What's the Easiest Thing for the Body to Digest?

November 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2024 review in Healthline, bland, low-fiber, and low-fat foods like bananas, white rice, and toast are among the easiest things for the body to digest. These types of foods require minimal effort from your digestive system, making them ideal during times of illness, recovery, or when dealing with a sensitive stomach.

Quick Summary

Several factors make certain foods easy to digest, including low fiber, low fat, and a soft texture. The BRAT diet staples—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—are classic examples, alongside other bland options like cooked vegetables, eggs, and broth. Cooking methods also play a significant role, as boiling, steaming, or baking foods breaks down their fibers and fats.

Key Points

Low Fiber and Fat are Key: Foods low in fiber and fat, like white rice and lean protein, are easiest to digest because they don't require extensive breakdown by the gut.
Bland Foods are Best: Bland foods, such as bananas, applesauce, and toast, are gentle on the stomach and less likely to cause irritation or upset.
Cooking Makes a Difference: Preparing foods through methods like boiling, steaming, or baking breaks down fibers and starches, making them more digestible than raw or fried foods.
BRAT Diet Staples: The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is a classic for soothing an upset stomach, offering simple carbohydrates and helping to firm up loose stools.
Hydration is Critical: Clear broths and water are easy to process and help replenish fluids and electrolytes, which is crucial during recovery from illness.
Listen to Your Body: While general guidelines exist, individual tolerance varies. Pay attention to how your body responds to different foods and adjust your diet accordingly.

The Science Behind Easy Digestion

The human digestive process breaks down food into nutrients the body can absorb. Certain foods and preparation methods can either speed up or slow down this process. Foods that are considered easy to digest typically share a few key characteristics. They are often low in fiber, which is difficult for the body to break down, and low in fat, which empties slowly from the stomach. They also have a soft or pre-processed texture, reducing the mechanical work required by the digestive system.

For example, refined grains like white rice are easier to digest than whole grains because the bran and germ, which contain the majority of fiber, have been removed. Similarly, cooking vegetables until they are soft breaks down their fibrous cell walls, making them gentler on the digestive tract than raw vegetables. This is particularly important for individuals with sensitive stomachs, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or those recovering from a gastrointestinal illness.

Classic Easy-to-Digest Foods

These staples are frequently recommended for their soothing properties and simple composition:

Bananas: Known for their blandness and easily broken-down carbohydrates. They also contain potassium, which helps replenish electrolytes lost during digestive distress.
White Rice: A low-fiber, bland food that digests quickly and can help firm up loose stools. Opt for plain white rice over brown rice, which has a higher fiber content.
Applesauce: Cooking apples breaks down their fiber (pectin), making it easier to digest than a raw apple. The pectin can also help with diarrhea.
Toast (from white bread): Toasting white bread breaks down some of the carbohydrates, making it even simpler for the stomach to process than untoasted bread. Plain, white toast is best for this purpose.
Plain Oatmeal: Made with water, oatmeal provides soluble fiber that is gentle on the digestive system and helps regulate bowel movements without causing irritation.
Lean Protein: Cooked, skinless chicken breast, white fish (like salmon or cod), and eggs are low in fat and provide essential amino acids for tissue repair.
Broth: Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth is hydrating and provides essential nutrients like electrolytes, especially when recovering from dehydration.

Preparation Methods Matter

The way food is prepared dramatically affects how easy it is to digest. Raw vegetables and fried, fatty foods are often more challenging for the body to process. Boiling, steaming, baking, and pureeing are all methods that pre-process food, lightening the load on your digestive system.

Boiling/Steaming: This is ideal for softening vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans, making them easy to break down.
Baking: Best for lean proteins like chicken and fish, which should be prepared without excess oil or fat.
Pureeing/Blending: Creates a smooth texture that requires very little digestive effort, perfect for soups, smoothies, and applesauce.

Comparison of Digestible Foods


Food Type	Best for Digestion	Less Ideal for Digestion
Grains	Plain White Rice, White Toast, Plain Crackers	Brown Rice, Whole Grain Bread, High-Fiber Cereals
Protein	Baked/Steamed Chicken or Fish, Eggs	Fried Meats, Fatty Cuts of Beef, Beans, Legumes
Fruits	Very Ripe Banana, Applesauce, Melons	Berries with Seeds, Raw Apples, Citrus Fruits
Vegetables	Cooked/Peeled Potatoes, Carrots, Zucchini	Raw Vegetables, Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Cabbage)
Dairy	Low-fat Yogurt, Kefir (if tolerated)	High-Fat Cheese, Full-Fat Milk (for the lactose intolerant)
Beverages	Herbal Tea, Water, Clear Broth	Carbonated Drinks, Coffee, Alcohol

What to Avoid for Easier Digestion

To promote better digestion, it's wise to limit or avoid certain foods, especially when your stomach is sensitive. These include:

High-Fat and Fried Foods: These slow down stomach emptying and can cause bloating, indigestion, and heartburn.
Spicy Foods: Capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers, can irritate the stomach lining and trigger discomfort in some individuals.
High-Fiber Foods (during flares): While healthy, high fiber can be problematic during a digestive flare-up, causing gas and bloating.
Acidic Foods: Citrus fruits and tomatoes can worsen symptoms like acid reflux and heartburn.
Artificial Sweeteners: Some sugar alcohols and sweeteners are poorly absorbed and can lead to gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

Conclusion

For many, the single easiest food group for the body to digest consists of bland, cooked, and low-fiber carbohydrates, with standouts like plain white rice and ripe bananas leading the list. However, the ideal choices often depend on individual tolerance and specific health conditions. Whether you're recovering from an illness or managing a chronic digestive issue, focusing on soft, low-fat, and simply prepared foods can provide significant relief and support your body's natural healing process. For personalized advice, a healthcare provider can help determine the best dietary approach for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

While individual tolerance varies, plain white rice or a very ripe banana are often considered among the single easiest things for the body to digest. They are low in fat and fiber and provide simple, easily absorbed carbohydrates.

White rice is easier to digest because it is a refined grain with the bran and germ removed, which significantly lowers its fiber content. Brown rice is a whole grain, and its higher fiber content takes longer for the body to process.

Yes, toast is often easier to digest than untoasted bread. The heat from toasting breaks down some of the carbohydrates in the bread, making it simpler for the digestive system to process, especially for those with an upset stomach.

Yes, cooked vegetables are easier to digest. The cooking process breaks down the tough cell walls and fibers, which is why steamed or boiled vegetables are gentler on the stomach than raw ones.

For many, low-fat dairy like yogurt or kefir can be easy to digest, especially if it contains probiotics that aid gut health. However, for those with lactose intolerance, lactose-free or plant-based alternatives are a better choice.

Lean, skinless protein sources like baked or steamed chicken and fish (e.g., salmon) are among the easiest to digest. They are low in fat, and the protein is broken down efficiently by the body.

After an illness involving vomiting or diarrhea, the best foods are bland, low-fat options from the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) and hydrating clear broths. Start with small, frequent meals as your stomach settles.