-digest sugar. That’s why they cause inflammation.
Fruits and vegetables with peel
It is in the peel where the fiber is, which is difficult for the stomach to process and can make diarrhea worse.
heavy proteins
Like salmon, pork, beef or eggs –especially the cooked yolk– They are difficult to digest, as they also tend to have a large amount of fat. Only salmon has more polyunsaturated fat, but this can also be heavy on the stomach.
Beans, lentils and chickpeas
They cause gas because they contain oligosaccharides, that is, carbohydrates that are not digestible by the intestine.
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