What Should You Eat When You Have a Nervous Stomach?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

The gut-brain connection is powerful, with an estimated 95% of serotonin—a mood-regulating neurotransmitter—produced in the gut. When you have a nervous stomach, this communication pathway can become disrupted, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Making intentional dietary choices can help soothe your digestive system and calm your nerves.

Quick Summary

This guide provides an overview of soothing foods and herbal remedies to help alleviate symptoms of a nervous stomach, along with a list of foods to avoid. It highlights the importance of incorporating easy-to-digest carbohydrates, calming teas, and probiotic-rich foods to support gut-brain health during periods of stress.

Key Points

Embrace the BRAT Diet for Immediate Relief: Easily digestible foods like bananas, white rice, applesauce, and toast are gentle on an upset stomach and help solidify loose stools.
Sip on Calming Herbal Teas: Ginger, chamomile, and peppermint teas have natural soothing properties that can alleviate nausea, cramping, and bloating.
Support Your Gut-Brain Connection: Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir can rebalance the gut microbiome, which is linked to mood regulation and anxiety reduction.
Prioritize Key Nutrients: Seek out foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and B vitamins, as these can help lower inflammation and regulate neurotransmitters involved in mood.
Avoid Common Trigger Foods: Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and fatty, spicy, or high-sugar processed foods, which can all worsen a nervous stomach.
Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals: Instead of three large meals, consuming smaller portions throughout the day can prevent overwhelming your digestive system.
Ensure Proper Hydration: Drink plenty of water and clear electrolyte-rich fluids, especially if experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, to prevent dehydration.

A nervous stomach, often triggered by stress and anxiety, is a common condition that can cause unpleasant symptoms like cramping, nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. While it can be tempting to reach for comfort food, many of these processed, high-sugar, and high-fat options can make symptoms worse. The key to managing a nervous stomach is to focus on easily digestible, nutrient-dense foods and supportive beverages that won't irritate the digestive tract.

Soothing Foods for Immediate Relief

When your stomach is in turmoil, opt for bland foods that are gentle on your system. These items are often recommended as part of the BRAT diet, a traditional approach for managing digestive issues.

Bananas: These are easily digestible and rich in potassium, which can help replenish lost electrolytes if you've been experiencing diarrhea.
White Rice: Plain, white rice is a low-fiber starch that helps to bind stools and is easy on the stomach.
Applesauce: Cooked applesauce contains pectin, a soluble fiber that can help firm up loose stool and soothe the gut.
Plain Toast or Crackers: Refined white bread, like toast or saltine crackers, is low in fiber and can help absorb excess stomach acid.
Lean Protein: Cooked, skinless chicken, turkey, or fish can provide essential nutrients without the hard-to-digest fat found in red meat.
Cooked Vegetables: Thoroughly cooked vegetables like carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes are easier to digest than raw ones and provide important vitamins.

Calming Beverages and Herbal Remedies

Hydration is crucial, especially if you have been vomiting or experiencing diarrhea. Certain warm drinks and herbs can also provide significant comfort.

Ginger Tea: Ginger is a well-known remedy for nausea and general digestive upset. You can make a simple tea by steeping fresh, peeled ginger in boiling water.
Chamomile Tea: This herbal tea is praised for its calming effects on both the mind and body. It can help reduce stomach spasms and ease digestive discomfort.
Peppermint Tea: Peppermint has antispasmodic properties that can relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, which helps with gas, bloating, and cramping.
Broth: Clear broths, such as chicken or vegetable, are an excellent way to replenish fluids and electrolytes without irritating your stomach.
Electrolyte-Rich Drinks: Sports drinks or coconut water can help rehydrate your body if you've lost fluids from vomiting or diarrhea.

Supporting Long-Term Gut Health

While bland foods provide immediate relief, long-term management of a nervous stomach involves supporting overall gut health. The following food choices can help strengthen the gut-brain axis.

Probiotic-Rich Foods: Fermented foods containing beneficial bacteria, such as yogurt (with live, active cultures), kefir, and sauerkraut, can help balance the gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, omega-3s possess anti-inflammatory properties that can support brain health and potentially help reduce anxiety symptoms.
Magnesium-Rich Foods: Low magnesium levels have been linked to increased anxiety. Leafy greens, avocados, and nuts like almonds and cashews are excellent sources.
Tryptophan-Rich Foods: Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps produce serotonin. Sources include eggs, fish, and turkey. Combining these with a complex carbohydrate can further aid serotonin production.
Complex Carbohydrates: Unlike simple sugars, complex carbohydrates like oatmeal and brown rice provide a steady supply of energy, which helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent mood fluctuations.

Comparison of Foods for a Nervous Stomach


Food/Beverage	Benefits for a Nervous Stomach	Avoid If You Have	Notes
Bananas	Easy to digest, high in potassium, helps with diarrhea	Severe constipation	Good for replacing lost electrolytes.
Ginger Tea	Powerful anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory effects	Heartburn, high blood pressure (in large doses)	Can be brewed from fresh root or found in tea bags.
Plain White Rice	Bland, low-fiber, helps firm up stools	Diabetes (due to simple carbs)	Gentle on the digestive system.
Yogurt (probiotic)	Restores healthy gut bacteria, aids digestion	Lactose intolerance (use lactose-free version)	Choose plain, unsweetened varieties.
Fatty Fish (e.g., Salmon)	Provides omega-3s, reduces inflammation	Severe digestive issues (initially)	Best consumed grilled or baked, not fried.
Caffeine (e.g., Coffee)	None; exacerbates nervousness	Always	Stimulates bowels and increases stomach acidity.
Spicy Foods	None; irritates stomach lining	Always	Can trigger digestive discomfort and acid reflux.

Foods and Habits to Avoid

Just as certain foods can help, others can aggravate a nervous stomach. It's best to steer clear of these during periods of stress:

Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can increase anxiety and irritate the digestive system, worsening symptoms like acid reflux and stomach cramps.
Fatty and Fried Foods: High-fat foods are difficult to digest and can lead to bloating and discomfort.
Spicy and Acidic Foods: Hot peppers, tomato sauce, and citrus fruits can all trigger or worsen acid reflux and general irritation.
High-Sugar and Processed Foods: These can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can exacerbate anxiety and create digestive issues.
Dairy (if intolerant): For those with lactose intolerance, regular dairy products can cause gas, bloating, and discomfort. Plain, probiotic-rich yogurt is often an exception.
Large Meals: Eating smaller, more frequent meals can prevent your digestive system from becoming overwhelmed.

Conclusion

Managing a nervous stomach involves a careful and mindful approach to diet. While soothing, bland foods like bananas, rice, and toast can provide immediate relief, a more comprehensive strategy includes incorporating gut-friendly foods such as probiotics, omega-3s, and magnesium-rich items to support the gut-brain axis for the long term. Staying hydrated with clear liquids and calming herbal teas is also essential. By avoiding common irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods, you can minimize discomfort and nurture your digestive system back to a state of calm. Always listen to your body and consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist, but with these dietary adjustments, you can help calm both your mind and your stomach.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for a personalized plan, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or severe symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Herbal teas like ginger, chamomile, and peppermint are excellent choices for a nervous stomach. Ginger is known for its anti-nausea effects, while chamomile and peppermint help relax gastrointestinal muscles and reduce spasms.

It depends. Plain, probiotic yogurt with live cultures can be beneficial for gut health. However, other dairy products like milk and cheese can be difficult for some people to digest, especially those who are lactose intolerant, and may worsen symptoms.

Caffeine and alcohol are stimulants that can increase anxiety and irritate the digestive tract. Caffeine, in particular, can also stimulate the bowels, making diarrhea and other symptoms worse.

Probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria to your gut, which helps restore a healthy microbiome balance. This is important because the gut and brain are directly connected, and a balanced gut can help regulate mood and reduce stress-induced digestive issues.

Yes, processed foods and those high in sugar can cause rapid blood sugar fluctuations that may increase anxiety. They can also disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to digestive upset.

The duration can vary based on the cause and severity of your symptoms. Many people find relief within 1 to 3 days on a bland diet, after which they can gradually reintroduce a wider variety of foods. Listen to your body and expand your diet slowly.

While the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is often considered overly restrictive for long-term use, its components are still highly effective for providing short-term relief for an upset stomach due to their easy digestibility and binding properties.