When your stomach hurts, bland, low-fiber foods like plain rice, bananas, toast, and applesauce are the safest choices. These are easy to digest and unlikely to make nausea or pain worse. But the goal isn’t to limit yourself to just those few items. Current guidelines recommend returning to a normal, balanced diet within about 24 hours, since your gut needs adequate nutrition to actually recover.
Start With Bland, Starchy Foods
The classic BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) has been the go-to recommendation for decades, and these foods remain a solid starting point. Plain white rice is rich in starch that converts into soluble fiber in your gut, helping firm up loose stools. Bananas and applesauce both contain pectin, a type of soluble fiber that binds excess water in your digestive tract. White or gluten-free toast rounds out the group. All four are bland enough that they’re unlikely to trigger nausea or vomiting.
That said, the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends sticking with just these four foods for more than a day. The BRAT diet is low in fiber, protein, and fat, which means it doesn’t give your digestive system what it needs to heal. Think of it as a starting point for the first few hours, not a multi-day plan. Once you’re keeping bland foods down, begin adding fruits, vegetables, yogurt, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates back into your meals.
Liquids Matter More Than Food
Staying hydrated is the single most important thing you can do for a stomach ache, especially if vomiting or diarrhea is involved. Clear fluids are the safest place to start. Diluted apple juice works well: a little extra water and a little less sugar is easier on your stomach than full-strength juice or sports drinks. Drinks with a lot of sugar can actually worsen diarrhea.
If you’re actively vomiting, take small sips of about an ounce or two at a time. Even if you feel thirsty enough to gulp, your stomach may not be ready to handle a large volume yet. Keep offering small amounts until fluids are consistently staying down, then gradually increase.
Peppermint and Ginger Tea
Peppermint tea can help with cramping and bloating. The menthol in peppermint relaxes the smooth muscles lining your digestive tract, which reduces spasms. It also appears to dull pain signals from the gut by interacting with sensory nerve channels in the intestinal wall. A warm cup of peppermint tea is a simple way to get these effects.
One thing to watch for: peppermint can relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, which sometimes worsens heartburn or acid reflux. If your stomach ache feels more like a burning sensation in your upper chest, skip the peppermint and try ginger tea instead, which calms nausea without that side effect.
Foods to Avoid Until You Feel Better
Some foods will actively make a stomach ache worse. Fatty and fried foods are harder to digest and force your stomach to work overtime, which can increase pain and trigger heartburn. Greasy meals like burgers, chips, and anything deep-fried should wait until you’re fully recovered.
Also steer clear of:
- Caffeine and coffee, which stimulate acid production
- Carbonated beverages, which introduce gas and can increase bloating
- Alcohol, which irritates the stomach lining directly
- Spicy foods and red sauces, which can worsen inflammation
- Chocolate, which relaxes the valve at the top of your stomach, promoting acid reflux
The pattern here is straightforward: anything rich, acidic, or stimulating puts extra demand on a digestive system that’s already struggling.
How You Cook Matters Too
Preparation method makes a real difference. Grilling, steaming, or baking lean meats and vegetables is far easier on your stomach than frying. The NHS recommends cutting back on greasy fried foods specifically to ease your stomach’s workload. If you’re reintroducing protein, grilled chicken or steamed fish with plain rice is a much better choice than anything cooked in heavy oil or butter.
Softer textures also help. Well-cooked vegetables, soups, and porridge require less mechanical breakdown in your stomach, meaning less churning and less discomfort.
Adding Probiotic Foods During Recovery
Once you’re past the worst of your symptoms, probiotic-rich foods can help restore the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Yogurt is the most accessible option and also provides protein your body needs for recovery. Kefir, miso soup, sauerkraut, and kimchi are other good sources.
Introduce these one at a time and in small amounts. If you’re not used to eating fermented foods, adding too many too quickly can cause gas, bloating, or cramping, which is the opposite of what you want. Start with a small serving of plain yogurt and see how your stomach responds before branching out.
A Practical Eating Timeline
In the first few hours, focus entirely on small sips of clear fluids. Diluted juice, broth, or plain water in small amounts will keep you hydrated without overwhelming your stomach.
Once fluids are staying down, try a few bites of something bland: a few spoonfuls of rice, a banana, or a piece of dry toast. Eat slowly and stop if nausea returns.
Within 24 hours, start moving toward a normal balanced diet. Add steamed vegetables, lean grilled protein, yogurt, and fruits. Keep portions moderate and meals frequent rather than eating three large meals. Your stomach will recover faster with steady, gentle fuel than with either starvation or a sudden return to heavy meals.
Signs Your Stomach Ache Needs Medical Attention
Most stomach aches resolve on their own with rest, hydration, and gentle eating. But certain symptoms signal something more serious. Seek emergency care if you experience severe pain that makes it difficult to move, eat, or drink. Sudden onset of intense abdominal pain, a high fever, or blood in your stool or vomit all warrant immediate evaluation. Stomach pain following any kind of abdominal trauma also requires a trip to the ER.
It’s also worth knowing that heart problems, including heart attacks, can sometimes present as severe nausea or pain in the upper abdomen beneath the rib cage. Any abdominal pain that’s completely new to you or unusually severe deserves an in-person medical evaluation rather than a wait-and-see approach.