How do I start eating again after being sick? A step-by-step nutrition guide

October 19, 2025 •

4 min read

The body's natural inflammatory response to illness often suppresses appetite, a phenomenon observed in studies that show inflammatory chemicals can reduce hunger signals. If you've been unwell and are struggling to get your appetite back, you might be asking, "How do I start eating again after being sick?" The key is a gradual, patient approach that focuses on gentle, nourishing foods.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a nutritional roadmap for recovering from illness. It details how to begin with hydration, transition to bland, easily digestible foods, and slowly add more complex nutrients. The article also covers the importance of restoring gut health and identifies foods to avoid during the recovery process.

Key Points

Start with Fluids: Prioritize hydration with water, broth, or electrolyte drinks to replace lost fluids, especially after fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Ease into Solids: Begin with bland, low-fat foods like those in the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) to gently restart digestion.
Add Nutrients Gradually: As you feel better, slowly incorporate lean proteins, cooked vegetables, and healthy fats to help your body repair and regain strength.
Restore Gut Health: Use probiotic-rich foods like plain yogurt or kefir to replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which may be depleted after illness or antibiotics.
Avoid Irritants: Steer clear of spicy, greasy, sugary, or highly processed foods, as well as alcohol and caffeine, during the initial recovery phase.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body's signals. Eat smaller, frequent meals and scale back if any food causes discomfort. Consult a doctor if appetite loss or other symptoms persist.

Prioritizing Hydration: The Foundational First Step

When recovering from an illness, especially one involving vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, dehydration is a significant risk. Before you even consider solid food, your first priority must be to replenish fluids and electrolytes. Starting with small, frequent sips helps your system ease back into normal function without causing further irritation.

Water: The simplest and most essential fluid. Sip slowly throughout the day.
Clear Broths: Chicken or vegetable broth provides fluids and electrolytes and can be very comforting.
Electrolyte-Rich Drinks: Sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions can replenish lost sodium, potassium, and chloride.
Herbal Tea: Ginger or peppermint tea can soothe an upset stomach. Adding honey can also help with a sore throat.
Ice Chips or Popsicles: These can be a gentle way to hydrate, especially if you're feeling nauseous.

The Transition to Solid Food: The Bland Diet

Once you can tolerate clear liquids without issue, it's time to ease back into solids. A bland, low-fat, and low-fiber diet is recommended to avoid overwhelming your sensitive digestive system. The classic BRAT diet is a time-tested starting point.

What is the BRAT diet?

BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These foods are gentle on the stomach and easy to digest, helping to firm up stools if you've had diarrhea.

Bananas: Rich in potassium, an important electrolyte, and easy to digest.
White Rice: Plain, white rice is a simple, low-fiber carbohydrate source that provides energy.
Applesauce: A good source of calories and easy on the digestive system.
White Toast: Dry, plain, or lightly buttered toast is a gentle starting point.

Gradually Expanding Your Nutritional Intake

As your appetite returns and your stomach settles, you can begin to add a wider variety of foods. The goal is to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to fully recover and regain strength.

Lean Protein: Add sources like skinless chicken, turkey, eggs, and plain tofu. Protein is crucial for tissue repair and rebuilding muscle mass.
Probiotics: Antibiotics can disrupt your gut microbiome. Plain yogurt with live cultures, kefir, or other fermented foods can help restore healthy bacteria.
Nutrient-Dense Foods: Reintroduce cooked vegetables like carrots and squash, which are easier to digest than raw ones. Berries, while initially avoided for their seeds and fiber, are packed with antioxidants that support immune function.
Healthy Fats: Avocado and fatty fish like salmon can provide energy and anti-inflammatory omega-3s, which are beneficial for recovery.
Complex Carbohydrates: Once you can handle more fiber, introduce whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread.

A Comparison of Bland and Recovery Diets


Feature	Bland Diet (Initial Phase)	Recovery Diet (Later Phase)
Purpose	Settle the stomach, reduce irritation	Rebuild strength, restore nutrients
Key Foods	Bananas, white rice, applesauce, toast, clear broth, gelatin	Lean proteins, eggs, cooked veggies, yogurt, berries, nuts, seeds
Fiber Content	Low	Gradually increasing
Fat Content	Low	Moderately increasing (healthy fats)
Preparation	Simple, unseasoned cooking (boiling, steaming)	Seasoned appropriately, varied cooking methods
Foods to Avoid	Spicy, greasy, fatty, sugary foods, most dairy	Foods that trigger individual sensitivities

Foods and Habits to Avoid for a Smooth Recovery

Just as important as what you eat is what you avoid. Rushing back to your normal diet or consuming irritants can cause a setback. For a period of a few days to a week after symptoms subside, avoid these items:

Alcohol and Caffeine: Both can disrupt your digestive system and cause dehydration.
Spicy and Fatty Foods: These are difficult to digest and can irritate a sensitive stomach.
High-Sugar Foods and Drinks: Excess sugar can cause inflammation and worsen digestive issues.
Raw or Gassy Vegetables: Wait until your system is more stable before reintroducing raw vegetables and cruciferous options like broccoli and cabbage.
Large Meals: Eating smaller, more frequent meals can prevent overloading your stomach and keep energy levels stable.

Listening to Your Body and When to Seek Medical Advice

Recovery is not a linear process, and listening to your body's signals is paramount. If a particular food causes discomfort, scale back and reintroduce it later. Pay close attention to your appetite, as it will naturally return as you heal. However, if your lack of appetite persists for more than a week, or if you experience unintended weight loss, severe nausea, vomiting, or other concerning symptoms, it is important to contact a healthcare provider. A dietitian can also provide tailored nutritional guidance during your recovery journey.

Conclusion

Navigating the return to normal eating after an illness requires patience and a strategic approach. By prioritizing hydration, starting with gentle, bland foods like those in the BRAT diet, and gradually reintroducing nutrient-dense options, you can support your body's healing process effectively. The final steps involve restoring gut health with probiotics, avoiding potential irritants, and listening to your body's cues. Following these steps can help you regain your energy and appetite, paving the way for a full recovery. For more guidance on recovery from food poisoning, the Houston Methodist blog offers a helpful timeline for reintroducing foods after a stomach bug.

Frequently Asked Questions

After your stomach settles and you can tolerate clear liquids, start with bland, easily digestible foods like bananas, plain white rice, applesauce, and dry toast (the BRAT diet).

A reduced appetite is a normal biological response to illness. The body’s inflammatory process releases chemicals that can suppress hunger signals to conserve energy for fighting the infection.

Most experts recommend avoiding dairy products like milk during the initial recovery from a stomach illness, as lactose can be difficult to digest and may worsen diarrhea. Plain yogurt with live cultures is an exception and can be beneficial later on.

Reintroduce foods slowly, one at a time, to see how your body reacts. Start with a small amount of a new food. If it is well-tolerated, you can gradually increase the portion size. It is best to avoid introducing multiple new foods at once to easily identify any triggers.

Once you can comfortably eat bland foods, you can start adding nutrient-dense options. This includes cooked lean proteins (chicken, fish), cooked vegetables, healthy fats (avocado), and probiotics from sources like yogurt.

Plain water is crucial. Clear broths, oral rehydration solutions, coconut water, and herbal teas (like ginger or peppermint) are also excellent for replacing lost fluids and electrolytes.

Consult a healthcare provider if your loss of appetite lasts more than a week, if you experience unintended weight loss, or if you have severe nausea, vomiting, or persistent pain that interferes with eating.