What to eat during a runny tummy to recover quickly

November 17, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, most people experience diarrhea—a common cause of a runny tummy—at least once or twice a year. Finding out what to eat during a runny tummy is key to recovery, as certain foods can help firm up your stool and replenish lost nutrients, while others can make symptoms worse.

Quick Summary

This guide provides practical dietary advice for managing a runny tummy, detailing the best bland foods to consume and which types of food and drink to avoid. It covers the importance of hydration and offers tips for reintroducing a normal diet to support recovery.

Key Points

Start with hydration: Focus on clear liquids and oral rehydration solutions to replace fluids and electrolytes lost during a runny tummy.
Embrace the BRAT diet: The classic BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) foods are bland, low in fiber, and help bind the stool during initial recovery.
Expand to other bland foods: Supplement the BRAT diet with other easily digestible options like oatmeal, boiled potatoes, and saltine crackers for more nutritional variety.
Avoid irritants: Steer clear of greasy, spicy, high-fiber, and sugary foods, as well as dairy, caffeine, and alcohol, which can worsen symptoms.
Reintroduce foods gradually: When symptoms subside, slowly add more complex foods back into your diet to avoid a relapse and identify any potential triggers.
Eat small, frequent meals: Opt for smaller portions more often throughout the day to avoid overwhelming your sensitive digestive system.

Navigating the initial stages of a runny tummy

When you first develop a runny tummy, also known as diarrhea, your digestive system is irritated and needs gentle care. The primary goals are to stay hydrated and eat simple foods that won't aggravate your symptoms further. A good starting point is to give your stomach a short rest, focusing only on clear liquids for the first few hours. Dehydration is a significant risk with diarrhea, so replacing lost fluids is crucial.

The power of bland foods: The BRAT diet and beyond

For decades, the BRAT diet has been the go-to advice for managing a runny tummy. The acronym stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These foods are starchy, low in fiber, and easy to digest, which helps to bind watery stools. While the BRAT diet is effective for a short time, modern nutritional advice suggests expanding to a more balanced bland diet after the initial phase to avoid nutrient deficiencies.

Bananas: Rich in potassium, an essential electrolyte that is often depleted during a bout of diarrhea.
White Rice: Easy to digest and helps bind the stool.
Applesauce: A cooked fruit that provides soluble fiber (pectin) and is gentler than raw, high-fiber fruits.
White Toast: The refined white flour is easier on the digestive system than high-fiber whole grains.

Beyond the traditional BRAT foods, other gentle options can be incorporated:

Cooked Cereals: Oatmeal, cream of wheat, or rice porridge.
Saltine Crackers and Pretzels: These provide a good source of sodium and are gentle on the stomach.
Boiled or Baked Potatoes: Peel the skin and consume plain.
Lean Proteins: Skinless chicken breast, lean ground beef, or scrambled eggs cooked without excess fat.

Rehydrating and replenishing electrolytes

Proper hydration is non-negotiable. Water is a must, but you also need to replace the salts and minerals lost through frequent bowel movements.

Clear Broths: Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth is excellent for replacing both fluid and sodium.
Electrolyte Drinks: Sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte can be very effective, though it's best to choose options without excessive sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Coconut Water: A natural source of electrolytes.

Foods to avoid during a runny tummy

Just as important as knowing what to eat is knowing what to avoid. Certain foods can prolong or worsen diarrhea symptoms.

Dairy Products: Many people experience temporary lactose intolerance during and after an illness that causes diarrhea, so it's best to avoid milk, cheese, and ice cream. Some low-fat, low-sugar yogurt with probiotics may be an exception.
Fatty and Greasy Foods: Fried foods, rich gravies, and fatty meats are difficult for the sensitive digestive system to process and should be avoided.
Spicy and Highly Seasoned Foods: These can irritate the bowels.
High-Fiber Foods: While healthy normally, insoluble fiber found in whole grains, nuts, and many raw vegetables can increase bowel movements and should be limited.
Sweets and Artificial Sweeteners: High sugar content and sugar substitutes can draw water into the intestines and have a laxative effect.
Caffeine and Alcohol: These are both dehydrating and can overstimulate the digestive system.

A comparison of foods for a runny tummy


Food Category	Recommended for Recovery	What to Avoid	Reason
Starchy Foods	White rice, white toast, oatmeal, boiled potatoes	Whole grains, brown rice, whole-wheat bread	Refined starches are low in fiber and easy to digest, while high-fiber whole grains can worsen symptoms.
Fruits	Bananas, applesauce, canned peaches, melons	Raw apples, citrus fruits, berries, prunes	Bananas and applesauce contain binding pectin; raw, high-fiber fruits can aggravate the digestive system.
Liquids	Water, clear broth, oral rehydration solutions	Coffee, alcohol, high-sugar sodas, fruit juices	Hydration is crucial for electrolyte balance; caffeine and sugar can irritate the bowels and dehydrate.
Proteins	Baked or boiled chicken breast, scrambled eggs, low-fat yogurt	Fried, greasy, or fatty meats like pork and veal	Lean, low-fat proteins are easy to digest. High-fat meats can be difficult to process.

Phased approach to recovery

Phase 1 (First 6-24 hours): Rest and Hydrate. Stop eating solid foods for a few hours. Sip on clear liquids like water, clear broth, and electrolyte solutions.
Phase 2 (Day 1-2): Bland Foods. Introduce small, frequent portions of BRAT-style foods and other gentle options. Focus on low-fiber, low-fat, and simple preparations.
Phase 3 (Day 3-5): Expanded Bland Diet. As symptoms improve, gradually reintroduce a wider variety of bland foods, such as soft-cooked vegetables (peeled) and lean proteins. Continue avoiding irritants.
Phase 4 (Normal Diet): Reintroduction. Slowly return to your regular diet. If symptoms reappear, pull back and reintroduce foods one by one to identify any triggers.

A concluding note on listening to your body

While these guidelines provide a reliable roadmap for what to eat during a runny tummy, it's important to listen to your body's signals. What works for one person may not work for another. Be patient with your recovery, stay well-hydrated, and ease back into your normal eating habits over several days. If your symptoms are severe, persistent for more than a few days, or include blood in your stool or a fever, consult a healthcare provider for medical advice. Staying vigilant and making smart dietary choices will help soothe your digestive system and get you back on your feet more quickly.

Visit the NIDDK website for more information on managing diarrhea.

Frequently Asked Questions

To stay hydrated during a runny tummy, focus on drinking water, clear broths (like chicken or beef broth), and electrolyte-enhanced drinks. Oral rehydration solutions are especially effective. Avoid drinks with high sugar content, caffeine, or alcohol.

Some low-fat, low-sugar yogurts containing live and active probiotic cultures may be beneficial for a runny tummy. Probiotics can help restore the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut. However, many dairy products are best avoided, as lactose can be hard to digest during this time.

Cooked, soft vegetables like peeled potatoes, carrots, green beans, and zucchini are generally safe to eat with a runny tummy. Avoid raw vegetables and high-fiber cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, as they can cause gas and bloating.

No, you should avoid fried and greasy foods when your stomach is upset. These foods are high in fat and can be difficult for a sensitive digestive system to process, which may worsen your symptoms.

You should stick to a bland diet for one to two days after your symptoms improve. As your bowel movements return to normal, you can begin to gradually reintroduce other foods. Listen to your body and slow down if symptoms reappear.

While effective for short-term symptom relief, the BRAT diet is very restrictive and lacks essential nutrients like protein, fat, and a wide variety of vitamins. Health professionals now advise expanding to a more balanced bland diet after the initial phase to prevent nutrient deficiencies.

Start with small, frequent meals of bland foods and gradually add more variety. Introduce new foods one at a time to see how your digestive system reacts. Avoid jumping straight back to spicy, fatty, or high-sugar foods, which could trigger a relapse.