Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Diarrhea

What should I eat if I have diarrhea?

If you have acute diarrhea, you may not feel like eating. In most cases, when you feel like eating again, you can eat your normal diet. Children with acute diarrhea should have their usual age-appropriate diet, and infants should have breast milk or formula.

If you have chronic diarrhea, your doctor may recommend changing what you eat. People with food allergies or problems digesting certain carbohydrates or proteins should eat foods that improve symptoms and ensure good nutrition. Talk with your doctor about what foods are best for you.

Parents and caregivers should give children with diarrhea their usual age-appropriate diet and feed infants breast milk or formula.

What should I avoid eating if I have diarrhea?

If you have acute diarrhea, avoid foods and drinks that could make diarrhea worse, such as

• alcoholic beverages.
• drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and some soft drinks.
• foods and drinks containing large amounts of simple sugars, such as fructose and lactose. Sweetened beverages, some fruit juices, candy, and packaged desserts often have these sweeteners.
• foods and drinks containing sugar alcohols, such as sugarless gum and candies.
• foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods, pizza, and fast food.
• milk and milk products that contain lactose. Some people recovering from acute diarrhea have problems digesting lactose for up to a month or more afterward. Children and infants with acute diarrhea should continue their age-appropriate diet.

Most experts don’t recommend following a restricted diet, other than what is above, or fasting when you have acute diarrhea.

If you have chronic diarrhea, your doctor may suggest avoiding foods or drinks that make your symptoms worse.

Keeping a food journal could help you figure out which foods and drinks trigger your symptoms. Be sure to track

• what foods and drinks you consume
• what symptoms you have
• when symptoms occur
• which foods and drinks make symptoms worse

Take your notes to your doctor and talk about which foods and drinks seem to make your symptoms worse. You may need to avoid or limit these foods and drinks.

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