Bland, low-fiber foods like plain rice, bananas, toast, and broth are among the best options for settling an upset stomach. They’re easy to digest, unlikely to trigger more nausea, and can help replace lost nutrients. But depending on whether you’re dealing with nausea, cramping, or diarrhea, some foods work better than others.
The Classic Bland Foods Still Work
The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) has been recommended for decades because these foods are gentle on an irritated digestive system. They’re low in fiber, low in fat, and bland enough that they won’t provoke more vomiting or nausea. Plain white rice is rich in starch that converts into soluble fiber in the gut, which helps absorb excess water. Bananas and applesauce both contain pectin, a type of soluble fiber that binds water and firms up loose stools. Bananas also replenish potassium, a mineral you lose quickly during bouts of diarrhea or vomiting.
That said, you shouldn’t eat only BRAT foods for days on end. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends a strict BRAT diet for children because it’s too nutritionally limited and may actually slow recovery if followed for more than 24 hours. The same logic applies to adults. Use these foods as a starting point when your stomach is at its worst, then gradually reintroduce a normal diet as you feel better. Chicken, eggs, cooked vegetables, and other mild foods are fine to add back early.
Ginger for Nausea
Ginger is one of the most reliable natural remedies for nausea. Its active compounds work directly on the stomach rather than the brain, which makes it effective whether your nausea comes from motion sickness, pregnancy, or a stomach bug. Clinical trials on pregnant women found that 250 mg of powdered ginger taken four times a day significantly reduced nausea, with effective daily doses ranging from about 1,000 to 1,500 mg.
You don’t need capsules to get the benefit. Ginger tea made from fresh sliced ginger root, flat ginger ale (though most commercial brands contain very little real ginger), or even candied ginger can help. If you’re vomiting and can’t keep much down, small sips of ginger tea are easier to tolerate than solid food.
Peppermint for Cramping and Gas
If your stomach trouble feels more like cramping, bloating, or trapped gas, peppermint can help. It works by relaxing the smooth muscle lining your digestive tract, reducing the spasms that cause that tight, painful feeling. Research shows peppermint oil blocks calcium from entering muscle cells in the gut wall, which prevents them from contracting as forcefully. The effect is similar to how some prescription muscle relaxants work, just milder.
Peppermint tea is the easiest way to try this. Some people also use enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules for more targeted relief. One caution: if your discomfort involves acid reflux, peppermint can make it worse by relaxing the valve between your stomach and esophagus.
Fluids and Electrolytes Matter Most
When you’re vomiting or dealing with diarrhea, dehydration is a bigger immediate concern than food. Your body loses water, sodium, and potassium rapidly. Most adults can replace what they’ve lost with a combination of water, clear broths, fruit juices, and sports drinks. Saltine crackers help replace sodium. If symptoms are severe, or if you’re caring for a young child or an older adult, oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte are more effective than water alone because they contain a precise balance of sugar and salt that helps your intestines absorb fluid faster.
Start with small, frequent sips rather than large gulps. Drinking too much at once when your stomach is irritated often triggers more vomiting. Room-temperature or slightly warm liquids tend to be easier to keep down than ice-cold drinks.
Probiotics Can Shorten Recovery
Probiotic-rich foods like plain yogurt, kefir, or fermented foods may help your gut recover faster, especially after a stomach virus. A meta-analysis of studies in children found that one well-studied probiotic strain shortened diarrhea by about 25 hours compared to no treatment, while another strain reduced diarrhea duration by roughly two days. The evidence isn’t perfectly consistent across every study, but probiotics are generally safe and may give your gut bacteria a boost when they’ve been disrupted.
If dairy sounds unappealing while you’re nauseous, probiotic supplements or non-dairy fermented foods like miso broth are alternatives. Plain yogurt with no added sugar is often well tolerated even during stomach illness, and it provides protein and calories that the BRAT foods lack.
Foods That Make Things Worse
What you avoid matters as much as what you eat. Fatty and greasy foods slow down gastric emptying, meaning food sits in your stomach longer and can intensify nausea and bloating. Highly fibrous foods like raw vegetables, whole grains, and beans are harder to break down and can worsen cramping and diarrhea. Sugary foods and drinks can pull water into your intestines and make diarrhea worse, a process called osmotic diarrhea.
Caffeine, alcohol, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus, and spicy dishes all irritate an already inflamed stomach lining. Dairy (other than yogurt or kefir) can be problematic because stomach infections temporarily reduce your ability to digest lactose. If you’ve had high blood sugar, that can also delay stomach emptying on its own, so keeping meals small and simple helps on multiple fronts.
A Practical Eating Timeline
In the first few hours after vomiting or the onset of nausea, stick to clear liquids: water, broth, diluted juice, ginger tea, or an electrolyte drink. Sip slowly. Once you can keep liquids down for a couple of hours without vomiting, try a small amount of bland solid food: a few bites of plain toast, a quarter of a banana, or a small bowl of white rice.
Over the next 24 to 48 hours, gradually expand what you eat. Add in plain chicken, scrambled eggs, cooked carrots or potatoes, and yogurt. If a food makes you feel worse, back off and try again later. Most stomach bugs resolve within one to three days, and your appetite will return on its own. Forcing yourself to eat large meals before you’re ready usually backfires.