What can you eat for gastroenteritis? Nutritionists teach you the dietary principles for the acute and mitigation phases!

Once the intestinal mucosa is irritated, vomiting and diarrhea will follow, and the body will lose water and electrolytes, causing dehydration of varying degrees of severity, and will also be accompanied by electrolyte imbalance, which is life-threatening. Therefore, the treatment of gastroenteritis will target vomiting, diarrhea and other discomforts, reduce gastrointestinal irritation, and replenish water, electrolytes and nutrition.

What should I eat when gastroenteritis occurs?

In addition to infection with specific known bacteria, or the use of antibiotics for more serious conditions, "supportive therapy" is generally used to observe personal symptoms, control the symptoms of the disease, and allow the body's defense mechanism to gradually eliminate the bacteria in the body.

Dietary principles for gastroenteritis

When intestinal cells are damaged, the efficiency of digestion and absorption will decrease. In order to allow the stomach and intestines to fully rest, it is necessary to reduce the source of irritation and avoid stimulating gastrointestinal motility with overly oily, high-sugar, and spicy foods. It is recommended to eat a light and mild diet, and eat small and frequent meals. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 of the original amount of food to prevent the stomach and intestines from being overburdened at one time. Eat some easily digestible food to facilitate the rapid emptying of food after entering the stomach, and then send it to the small intestine for further decomposition.

The speed of gastric emptying is related to the type and nature of food, in the order of carbohydrates (carbohydrates) > protein > lipids, and thin, fluid foods are emptied faster than thick, solid foods. This is why many people hear that they should eat porridge, white rice, and white toast, because they are light and easy to digest.

Although these foods are not very irritating to the stomach and intestines, if you only eat porridge, toast and other carbohydrates to fill your stomach, it will cause nutrient deficiency and lack of other important nutrients such as protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. In other words, having gastroenteritis does not mean that your diet is boring and monotonous, but that you need to take in balanced nutrition to replenish the energy consumed by the body during the illness. Protein is the raw material for tissue construction, and eating it with good oil can accelerate the repair of the intestinal mucosa.

Acute phase

In the early stage, some people's nausea is magnified, and they are prone to nausea. They vomit as soon as they drink water or eat, or they have diarrhea after eating. At this time, you can fast for a period of time to let the inflamed stomach rest temporarily. If vomiting and diarrhea do not stop, and you feel extremely uncomfortable, it is best to see a doctor for intravenous treatment.
If you can eat food, you don't have to keep your stomach empty. In the early stage, you can take oral electrolyte supplements and start with easily digestible carbohydrates. After cooking porridge, take the rice soup on the top and drink it, or filter out the clear soup of vegetables.

Remission phase

When the gastrointestinal symptoms are slightly better and you can tolerate solid food, you can also take in other nutrients in addition to carbohydrates. Basically, as long as you avoid heavy tastes, high oils, and high sugars, most foods can be eaten according to your own conditions.

What can I eat with gastroenteritis?

 Whole grains: white porridge, white rice, clear soup noodles, white toast, white steamed buns, soda crackers, steamed potatoes, etc. The principle is to steam, cook with low oil, and season lightly and simply. Remember to chew slowly when eating, and avoid pickled foods if you can.

 Beans, fish, eggs, and meat: steamed eggs, egg drop soup, boiled eggs, soft chicken and fish, etc. Protein helps repair damaged mucosal tissue and restore the function of the digestive tract as soon as possible. Choosing soft foods can reduce irritation.

 Vegetables: melons with less crude fiber, soft and tender leafy vegetables (remove stems and stalks). Vegetables with coarse fibers are still a bit difficult for the stomach and intestines. Eating tender leaves or melons with less fiber instead, and boiling them in water instead of frying them in oil will make them easier to digest.

 Fruits: apples, bananas. There is "pectin" between the apple peel and the flesh, which can absorb moisture, protect the intestinal wall, and relieve diarrhea. Green bananas also have pectin to help stop diarrhea.

What foods should be avoided for gastroenteritis?

 High fat: Fried and greasy foods are difficult to digest and will cause gastrointestinal burden.

 High sugar: Sugar will cause osmotic pressure and may aggravate diarrhea.

 Spices: Onions, garlic, onions, chili peppers, peppers, etc., are easy to irritate the stomach.

 Dairy products: Lactose is difficult to digest and is prone to diarrhea and bloating.

Be careful of hidden mines!

 Bread: I often hear people say that you can eat bread with gastroenteritis, but in fact, bread with stuffing adds a lot of oil and sugar. Choose natural white toast and white steamed buns without causing burden.

Yogurt: Full of probiotics, it seems to be a helper to improve the stomach, but it is a dairy product and contains a lot of sugar. It is not suitable for drinking during inflammation. You should wait until the gastroenteritis is cured before drinking it to regulate the intestines and stomach.

Sports drinks: Many people will buy them when they think of replenishing electrolytes. However, the high osmotic pressure sports drinks have too much sugar. Drinking them may make diarrhea worse; some people will dilute them with warm water, which will also dilute the electrolytes.

Nutritionists suggest that sports drinks are not inappropriate, but should be used according to the situation. If you have a poor appetite and can't eat, you can drink some isotonic pressure supplements, provided that your body will not feel uncomfortable. If it is convenient, it is better to buy electrolyte supplements at the pharmacy. However, if you are severely dehydrated, have dry mouth and reduced urine volume, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

What complications may gastroenteritis cause?

Usually, most patients can recover with proper care, and the time required for recovery depends on the individual's physical condition and the pathogen infected. However, when diarrhea or vomiting occurs more than 8 times a day, it is considered moderate or severe gastroenteritis, and most infected people can recover completely without long-term sequelae.

For those who lose body fluids and electrolytes due to vomiting or diarrhea and are unable to replenish them, such as infants, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, and those who require long-term care, they may suffer from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which may lead to low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, general weakness, dizziness, and sometimes cramps, arrhythmia, and renal failure. In severe cases, they may even be prone to complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding, intestinal perforation and rupture, peritonitis, etc., which are life-threatening, so more attention should be paid.