Low FODMAP: recommended diet for IBS / Blog / Clinic EXPERT

With diarrhea, intestinal motility is increased, which causes accelerated passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract. This reaction is protective, since in this way the toxins that caused diarrhea are removed from the body.

At the same time, diarrhea is dangerous due to dehydration, since liquid, essential microelements and vitamins are not absorbed by the intestines, but pass through in transit. In order not to burden the gastrointestinal tract at the first symptoms of diarrhea, doctors recommend drinking a lot and refraining from eating any food for at least 4 hours, and then sticking to a diet that strengthens you.

Benefits of exotic fruit

The main help for the sick person during this period is drinking plenty of fluids and four-hour fasting. Only after this will you need a diet that strengthens you. Only one fruit can be included in the patient’s diet – banana. It has an astringent property and, enveloping the delicate mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, protects it from irritation. This fruit does not overload the stomach, thereby gradually easing the condition of adults and children suffering from diarrhea.

To understand whether bananas can be consumed for diarrhea, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the beneficial properties of these fruits.

The fruit contains the following microelements and substances:

fructose, sucrose – additional charging of body cells with energy;
magnesium – can naturally improve heart function and activate brain activity;
potassium – normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
iron – for good blood circulation and hemoglobin formation;
phosphorus, calcium and sodium - to strengthen the skeletal system.
pectins retain moisture in the body (relevant for diarrhea to prevent dehydration);
fiber – useful for stable stomach function;
inulin (a group of polysaccharides) – a probiotic to restore the natural intestinal microflora;
tannins – antiseptic (plus astringent effect);
starch – relieves inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, retains fluid in the body;
enzymes for digesting food;
tryptophan is necessary for the production of serotonin (being a hormone of happiness, it will help with rapid recovery).

It is impossible to overestimate the benefits of banana during diarrhea. It is important to eat slightly unripe fruits during this period. Too mature, soft, on the contrary, they are a laxative. Choose dense or greenish fruits.

With this diet, the load on the patient’s gastrointestinal tract is minimized and diarrhea is treated naturally:

irritation of the mucous membrane is eliminated;
the body is toned;
spasms go away;
harmful bacteria die;
toxins are eliminated;
mood and general well-being improves.

At the time of treatment, banana pulp will help replenish the lack of substances necessary for the body, rapidly lost during diarrhea, and helps maintain normal water-salt balance.

Is it okay to eat bananas if you have diarrhea?

If stool is disrupted, the patient must adhere to a diet so as not to overload the stomach and aggravate the situation. Therefore, the question often arises: is it possible to eat bananas for diarrhea? This exotic fruit is the only one allowed for diarrhea (except for baked apples), as it has an astringent and enveloping property.

With severe diarrhea in the acute phase, everything that enters the stomach is immediately eliminated. In this case, you should completely refuse to eat any food and drink plenty of fluids. After 4-12 hours, you can introduce foods allowed during the recovery diet.

A good option is banana. 100 g of this tropical fruit contains approximately 95 kcal. Eating one fruit, a person receives 120-150 kcal. It contains 3 g protein, 0.2 fat and 42 g carbohydrates. Thanks to the high content of carbohydrates and fructose, it copes with the feeling of hunger and fills you with energy.

The fruit is quite nutritious, with a lot of fiber, carbohydrates and pectin, which makes it a product with high energy value. By consuming it, you will give your body the necessary energy, relieve the feeling of hunger and not overload your stomach.

And the potassium contained in bananas will help restore electrolyte balance and reduce the degree of dehydration. In addition to essential microelements, bananas contain amino acids.

Prescriptions

For diarrhea, it is recommended to eat bananas even for people with gastritis or ulcers. Its pulp prevents the aggressive effects of hydrochloric acid on the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. And this instantly neutralizes pain from such ailments.

The daily dose for an adult is 2 fruits. For a child from three years old - 1. Only by adhering to the dosage and proper consumption of bananas for diarrhea syndrome can you help the body quickly heal and recover.

Follow these tips:

before peeling, wash the fruit thoroughly (there may be bacteria on the surface that will aggravate gastrointestinal upset);
do not mix the pulp with butter or milk;
exclude heat treatment;
children should chop or beat the fruit, combining it with rice porridge (give the mixture in 1 teaspoon portions every hour).

Beneficial properties of the fruit

Why do doctors recommend eating bananas when you have diarrhea? It's all about the fibrous structure. The body quickly absorbs the fruit, and its fibrous structure and fiber help hold liquid feces together.

Banana helps cells recover faster. The fruit stimulates the normalization of the intestines and stomach. The composition includes useful substances: zinc, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium.

The pulp is filled with vitamins: B, C, E, K and pectins necessary for the body. They have the ability to prevent large loss of fluid by absorbing excess, and normalize water balance, since the fruit consists mostly of water. Removes harmful toxins from the stomach, leaving beneficial substances.

Tannins from fruit fibers have an astringent effect. This quality sets it apart from other fresh fruits. Amino acid and inulin have a beneficial effect on the microflora of internal organs. Therefore, bananas are recommended for intestinal upset, which will help eliminate alarming symptoms.

The beneficial property of the fruit is that it is hypoallergenic. Children and adults are allowed to eat.

For diarrhea, the daily norm is 2 pcs. Loose stools flush potassium from the body. The pulp of the fruit can restore water balance and save the body from dehydration. Two golden treats will completely restore your potassium supply.

For children

If you decide to use bananas to treat diarrhea in babies, you should remember the precautions. Please note that dehydration in a child occurs many times faster than in adults. Therefore, the urgency of treatment plays a vital role for the rapid healing of the baby.

Note:

bananas can be eaten only on the third day after the onset of diarrhea;
in some children, after eating the pulp of this fruit, diarrhea may increase (individual intolerance or inappropriate quality of the fruit - overripe with black spots on the skin);
The fruit is contraindicated for infants under 1 year of age (the digestive system is not fully formed);
exclude the purchase of gray bananas (they were previously frozen, which means they have lost most of the value of the fruit).

In addition to effectively eliminating diarrhea, the exotic fruit helps increase appetite in children.
For rotavirus infection, raw banana is contraindicated. It can cause an exacerbation of the disease, aggravation of inflammatory processes in the body. In this case, it is more advisable to prepare steamed pancakes from the fruit, in the oven, or add the pulp to the porridge at the time of cooking.

Can I give banana to small children for diarrhea?

Bananas can be included in the diet of a small child, but only after the acute phase of diarrhea has passed. This fruit rarely provokes allergies, so it can be introduced as early as eight months of age.

If you have diarrhea, you can give your baby rice porridge in water with the addition of a small amount of banana (dried or fresh). By monitoring the body's reaction (improved digestion, absence of allergies), you can increase the amount of healthy fruit.

Green, unripe bananas should not be given to children under three years of age.

It is difficult to feed children, and during illness this is especially difficult. A banana is perceived by a child as a delicacy and will most likely be eaten. At the same time, the banana taste is not very strong, which does not cause immediate satiety and is easy to disguise if the child is not a fan of this fruit.

Diet for intestinal colitis with diarrhea + menu

The diet of a sick child is influenced not only by the tolerance of certain foods and his preferences, but also by the etiology of the disorder, so you need to ask your pediatrician whether a banana is ok for diarrhea in a particular case.

For rotavirus infection, raw banana is contraindicated due to the fact that it can cause fermentation and worsen the inflammatory process. For a child, you can make pancakes from bananas, serve them steamed or with porridge.

Pregnancy and lactation

It is beneficial for women to eat bananas during pregnancy. They will save you from toxicosis and cheer you up.

For diarrhea, it is advisable to treat expectant mothers with this fruit. This way you can reduce the frequency of bowel movements and prevent the absorption of toxins into the blood after poisoning the body.

In the last trimester, you should be careful with the consumption of these fruits. A suitable dose is 2 mid-ripening bananas per week. This is a precautionary measure for the development of an allergy to an exotic fruit in a newborn.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not eat overripe bananas. This will lead to the development of fermentation processes in the body, and as a result – increased gas formation and diarrhea.

If you have diarrhea, you can eat banana while breastfeeding. But it is necessary to take into account the baby’s age and his individual tolerance to this fruit.

It is advisable to introduce banana into the diet at the end of the first month of feeding. Portions are small, gradually increasing to 1 piece per day. The maximum amount during lactation is 2 per day. Fruits with peels should be washed with soap and water before eating.

Banana consumption by breastfeeding women

Many breastfeeding mothers are interested in whether a banana can stop diarrhea in a baby if he is breastfed.

Pediatricians are of the opinion that fruit, as a source of vitamins and microelements, should be present in the diet of nursing mothers.

In order for the golden treat to bring benefit and not harm, mothers must adhere to the following rules:

Buy unripe, good fruits.
The peel should be without external damage. Harmful microbes will enter through the holes.
Before use, the brush with fruits should be washed.
Eat up to two pieces a day, spreading them throughout the day in small portions.

If you follow these rules, you will be able to stop your baby's diarrhea without causing harm.

Banana recipes

A healthy menu from this fruit for a patient can be varied. There are many simple and more complex recipes.

Here are examples of the most common dishes that are recommended for gastrointestinal disorders.

Smoothie

Natural yogurt with lactobacilli – 150 g (you can prepare it yourself from a pharmacy starter);
1 banana for two servings.

Beat without adding sweeteners or oil.
The cocktail can quickly restore microflora.

Kissel

Boiling water – 200 ml;
1 banana.

Make a paste from the fruit and pour hot boiled water over it. Let it brew for 20 minutes.

A simple procedure will allow you to get a complete jelly due to the high starch content in this fruit. Honey or jam should be added if there is no diarrhea.

Pancakes

Ripe fruit – 1 pc.;
egg – 1 pc.;
flour – 2-3 tbsp. l (depending on consistency).

Place the prepared dough in portions on parchment and place in the oven for 7-10 minutes at 140°.

Cookie

Banana – 4 pcs.;
flour – 2 cups;
baking powder (soda) – 1.5 tsp. (combine with flour);
egg – 1 pc.;
cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sugar - optional (if there is no diarrhea).

Place the prepared dough in portions on parchment and place in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°.

Porridge with salted banana

Add whipped (chopped) banana and a pinch of salt to well-cooked rice porridge cooked in water.

The high starch content normalizes intestinal function. After several hours of fasting, this porridge is an excellent dietary option.

But in this way it is difficult to cope with infectious diarrhea. In this case, it is also worth taking absorbent, antibacterial, antiviral drugs.

Contraindications

Naturally, consuming bananas during diarrhea has a number of contraindications. It is worth knowing what else a person is sick with and carefully monitoring the symptoms of diarrhea. Such precautions in choosing a treatment method will help not harm the patient and provide the fastest, most effective assistance.

People with blood diseases are strictly prohibited from eating bananas:

when coagulability is increased;
ischemia;
varicose veins;
thrombosis;
cardiovascular disorders.

Contraindications to taking the fruit are also:

diabetes;
diagnosis of hyperglycemia;
obesity (due to the high calorie content of the product);
violation of metabolic processes.

It is prohibited to use the fruit as a remedy for diarrhea if you have the following symptoms:

elevated temperature;
nausea or vomiting;
there is an increase in symptoms of diarrhea;
The cause of the condition is parasites.

Consultation with a specialist before using banana as a remedy for diarrhea for babies is mandatory. People suffering from the listed diseases also need to get doctor’s recommendations, which will help them learn for sure about the benefits (harms) of this fruit. They will establish doses of banana consumption that will not have a negative effect on the body.

Is bananas allowed for everyone if they have diarrhea?

Can all patients eat fresh bananas during diarrhea or are there exceptions? Like any vegetables and fruits, they are not recommended to be consumed during the acute stage of the disease if a person often experiences bloating, as they can cause fermentation in the stomach, which is extremely undesirable in case of diarrhea and vomiting.

In order not to provoke bloating, it is recommended to consume fruits after heat treatment. The banana diet helps in this case with a mild form of the pathology, after the diarrhea has almost stopped and the body needs to be replenished with the necessary elements and vitamins.

It is better not to eat bananas on an empty stomach, not to drink it with water and not to combine it with other foods (wait half an hour after eating). They can provoke fermentation and accumulation of gas in the stomach, which will lead to unpleasant sensations and difficulty in the outflow of bile. Therefore, if bloating occurs after consumption, you should stop using them during the period of diarrhea.