Is Toast Good to Eat When You're Sick? The Surprising Truth

December 14, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, bland carbohydrates like toast can be a beneficial part of a temporary diet for soothing an upset stomach. For generations, toast has been a go-to comfort food for many when feeling unwell, but its suitability depends on the specific symptoms you are experiencing and the way it is prepared. While a gentle, bland piece of toast can be a godsend for a queasy stomach, it can be a scratchy nightmare for a sore throat.

Quick Summary

Dry, plain toast can be a helpful, easily digestible food when battling nausea or diarrhea, often recommended as part of the BRAT diet. The effectiveness depends on the illness, and a low-fiber variety is best for stomach issues, while soft, non-abrasive foods are preferred for sore throats. It should only be a short-term solution.

Key Points

Soothes Upset Stomach: Plain, white toast is part of the BRAT diet and is easily digestible for nausea and diarrhea.
Provides Quick Energy: The simple carbohydrates in toast give your body fuel when a lack of appetite prevents eating full meals.
Not for Sore Throats: The dry, scratchy texture of toast can irritate a sore throat and is best avoided in this case.
Stick to Low-Fiber Options: When dealing with diarrhea, choose white bread over whole grain, as high fiber can worsen symptoms.
Avoid Rich Toppings: Steer clear of butter, margarine, and sugary jams, as the fat and sugar can upset a sensitive stomach.
Short-Term Solution: Toast lacks vital nutrients, so it should only be consumed for a day or two before transitioning back to a balanced diet.
Consider Soothing Toppings: When feeling better, a small amount of honey can be a beneficial and soothing addition.

When Toast Is a Good Idea

When your body is fighting off an illness, especially one involving digestive distress like a stomach flu, your appetite can diminish significantly. Bland, easily digestible foods are often the only things you can tolerate. This is where plain, white bread toast shines. Its low fiber and fat content make it gentle on a sensitive digestive system, providing a much-needed source of energy from carbohydrates without causing further irritation. The toasting process itself can also help by drying out the bread, making it less gummy and easier for your stomach to break down.

Stomach-Soothing Properties

Toast's starch content can help absorb excess stomach acid, which can calm a queasy stomach and reduce nausea. This is why it is a staple of the BRAT diet—Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast—which was traditionally recommended for stomach issues. The bland flavor and lack of strong odors also prevent the food from triggering further nausea, which is a common problem with richer or more aromatic foods when you're ill.

Carbohydrates for Energy

Fighting an illness requires a lot of energy, and your body needs fuel to power its immune system. Toast provides simple carbohydrates that are converted into glucose for quick energy. When you're too ill to stomach a full meal, a piece of plain toast can be a small, achievable way to get some necessary sustenance and prevent the weakness that comes from not eating.

When to Avoid Toast

While toast is an excellent choice for a stomach bug, it is not a cure-all for every type of illness. Understanding your specific symptoms is key to deciding whether toast will be helpful or harmful. In some cases, the scratchy texture can exacerbate other symptoms.

The Sore Throat Problem

If your primary symptom is a sore throat or a persistent cough, dry, abrasive foods like toast are best avoided. The sharp, dry edges can irritate already sensitive and inflamed throat tissue, leading to more discomfort and coughing. In this situation, softer, moister foods are a much better choice to provide nourishment without causing pain. Swapping toast for oatmeal, yogurt, or soft-cooked eggs can make a significant difference.

The All-Bran Exception

For stomach issues like diarrhea, it's important to choose the right kind of toast. While whole-grain bread is a great source of fiber for a healthy person, it can be too rough on an upset digestive system. The high fiber content can speed up digestion, which is the opposite of what you want when dealing with diarrhea. Sticking to plain white toast is the safest bet in this scenario.

Comparison: Toast vs. Other Bland Foods

Here is a quick comparison of toast against other common bland foods recommended for sickness.


Feature	Plain White Toast	White Rice	Applesauce	Saltine Crackers
Digestibility	Very high; low fiber and fat.	Excellent; low in fiber and easy on the stomach.	Excellent; pasteurized and easy to digest.	High; bland and can absorb stomach acid.
Energy Source	Simple carbohydrates for quick energy.	Simple carbohydrates.	Provides some carbohydrates and natural sugars.	Provides simple carbohydrates.
Best for...	Nausea, low appetite, digestive issues.	Diarrhea, low appetite.	Diarrhea, hydration, low appetite.	Nausea, low appetite.
Drawbacks	Can be abrasive on a sore throat.	Lacks substantial nutrients.	High in sugar in some versions; lacks full nutrient profile.	High in sodium in some versions; can be dry.

What to Put on Your Toast When Sick

If you can tolerate more than just plain toast, adding certain toppings can provide additional benefits while still being gentle on your system. These options are best introduced gradually as you begin to feel better.

Healing Toppings

Honey: A little honey can help soothe a sore throat and has natural antibacterial properties. A thin layer is best to avoid irritating a tender tummy with too much sweetness. For example, a slice of plain toast with a drizzle of honey can help a dry cough.
Ginger Infused Honey: This blend can be particularly effective against nausea. Grated fresh ginger mixed into honey can be spread on toast or added to tea.
Avocado: As you recover and can handle some fat, a thin layer of mashed avocado can provide healthy fats and nutrients. It is soft and gentle, but only recommended once stomach upset has subsided somewhat.
Nut Butters: Again, for later in the recovery process, a little peanut or almond butter can provide a good source of protein to help rebuild strength.

What to Avoid on Your Toast

Butter and Margarine: While tempting, these fatty toppings can be hard for a delicate digestive system to process. It's best to stick with plain toast or small amounts of honey or nut butter when ready.
Jams and Jellies: The high sugar content in many store-bought jams can worsen digestive upset, especially if you have diarrhea.

Conclusion

Plain toast, especially made from white bread, is a classic and effective choice for many types of illness, particularly those involving nausea or diarrhea. Its easy digestibility and bland nature make it a gentle way to get much-needed carbohydrates and energy. However, it's crucial to consider your specific symptoms. If you have a sore throat, dry toast can cause further irritation. As with any food when you are sick, start with small, simple portions and listen to your body. When you are on the mend, you can slowly reintroduce more nutritious foods back into your diet to aid a full recovery.

Authoritative Link

For additional information on foods to eat when sick, check out this guide from a reputable health source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-should-i-eat-if-i-have-nausea-797427

Frequently Asked Questions

When you're sick with an upset stomach or diarrhea, plain white toast is the better option. Its lower fiber content is easier for your digestive system to handle and less likely to cause irritation compared to high-fiber whole grains.

It is best to avoid dry toast if you have a sore throat, as the hard, scratchy texture can increase irritation and discomfort. Opt for softer, moister foods like oatmeal, soft-cooked eggs, or broth instead.

The BRAT diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. It is a bland, low-fiber diet often recommended for short-term relief from stomach issues like nausea and diarrhea because its components are easy to digest.

Yes, rich and fatty toppings like butter can be difficult for a sensitive stomach to digest, especially when you are recovering from a stomach bug. It's best to eat plain toast until you feel fully recovered.

Yes, lightly toasted bread is a better choice. Burnt toast can contain compounds like acrylamide that are potentially harmful when consumed frequently, while lightly toasted bread offers the digestive benefits without these risks.

A bland diet like the BRAT diet should only be followed for a day or two. This diet lacks essential nutrients, so you should expand your diet to include more nutrient-rich foods as soon as your symptoms begin to improve.

Other easily digestible foods to eat alongside toast include rice, applesauce, bananas, plain chicken, and clear broth. These can be introduced gradually as you feel better.