Healthy bland diet – which foods are gentle on the stomach & which are bad for the stomach diet

Do you suffer from unpleasant bloating, gastrointestinal problems, stomach pain or have you just had an unpleasant stomach flu and would like to protect your digestive organs because they are irritated after the illness? With the right diet, you can alleviate or even get rid of all such ailments. The so-called light diet is the first step towards improvement.

Hardly anyone has not heard this term before. The diet often referred to by doctors as a “light whole food” is a stomach diet that has exactly what the name suggests: protecting the gastrointestinal tract andgive him some rest. What exactly this type of diet is, what illnesses it is recommended for, which foods are allowed and which should be avoided and much more from us today. In summary, you will also receive a table with bland foods.

What is bland food?

As already mentioned, it is a diet that involves eating foods that are gentle on the stomach and easily digestible foods for diarrhea, flatulence and stomach and abdominal pain and digestive problems. Such dishes are served in hospitals. This allows the stomach and intestines to recover when they are irritated for various reasons. And this also prevents new health problems.

So if you have digestive problems, you don't always have to resort to medication straight away. Bland food can already work for youhealthy intestinesor stomach are sufficient. In such cases, even doctors recommend food that is gentle on the stomach. But what can you eat if you have stomach problems or intestinal problems?

When you read about stomach-friendly food, you shouldn't immediately assume that these are unappetizing dishes. Quite the opposite! With the right recipes, even the simplest ingredients can be delicious and help you with your stomach diet with bland foods. It is important that you eat a balanced diet despite eating light food. A combination of 50 to 55 percent is recommendedCarbohydrates(e.g. pasta, bread, rice), 30 percentSlicesand 15 to 20 percentproteins,so animal andvegetable proteins.

Since not only the type of food but also the preparation of the light diet plays a role, this is also important to pay attention to. Everything should be prepared so that it is easy to digest: soups or steamed vegetables instead of raw vegetables, breads made from ground wholemeal flour instead of coarse-grained wholemeal bread and well-chopped fish instead of large bites, for example.

This is the only way to make digestion easier for the irritated gastrointestinal tract. But which foods help with diarrhea, which soothe an irritated stomach and what can you drink during a bland diet depending on your symptoms? We'll tell you!

When is stomach-friendly food recommended?

Easily digestible food can help with various ailments and illnesses. TheStomach fluwe have already mentioned. The digestive tract is very weakened after such a tough illness and will thank you if you don't burden it with dishes that are difficult to digest. Other illnesses that require bland food as a stomach diet include:

• Food intolerance
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Food poisoning
• Ulcers in the stomach or duodenum
• chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease
• mild liver or biliary diseases
• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa
• Inflammation of the esophagus
• Inflammation of the pancreas
• after operations

However, you don't necessarily have to have a specific illness in order to decide on a bland diet. Certain symptoms may also require them. That's what many people ask themselvesatDiarrheaeat something? Other symptoms for this are:

• Flatulence
• Nausea and vomiting
• constipation
• stomach pain
• Magendruck
• heartburn
• Feeling of fullness

What can you eat?

The fact that you are limited in the amount of food you eat does not mean that you are left with nothing delicious to cook with. You will even be amazed at how many foods are actually light and easy to digest and taste good too. And since you can combine all foods with each other in a variety of ways, the variety of recipes is much larger than some people think. But what does that entail?

There are 6 food groups: vegetables, fruits, grain products, dairy products, meat and fish. Each of these groups contains several representatives that are considered easily digestible. You can see what these are using the light food list in the form of a table below. We have also listed the well-tolerated spices and herbs in a separate group.

Bland food food table

Danger!The foods listed serve as a guide and may vary depending on individual tolerances.

How is bland food prepared?

You have now found out which foods are permitted as light food for stomach problems. However, the question still arises as to exactly how the bland diet should be prepared and how many meals it should be divided into. Fat should be greatly reduced or eliminated entirely. This is especially true if you are frying. This works best if you use coated pans, as the food will not burn even with little or no fat.

Although salt is allowed for seasoning, it should still be used in small quantities, as should sugar and other spices. This is especially true for hot spices, which in many cases are even completely banned.

How many meals are recommended?

With a normal diet, several small meals are considered a better alternative to a few large portions. This is no different with a bland diet, as it puts a strain on the stomach when it is filled with a lot of food at once, making digestion slower and more difficult. For example, five smaller meals are better than three large ones.

It is no less important that you do not devour the food. Take your time, enjoy the meal and chew thoroughly before swallowing each bite. As you know, digestion begins in the mouth. By chewing food well, you help your stomach and make its work easier. Irritated stomachs will thank you!

Tips on all food groups

In addition to the table with easily digestible foods that are suitable for the bland diet, we have explained the groups in more detail below. Find out which dishes, among other things, are suitable for a light diet, how best to prepare them and what is beneficial for which complaints and what you should avoid:

Prepare vegetables that are gentle on the stomach

Vegetables are boiled or steamed. In its raw state, everyone shouldkind of vegetablesshould be avoided or consumed at most in small quantities. The table above shows which types of vegetables are non-flatulent. That's how it is, among other thingsSpinacheasy to digest and can be used in various dishes. It helps with flatulence and is the ideal light diet for diarrheaBroccoliIt can cause diarrhea and flatulence if consumed too much or not prepared properly.

DieKohlrabiTolerability is downright impressive because the vegetables are easy to digest even when raw. That's why you shouldn't be afraid to improve your health with kohlrabi. For a kohlrabi diet, for example, a casserole to which you also add potatoes and other suitable ingredients is suitable.

And what about the ever-popular oneTomato sauce? In principle there is nothing wrong with it, because apart from the fact that tomatoes are considered a light food, they are also cooked in the sauce. Only in the case of inflammation of the gastric mucosa (Gastritis) the vegetables should be handled a little more carefully. While tomato sauce can be easily eaten with all types of pasta for gastritis, raw tomatoes are temporarily less recommended for gastritis.

With vegetables you can make deliciousThe soupprepare foods that are not only well tolerated and digestible, but also provide the body with plenty of fluids. Soup for gastrointestinal infections is a great idea, as it means the irritated stomach is not burdened with difficult digestion. You can also add simple pieces of rusks instead of croutons. For example, you can relieve diarrhea in adults with carrot soup.

Easily digestible fruit and less recommended

When it comes to fruit, all varieties that contain little acid are suitable. Nevertheless, varieties that are classified as easily digestible fruits should also be consumedin raw formshould only be consumed in small quantities or not at all. Also, make sure they are ripe. Compote, as well as puree or fruit that has been boiled or steamed are very suitable.

What to eat if you have diarrhea? Exactly, apples! It's best to choose apple varieties that are mild. These include Golden Delicious, Gala and Jonagold. For various complaintsApplestrue helpers. Grated apple for diarrhea is one option. More specifically, the ingredient pectin helps with this (if you don't remove the peel!).

Accordingly, you can also use applesauce to combat diarrhea and soothe your stomach and intestines with the help of the apple. In this case, the cooked apple is even gentler than the grated one. Feel free to help yourself to the apple tooStomach fluback, but not if you suffer from irritable syndrome.

This is just as suitableBananafor gastrointestinal problems. So you can nourish and calm your stomach and intestines with a mashed banana. Ask yourselfwaseat when you have stomach fluyou get the correct answer with the banana. Relieve with theAvocadoGastrointestinal complaints. Shestimulates digestionand regulates the intestinal tract, which also has a very positive effect on irritable bowel syndrome. But you shouldn't overdo it with the avocado. Since it is very high in fat, excessive consumption can lead to nausea.

Not recommended fruitis stone fruit and includes, among other thingsCherries. They are difficult to tolerate and sometimes lead to flatulence, which is caused by the fermentation process. Rarely, cherries cause diarrhea. However, you shouldn't overdo it with consumption, as tasty as they are. If you get diarrhea after eating cherries, it has nothing to do with the old myth that you drank too much water afterwards.

AlthoughPlumsWhile they stimulate digestion and are an old home remedy for constipation, they are less suitable as a light diet because they are poorly tolerated. Especially those who suffer from fructose intolerance should avoid this stone fruit, as the plums can cause stomach pain. Due to their decongesting ability, plums are unsuitable for diarrhea.

ObPeachesAs with plums, whether they can be viewed as a light diet depends on the symptoms. They are not recommended for irritable bowel syndrome, while they can help with gastritis, for example. That's why you should always check with yours firstAdvise doctor!In addition, the peach canIntensify diarrhea.

Grain

potatoesMay be boiled, steamed and eaten in the form of mashed and jacket potatoes. Deep-fried and fried potato dishes such as fries, croquettes or fried potatoes are prohibited. Potato salad, which is a popular side dish, should also be avoided. By the way, potatoes are great for relieving stomach pain.

You can make a soup for stomach pain from potatoes (potato soup). So next time you ask yourself which soup helps with a stomach ache, this is the right answer. The same goes for mashed potatoes. Use mashed potatoes for gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Potatoes are less helpful for diarrhea as they can make it worse.

In contrast, canoatmealbe useful for diarrhea. For example, prepare an oatmeal soup from oat flakes and water, which you can then season with a little salt and vegetable broth. Grated apple is also suitable for refining. You can also relieve stomach pain with oatmeal.

Oatmeal helps with inflammation of the gastric mucosa by forming a mucus in the stomach that covers the mucous membranes like a protective layer. This light diet is therefore the perfect choice for breakfast for gastritis, but also for in between meals. It is recommended to cook oatmeal as a light breakfast or as a snack before consumption so that it can be digested even better.

ThatReisis easy to digest is no secret to many. But does rice help with diarrhea? However! Like oat flakes, it also forms a kind of mucus when digested and has a slightly constipating effect. So that your dish doesn't taste too bland, you can combine rice with zucchini and/or carrots if you have mild diarrhea and add a little salt.

Recipes with rice can be really tasty and there are a lot of light dishes with rice. If you're wondering, try the following soupWhat to eat if you have gastrointestinal problems:

Rice recipe with carrot

• 150 g Reis
• 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 liter of water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

• Bring 600 ml of salted water to the boil and add rice.
• After about 5 minutes, add carrots and parsley and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Add oil and season with vegetable broth and salt (do not season too much, the supper is better tolerated).
• If desired, the soup can also be pureed with a hand blender. Then it is even easier to digest.

You can also use rice for one of the most popular desserts:Rice pudding. But what about rice pudding for diarrhea? This is only a concern if you suffer from sugar intolerance. Diarrhea or constipation, flatulence and abdominal pain can then occur, which is a result of digestive problems and the so-called irritable bowel syndrome.

So you should eat rice pudding or other sweetened dishes, as well as very sweet fruits if you have diarrheanoteat if you cannot tolerate sugar. If you don't have such an intolerance, you can easily eat rice pudding if you have diarrhea.

Noodlescan be viewed and consumed as light food in all shapes and colors. So it doesn't matter what type of grain was used to make it. So pasta for diarrhea, flatulence and other gastrointestinal problems is not a problem.

You can hardly go about your everyday life without itViolationintroduce. And fortunately it is also a good light diet, regardless of the type of grain. To ensure that you get a bread that is easy to digest, it should be made from fine flour and not contain any whole grains or seeds. It's good to know that the perfect light food bread is at least a day old. So if you want particularly stomach-friendly bread, buy it or bake it a day before you eat it.

And which bread for gastritis? If you suffer from gastritis, you should avoid whole grain or multigrain bread. Instead, opt for rusks, wheat bread and milk rolls and only consume small amounts at first.

Dairy products in the light diet

Lean dairy products are not a problem. So it's also leanMilchAllowed for gastrointestinal complaints, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it helps. Still, it can be said that milk is good for the stomach if heartburn is the problem. This is because milk binds acid thanks to the protein and thus also absorbs excess stomach acidNeutralize heartburncan. But only for a short time. It is also important that the milk is low in fat, as fat can actually increase the amount of acid.

Milk is also very helpful for stomach pain caused by an irritable stomach. In the same way isyogurtgood for stomach and intestines. In order to achieve the desired effect and achieve lasting relief from stomach pain with yogurt and milk, these products should also be included in your diet every day.

Since yoghurt is easy to digest, it is ideal for every meal: for breakfast with oat flakes as muesli or for lunch or dinner instead of quark with potatoes with fresh spices. Of course, these are just two of the many possibilities.Cheese as a popular dairy productcan be eaten as long as mild varieties are chosen.

Fish tips

You can protect your stomach and intestines with fish by choosing low-fat types. Only then can you consume fish as a light diet. Especially if you want to eat fish when you have diarrhea, fat should be very reduced as it can promote diarrhea. So what to eat if you have diarrhea or other complaints? Which fish are suitable?

Lean fish:

• Seelachs
• trout
• carp
• Hecht
• cod
• plaice
• Schellfisch
• Flunder
• Halibut
• Redfish
• tench
• Zander

The extent to which shellfish and crustaceans are suitable depends, among other things, on your symptoms. It is best to consult your doctor about this.

Bland foods and eggs

Eggs are popular and fortunately also allowed on the bland diet. However, soft-boiled eggs are preferable as hard-boiled ones are harder to digest. So you won't make your stomach ache worse with a soft egg, while a hard-boiled one might make it difficult for your stomach. You should also avoid fried eggs as they are fried greasy.

Otherwise, eggs on the stomach diet can also be prepared in the form of an omelet or scrambled eggs, as both the omelet and the scrambled eggs are easy to digest. But it's best to avoid fat when preparing it. With scrambled eggs you get a light diet that is delicious and good for your health. Egg custard and poached eggs are also permitted. Try ourssimple omelet recipefor which you simply replace the mountain cheese with a milder variety.

Eggs can also be processed further, for example when preparing cakes or casseroles. But not for mayonnaise, tartar sauce or egg salad. Also, reduce the amount of eggs to a maximum of 3 per week.

legumes

Since legumes are oneflatulent effecthave, they are unsuitable as a light diet. Legumes can even worsen diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain or other intestinal problems. This also applies toLenses, even if these legumes are among the more easily digestible varieties. So it's not true that lentils are good for digestion.

However, the flatulence effect is hardly or not at all noticeable in people with a healthy and non-sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Avoid lentils if you have diarrhea or other intestinal problems, as well as all other legumes such as beans or peas.

Spreads, desserts and treats

People like to grab it for a delicious breakfastSpreadsand sometimes you want tosnack. But what is easy to digest and allowed? You can safely spread jam, fruit jelly and honey on your bread, while banana chips, muesli and fruit bars, shortbread cookies and even gummy bears are suitable for snacking. Also certain onesCakecan be eaten. These are:

• Plaited bread and other low-fat pastries
• light yeast cakes
• Cheesecake (e.gour cheesecake recipes, for which you simply leave out ingredients that are not allowed)
• fruit cake
• Sponge cake
• Kiss
• Cake with sponge cake

Does chocolate help against diarrhea? The answer isand. But this only applies to varieties with a cocoa content of at least 70%. It contains flavonoids that inhibit the substances that regulate fluid secretion. However, before you get too excited, we have to tell you that chocolate is not a light food and is not appropriate on a stomach diet. With a high cocoa content, it can only be eaten in very small quantities.

Also avoid:

• Peanut butter
• Marzipan
• Chocolate spread and other chocolate desserts
• sweeteners
• fresh yeast cake
• Cream and cream cakes, as well as desserts with raisins
• Puff pastries and very fatty and lard pastries (donuts, shortbread cakes, etc.)

For all permitted cakes and pastries, you must also pay attention to the ingredients. Use suitable fruit, low-fat dairy products and no nuts!

Spices and herbs

Every dish only becomes truly perfect with the right spices. But which spices and herbs are allowed? In addition to sugar and salt, you can use a number of other flavors for seasoning. These are:

• Thymian
• Camomile
• Anis
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• laurel
• clove
• Nutmeg
• Rosemary
• Vanilla
• cardamom

• Ten
• Coriander
• Oregano
• juniper
• Lemon balm
• sage
• Safran
• Curry
• chervil
• Dill
• Tarragon

However, you should avoid some spices. These include vinegar, chili, garlic, cayenne pepper, wasabi, mustard, black pepper, horseradish and seasoning sauces, including soy sauce.

Other foods

Are nuts allowed and areNutseasily digestible? Unfortunately, we have bad news for all lovers of delicious nuts. They are not allowed if you want to eat a light diet because they are difficult to digest and tolerate. So no matter whether it's almonds, hazelnuts, chashew, pistachios or walnuts and diarrhea, gastritis, stomach pain, irritable bowel syndrome or other complaints - nuts are taboo! And that actually applies to them toohealthy and popular peanut butter!

fats and oilsAlthough they can be used in the light diet for cooking and eating, they should be used as sparingly as possible. Are permitted:

• Margarine
• Butter
• high-quality vegetable oils (e.g. olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, corn oil)

Lard and palm kernel fats are prohibited.

Permitted types of sausage:

• Vienna sausage
• Poultry sausage
• Beer ham
• Corned Beef
• Cooked ham
• Weisswurst
• Schinkenwurst
• Currywurst
• Mortadella
• Aspic sausage
• cold roast

Choose the right drinks

Of course, you should also limit yourself when it comes to drinks. Alcohol is completely forbidden, as are very strong coffee, carbonated drinks, fruit juices with a high acid content (e.g. grapefruit, orange, lemon). Fruit juices should generally be heavily diluted, while vegetable juices are not a problem.

Herbal and fruit tea and still water are wonderfully suitable for the light diet and are extremely well tolerated. However, it is important that you do not enjoy the drinks too hot or too cold.Black tea and coffeecan be drunk in moderation depending on tolerance.

What to drink if you have diarrhea?

Since diarrhea occurs because the colon no longer absorbs mineral salts and therefore cannot remove water from the stool, it is only logical that salty drinks would be beneficial. They should also contain sugar and potassium. If you are dependent on a bland diet and need to choose drinks that are gentle on the stomach, you canCurrant juice,Carrot juiceor to a diluted oneChicken brothgrab.

Chamomile, peppermint and fennel tea are also good. And would you have thought that?green teaCan relieve diarrhea? It does this even more successfully than black tea. In contrast, coffee is a bad idea if you have diarrhea because it actually has a laxative effect and can make the situation worse. But since it's not a good light diet anyway, this shouldn't be a problem for you.

What to drink if you have gastrointestinal problems?

You can do the best withTeecalm the stomach. Chamomile, lemon balm, caraway and fennel are a good idea, while carbonated drinks or even alcohol are completely off limits if you want to help your digestive system heal.

Light food for children

The light diet for toddlers is largely no different from that for adults. Since these are easily digestible and well-tolerated foods, you don't have to make any exceptions for the little ones. This also applies to children who are older. Just follow the children's appetite and desires.

Onesimple, delicious chicken soupor alternatively a vegetable soup is usually very well received by the little ones. It is also easy to digest and at the same time provides the child with plenty of minerals and vitamins. The perfect light food for children. Children can also eat rusks, rolls without grains, crispbread, pretzels, carrots, potatoes, broccoli and rice as food for stomach pain. However, sweets, milk and cocoa are not recommended.

Overall, you should listen to your child. Don't force him to eat. If they don't feel able to do this, you could make the symptoms worse. You can be sure that the appetite will come naturally as soon as your child is able to eat again.

It is important that sick children are verydrink a lot! As a rule, between 80 and 150 ml per kilogram of body weight applies. It is best to alternate still water and tea (teas suitable for children) during illness. Vegetable broth also provides your child with plenty of nutrients and is the ideal light diet.

Table forbidden foods

As additional information, we have also put together a table of prohibited foods below. What shouldn't you eat or drink if you have diarrhea? What's not a good idea if you have stomach pain, flatulence and other complaints? In short - everything that is not a light diet. And you can see what that means exactly here:

The forbidden foods can vary depending on the symptoms and illness. Please consult your doctor accordingly!