The most important thing to drink during food poisoning is an oral rehydration solution, which replaces both the water and electrolytes you’re losing through vomiting and diarrhea. Plain water alone isn’t enough because it doesn’t contain the sodium and potassium your body is rapidly depleting. Beyond rehydration, certain drinks can ease nausea, reduce cramping, and support a faster recovery, while others will make your symptoms noticeably worse.
Oral Rehydration Solution Comes First
An oral rehydration solution (ORS) is the single most effective drink for food poisoning recovery. It works by combining a precise balance of sugar and salt that helps your intestines absorb water far more efficiently than water alone. You can buy premade ORS packets at most pharmacies, or make your own at home: mix 4 cups of clean water with half a teaspoon of table salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until dissolved and sip steadily rather than gulping it down, especially if you’re still vomiting.
The reason this simple recipe works so well is that glucose and sodium are absorbed together through your intestinal wall, pulling water along with them. This mechanism stays functional even when your gut lining is inflamed from a foodborne infection. If you can only manage one drink during the worst of your symptoms, this is the one to choose.
Clear Broths for Electrolytes and Comfort
Chicken broth and vegetable broth are excellent choices, especially once you can keep liquids down consistently. Chicken broth contains roughly 110 mmol/L of sodium and 25 mmol/L of potassium, making it one of the most electrolyte-dense drinks you likely already have in your kitchen. The warmth also tends to be soothing on a cramping stomach. Sip it slowly and keep portions small at first. Bone broth offers similar benefits with the added advantage of gelatin, which some people find gentler on an irritated gut.
Ginger Tea for Nausea
If nausea is your dominant symptom, ginger tea is worth brewing. Ginger contains natural compounds called gingerols and shogaols that block serotonin receptors involved in triggering the vomiting reflex. These same compounds help your stomach empty more normally, which reduces that heavy, nauseated feeling that comes with food poisoning. To make it, slice about an inch of fresh ginger root, steep it in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, and sip it warm. Store-bought ginger tea bags work too, though fresh ginger tends to be more potent. You can add a small amount of honey for taste and a modest calorie boost.
Peppermint Tea for Stomach Cramps
Peppermint tea targets a different symptom: the painful abdominal cramping that often accompanies food poisoning. Menthol, the active compound in peppermint, relaxes the smooth muscle lining your intestines by blocking calcium channels that trigger contractions. This is the same mechanism behind peppermint oil capsules used for irritable bowel syndrome, just in a milder, more diluted form. If your stomach is churning and cramping, alternating between ginger tea and peppermint tea lets you address both nausea and cramps.
Coconut Water as a Natural Alternative
Coconut water is a reasonable rehydration option, particularly if you don’t have ORS ingredients on hand. It naturally contains about 51 mEq/L of potassium and 33 mEq/L of sodium, along with a small amount of natural sugar. The potassium content is actually higher than what you’ll find in most sports drinks, which makes it useful since diarrhea causes significant potassium loss. The catch is that its sodium content is lower than a proper ORS, so if you’re relying on coconut water alone, you may want to add a small pinch of salt or alternate it with broth to cover your sodium needs.
Sports Drinks: Better Than Nothing
Sports drinks like Gatorade are a common go-to, but they’re not ideal. A standard sports drink contains about 18 mEq/L of sodium, roughly one-third the sodium concentration of a medical-grade ORS (which has about 61 mEq/L). Sports drinks also contain nearly twice the sugar, at around 6% carbohydrate compared to 3.4% in ORS. That extra sugar without enough sodium can actually pull more water into your intestines and worsen diarrhea through an osmotic effect.
That said, if a sports drink is the only thing available or the only thing you can tolerate, it’s still better than plain water. Diluting it with an equal part water and adding a pinch of salt brings it closer to a proper rehydration solution.
What Not to Drink
Several common beverages will actively slow your recovery. Coffee and caffeinated teas stimulate your intestines and can worsen diarrhea. Alcohol is dehydrating and irritates your already-inflamed gut lining. Sugary sodas and fruit juices contain high amounts of simple sugars that draw water into your intestines, making diarrhea worse through the same osmotic effect mentioned above.
Milk and dairy-based drinks deserve special caution. Food poisoning can temporarily damage the enzymes in your intestinal lining that digest lactose, the sugar in milk. This means dairy products may cause bloating, gas, and worsening diarrhea even if you normally tolerate them fine. This effect can persist for a month or more after the initial infection, so it’s worth avoiding milk-based drinks until you’re fully recovered.
How to Pace Your Drinking
When you’re actively vomiting, taking large sips or drinking a full glass at once will often trigger more vomiting. Start with small, frequent sips: a tablespoon every few minutes. Once you’ve kept that down for 30 to 60 minutes, gradually increase the volume. If you have a toddler or young child with food poisoning, the general guideline is about 1 mL of ORS per kilogram of body weight every five minutes, given with a spoon or syringe. For a 22-pound (10 kg) child, that works out to about 2 teaspoons every five minutes.
For adults, a practical target is to replace what you’re losing. Every episode of diarrhea or vomiting costs your body a meaningful amount of fluid and electrolytes. If your urine is dark yellow or you’re urinating much less than usual, you need to increase your intake. Skin that doesn’t flatten back quickly after being pinched on the back of your hand is another sign that dehydration is becoming more serious and you may need professional help getting fluids.
A Practical Drinking Schedule
In the first few hours, stick to ORS or clear broth in small sips. Once the vomiting slows, you can introduce ginger tea or peppermint tea depending on whether nausea or cramping is bothering you more. As you start to stabilize, coconut water or diluted sports drinks add variety and keep you hydrated. Throughout recovery, keep a water bottle or mug nearby and sip continuously rather than trying to drink large amounts at once.
Most food poisoning runs its course within 1 to 3 days. If you’re still unable to keep any liquids down after 24 hours, or if you notice signs of serious dehydration like a rapid heart rate, dizziness when standing, or very little urine output, those are signals that home rehydration isn’t keeping up and you need medical attention for IV fluids.