A few specific foods can genuinely ease an upset stomach, and they work for a simple reason: they’re easy to digest, they replace lost nutrients, and they don’t irritate an already inflamed gut. The best options depend on whether you’re dealing with nausea, diarrhea, cramping, or a general feeling of queasiness, but a handful of staples help across the board.
Bland, Starchy Foods Are Your Starting Point
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are low in fiber, bland enough to avoid triggering more nausea, and easy for your digestive system to process without much effort. Plain white rice is particularly useful because its starch converts into a type of soluble fiber in the gut that helps firm up loose stools. Bananas pull double duty by providing potassium, a mineral your body loses quickly during bouts of diarrhea or vomiting. And both bananas and applesauce contain pectin, a soluble fiber that binds excess water in the intestines.
That said, sticking to only these four foods for more than a day isn’t a great idea. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends a strict BRAT diet because it’s too nutritionally limited and may actually slow recovery. Think of these foods as a starting point, not a complete plan. Plain white potatoes, saltine crackers, and simple oatmeal all work on the same principle and give you more variety.
Ginger for Nausea
Ginger is one of the most well-studied natural remedies for nausea. Its main active compound works on the same receptors in your gut that prescription anti-nausea medications target. Specifically, it calms excessive contractions in the small intestine and helps keep the valve between your stomach and esophagus tighter, which reduces that rising, about-to-vomit feeling.
Fresh ginger sliced into hot water makes a simple tea. Ginger chews, ginger ale made with real ginger (check the label, many brands use only flavoring), and even crystallized ginger candy can help. Start with small amounts. A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger steeped for five to ten minutes is plenty for one cup of tea.
Broth and Bone Broth
When solid food feels like too much, broth is one of the easiest ways to get fluids and nutrients in. Bone broth in particular is rich in amino acids like glutamine, glycine, and proline, all of which support the lining of your gut and help with cellular repair. A warm mug of broth also replaces sodium lost through vomiting or diarrhea, which is just as important as replacing water.
Plain chicken or vegetable broth works well too. The key is keeping it simple: avoid cream-based soups or anything heavily seasoned until your stomach has settled.
Peppermint for Cramping and Bloating
Peppermint relaxes the smooth muscle in your bowel, which makes it particularly helpful if your upset stomach involves cramping, bloating, or intestinal spasms. Peppermint tea is the gentlest option. Peppermint oil capsules are also available and widely used for irritable bowel symptoms.
One important caveat: peppermint can worsen heartburn and acid reflux. By relaxing the muscle at the top of your stomach, it can allow acid to creep up into your esophagus. If your upset stomach feels more like burning or reflux than cramping, skip the peppermint.
Probiotic-Rich Foods
If your stomach trouble involves diarrhea, probiotic foods may shorten how long it lasts. A large review of clinical trials found that probiotics reduced the average duration of diarrhea by about 30 hours and cut the risk of diarrhea continuing past three days by roughly a third. The most effective strains were lactic acid bacteria, the kind found in yogurt and fermented foods, along with a beneficial yeast found in some supplements.
Plain yogurt (not heavily sweetened), kefir, miso soup, and sauerkraut are all good sources. If you’re lactose intolerant, dairy-based options could make things worse, so stick with non-dairy fermented foods or a probiotic supplement instead.
Foods to Avoid Until You Feel Better
What you leave off your plate matters as much as what you put on it. These foods are common triggers that can irritate your stomach lining, slow digestion, or increase acid production:
- Fried and fatty foods, which take longer to digest and sit heavy in your stomach
- Spicy foods, which can irritate an already inflamed gut lining
- Coffee, tea, and other caffeine sources, which stimulate acid production
- Citrus fruits and tomatoes, which are acidic enough to worsen nausea or heartburn
- Carbonated drinks and juice, which can increase bloating and cramping
- Alcohol, which irritates the stomach lining directly
- Chocolate, which contains both caffeine and fat
If you’re prone to gas and bloating, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are also worth avoiding temporarily. Beans and onions fall into the same category.
How to Eat When Your Stomach Is Off
The way you eat can matter as much as what you eat. Smaller, more frequent meals put less strain on your digestive system than three large ones. Even if you don’t feel hungry, try to eat something small every few hours to keep your energy stable and give your gut something manageable to work with. A few bites of toast, a small cup of broth, or half a banana counts.
Avoid drinking large amounts of liquid right before or after eating. Keeping drinks to about half a glass within 30 minutes of a meal helps your stomach handle food more efficiently.
If your symptoms are more severe, start with mostly liquids like broth and smoothies, then gradually move to soft foods, then back to your normal diet as you feel better. For foods that gave you trouble, reintroduce them in tiny portions rather than jumping straight back to full servings. High-fat and high-fiber foods in particular are worth easing back in slowly, starting with lower-fat versions and small amounts of fiber like a single slice of bread or a tablespoon of cooked lentils.