What are the easiest solid foods to digest?

November 15, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the CDC, over 70 million Americans live with digestive diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding which foods are easiest to digest. For those with sensitive stomachs or recovering from illness, selecting the right foods is crucial for comfort and recovery.

Quick Summary

A sensitive digestive system benefits from consuming low-fiber, low-fat foods that are bland and well-cooked. This includes staples like white rice, bananas, eggs, and lean proteins, which help minimize discomfort while providing essential nutrients.

Key Points

Prioritize Blandness: Bland foods like white rice, plain toast, and saltine crackers are low in fiber and fat, helping to settle an upset stomach and provide easy-to-absorb nutrients.
Choose Lean Proteins: Select lean protein sources such as skinless chicken, baked fish, and eggs, which are easy to digest and aid in tissue repair.
Cook Fruits and Vegetables: Cooking and peeling fruits and vegetables, like sweet potatoes and apples, breaks down fibrous materials, making them gentler on the digestive system.
Incorporate Probiotics Mindfully: Plain yogurt with live cultures can promote healthy gut bacteria, but introduce fermented foods slowly to gauge your body's tolerance.
Avoid High-Fat and High-Fiber Foods: Greasy, fried foods and raw, high-fiber produce can be difficult to digest, leading to discomfort and bloating.
Hydrate with Broths: Broth-based soups offer gentle hydration and electrolytes, which are especially helpful during recovery from a stomach bug or illness.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Easy Digestion

When your digestive system is compromised, certain foods can cause discomfort like bloating, gas, or pain. The key to easy digestion lies in minimizing the strain on your stomach and intestines. This is often achieved by consuming foods that are low in fiber, fat, and are well-cooked or processed. Fiber, while healthy in a normal diet, can be difficult for a sensitive gut to process. High-fat foods also slow down digestion, leading to potential discomfort. Bland, soft foods require less digestive effort and are less likely to irritate the stomach lining.

The Best Solid Foods for Easy Digestion

Several foods stand out as being particularly gentle on the digestive system. They are often part of the 'BRAT' diet, recommended for temporary stomach upsets, but also form the foundation of a diet for long-term digestive sensitivity.

Bland Carbohydrates

White Rice: Unlike high-fiber brown rice, plain white rice is low in fiber and easy to digest, providing a simple energy source. It can help bind stool and is a core component of a bland diet.
White Toast & Crackers: The toasting process and refining of white bread break down some carbohydrates, making it easier to digest than whole-grain bread. Plain saltine crackers are also excellent for settling an upset stomach.
Oatmeal: Cooked with water, oatmeal is a source of soluble fiber, which can be easier to tolerate than insoluble fiber. Soaking oats overnight can increase their digestibility even further.
Plain Pasta: Simple pasta noodles made from refined flour are low in fiber and a readily available source of energy without stressing the digestive tract.

Cooked and Peeled Fruits and Vegetables

Bananas: These provide energy, potassium, and are easily digestible. Ripe bananas contain soluble fiber that is especially gentle.
Applesauce: Cooking apples breaks down their fiber, and the pectin within can help with diarrhea. Opt for unsweetened applesauce to avoid excess sugar.
Sweet Potatoes: Mashed sweet potatoes are a nutrient-dense option. Removing the skin and boiling them makes them very gentle on the stomach.
Cooked Carrots: Well-cooked, peeled carrots are a good source of vitamins and are easy to digest. They can be steamed, boiled, or pureed.
Squash: Varieties like butternut squash and yellow squash are easily digestible, particularly when cooked until soft and mashed.

Lean Proteins

Eggs: Boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs are excellent sources of protein that are easily broken down by the body. Using low-fat milk for scrambled eggs minimizes fat content.
Skinless Chicken and Turkey: Baked or grilled chicken breast and turkey are lean proteins that are gentle on the stomach. They contain no fiber and aid in tissue repair without added fat.
Baked Fish: Fish like salmon is a soft, lean protein source rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Baking or poaching is recommended to keep it easy to digest.

Probiotic-Rich Foods

Yogurt: Plain yogurt with live cultures (probiotics) can help replenish beneficial gut bacteria and support overall digestive health. Avoid sweetened or high-fat varieties.
Fermented Foods: Options like sauerkraut and kefir contain probiotics, but should be introduced cautiously and in small amounts, as some individuals may react differently.

Cooking Methods for Easy Digestion

How you prepare food is just as important as what you eat. Cooking methods that soften the food and minimize added fats are best for sensitive stomachs. This includes boiling, steaming, baking, and poaching. For more insights on managing dietary issues, consider this resource from Healthline(https://www.healthline.com/health/easy-to-digest-foods).

Comparison Table: Digestibility of Common Foods


Food Item	Easy to Digest Version	Hard to Digest Version
Grains	Plain white rice, white toast, oatmeal cooked with water, refined pasta	Whole-grain rice, whole-wheat bread, cereals with nuts/seeds/bran, fried rice
Fruits	Ripe bananas, applesauce, cooked and peeled peaches/pears	Raw apples with skin, pineapple, berries with seeds, dried fruit, fruit cocktail
Vegetables	Cooked, peeled carrots, squash, spinach, potatoes	Raw vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower), corn, beans, spicy peppers, tomato products
Proteins	Scrambled eggs, baked skinless chicken, poached fish, tofu	Fried eggs, fatty cuts of meat, sausage, cured meats, shellfish
Fats	Smooth peanut butter, small amounts of olive oil or butter	Chunky nut butters, high-fat dairy, fried foods

Conclusion

For individuals navigating digestive issues, prioritizing easy-to-digest solid foods is a simple yet powerful strategy for comfort and healing. By focusing on bland, low-fat, and low-fiber options and utilizing gentle cooking methods, you can provide your body with the nutrients it needs without causing unnecessary stress. Starting with basics like white rice, bananas, and lean poultry allows for gradual reintroduction of other foods. Paying attention to your body's response is key to building a sustainable diet that supports long-term digestive wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

For an upset stomach, some of the easiest foods to digest are bananas, plain white rice, applesauce, and toast. These are often referred to as the BRAT diet, which is bland, low-fiber, and helps bind stool.

Plain white rice is generally considered one of the easiest solid foods to digest because it is low in fiber. However, brown rice and other high-fiber grains may be more difficult for some people with sensitive digestive systems.

Yes, eggs are a great source of lean protein and are typically easy to digest. Cooking methods like boiling, poaching, or scrambling are recommended, and it's best to use low-fat milk instead of cream or butter for scrambled eggs.

Peeled and well-cooked vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and squash, are easiest to digest. Cooking breaks down tough fibers, making them gentler on the stomach.

While fiber is a crucial part of a healthy diet, it can be difficult for a sensitive digestive system to process. If you have active digestive issues, temporarily reducing high-fiber foods and opting for low-fiber alternatives can help manage symptoms.

To ensure chicken is easy to digest, choose skinless, lean cuts like chicken breast. Cook it by baking or grilling without excessive oil or spices, and shred or mince it to make it even easier to chew and swallow.

For many, low-fat dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese can be easy to digest. However, if you are lactose intolerant, you should opt for lactose-free or plant-based alternatives. Plain yogurt with live cultures can also support digestive health.