What can you eat if you have food poisoning?

Intestinal poisoning is an all-season problem. A diet for food poisoning should help the body recover and not worsen the ailment. We tell you which foods you can eat and which ones are best excluded for a while.  

Let us remind you: any health problems should be solved together with a doctor. Only specialists can prescribe appropriate medication and diet.

How to recognize food poisoning

Food poisoning develops when toxins enter the body along with spoiled food. These are toxic compounds that form when microbes, most often bacteria, begin to actively multiply when they enter a nutrient medium.

The symptoms of poisoning and intestinal infection are similar, the difference is in who and when they appear:

1. Signs of food poisoning appear in everyone who has eaten the same foods. In the case of intestinal infections, the disease may not affect someone at all. 
2. Symptoms of infection usually develop later than signs of poisoning.

What to do in case of food poisoning

A doctor will help you figure out what is causing the unpleasant symptoms. Most often, the key point of treatment for poisoning is to neutralize toxins and restore the water-salt balance. For intestinal infection, it is to fight the pathogens that caused this infection.

In the acute period, two types of agents are usually used to combat the consequences of poisoning. 

1. Enterosorbents 

They absorb toxins like a sponge, thereby neutralizing them. The most famous is activated carbon. However, today there are more effective means – for example, sorbents based on silicon dioxide, smectite, and lignin. When choosing a drug, pay attention to the absorption capacity – this indicator is usually indicated in the instructions and on the packaging. The higher it is, the more toxins such an enterosorbent can catch and remove. 

It is important to remember that if you have nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, you should not take medications that stop them: the body itself is trying to get rid of toxic substances. Drugs of this type slow down the removal of toxins, they remain in the body longer and continue to cause discomfort. Although in some cases such drugs are acceptable, consult a doctor before taking them.

2. Means for restoring water balance

Any food poisoning is accompanied by a loss of water and dissolved salts, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Severe dehydration is life-threatening, especially when it comes to children or the elderly. Lack of water can result in a slowdown or even a stop in the biochemical reactions that occur in the body’s cells every second.

The easiest way to restore water balance is to drink more water. There are preparations with salts in the composition that will cope with this task more effectively. They are sold in the form of powders that are diluted in water according to the instructions.

The advice that is often given in case of poisoning is to drink cola. Despite the popularity of the recommendation, the effectiveness of this remedy has not been confirmed, so the drink will not be useful in case of poisoning, but it can cause harm. Soda cannot cope with the lack of salts: the sodium content in it is less than in powders intended for rehydration. In addition, one of the key components of cola is caffeine, which has a diuretic effect, that is, it will aggravate the loss of fluid, and will not help to recover. 

You should also avoid drinking coffee and strong tea if you feel nauseous: caffeine irritates the stomach walls, causing additional discomfort.

What to eat in case of poisoning for an adult

During acute food poisoning, when intestinal symptoms are clearly expressed, appetite disappears. This is a protective mechanism: the body thus prevents the entry of products that may contain toxins, and, therefore, cause repeated poisoning. But there is no need to specifically fast if you want to eat.

When the urge to vomit, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and other symptoms of food poisoning go away, start eating small portions, and paying attention to your diet. Avoid spicy, salty, and fried foods, give preference to food without spices and salt. Stick to the diet for poisoning for two to three weeks. 

Advice

In the first days, drink more and replace solid foods with pureed ones: they are easier and faster to digest. 

In foreign literature, among the recommendations for those who have encountered food poisoning, the so-called BRAT diet is often mentioned. BRAT is an acronym formed by the first letters of the names of those products that should be eaten in case of food poisoning:

• B – banana
• R – rice
• A – applesauce, apple sauce, applesauce
• T – toast, toasts, dried bread

The BRAT diet usually lasts no more than two days. You can replace the puree with baked apples, or toast with crackers. It is good to drink water, herbal tea, broth. But it is better to refuse dairy products: the digestion of milk sugar – lactose – can be accompanied by bloating and increased gas formation, which will only worsen the discomfort. Symptoms can resemble those of food poisoning: people complain of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. 

Such products do not burden the stomach, are easily digested, and provide the body with vitamins, microelements, and nutrients. They have a “binding” effect, that is, they are able to combat diarrhea, as one of the main symptoms of poisoning. 

Domestic nutritionists do not insist on a restrictive diet of four products. A more extensive diet will also help people recover. The main thing is that the menu does not contain hard-to-digest fiber. 

Eat boiled vegetables, chicken and lean meat, eggs, soups with low-fat broth, baked fruits, and mashed fruits. When choosing mashed potatoes, pay attention to the composition: they should contain only fruits without added sugar and ascorbic acid, which can aggravate the situation and provoke a deterioration in health. 

When the symptoms of poisoning begin to disappear, gradually increase the portions and variety of products in the diet. This will allow you to return to the previous caloric content of the menu, and avoid a deficiency of nutrients, without burdening the body.

What to cook on a gentle diet

You may not have much strength or ability to cook if you or your loved ones have been poisoned. We found a few simple recipes that are worth taking note of.

1. Baked pumpkin

Roasting vegetables seems like a rather lengthy process to many, but today this task can be completed quickly using a microwave oven. 

To prepare, you will need a pumpkin, vegetable oil, and salt. Peel the pumpkin, cut it into small pieces, and add some vegetable oil and salt. Wrap in cling film or put in a baking bag. Bake in the microwave for no more than 10 minutes, take it out and leave for a few more minutes.

This way you can bake not only pumpkin but also other vegetables, such as beets.

2. Simple omelette

Making this omelet is easier than it seems. You will need eggs, butter to grease the pan, and salt.

Break the eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork, and add a little salt – it is better to avoid spices. Pour the mixture into molds and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes. 

3. Apple and carrot soufflé

Making a soufflé takes more time than making an omelet, but the effort is also minimal. You will need apples, carrots, eggs, semolina, butter to grease the pan, and a little sugar.

Peel and finely grate the apples and carrots, and mix with the egg yolks and semolina. Add sugar and separately whipped egg whites. Place the resulting mixture in greased molds and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.

What to exclude from your diet when you have food poisoning 

We wrote above that it is worth excluding hard-to-digest fiber from the menu. These are fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, whole grains, and legumes, which increase peristalsis.

Dairy products are also best avoided until you feel better. This recommendation does not apply to fermented milk products: the lactose in them has already been processed by bacteria, so intestinal bacteria do not have to digest it. However, those who have experienced food poisoning should not rely on these products specifically. Research shows that kefir and yogurt are not very effective in helping to restore intestinal microflora and normalize digestion. 

There should also be no sweets in a gentle diet. Sugar in large quantities can provoke excessive reproduction of opportunistic microorganisms in the intestines and worsen the condition. 

Avoid foods that are too fatty. They are harder to digest, putting additional strain on the digestive system. Avoid citrus fruits, as they are highly acidic. The acid in the fruit will irritate the intestinal walls, which can result in abdominal pain.

What rules should be followed to avoid poisoning?

Most food poisoning is associated with eating food that has been improperly stored or poorly cooked. For example, if food has been kept at room temperature for a long time or outside instead of in the refrigerator. You can encounter poisoning due to unwashed hands, dirty water, insufficient heat treatment, or the use of poorly washed dishes or utensils. 

Symptoms of food poisoning often go away in a few days, and the body recovers with a suitable diet, but in some cases, medical intervention is necessary. If the malaise does not go away, but worsens, the temperature rises, weakness progresses, and you cannot cope with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea on your own, consult a doctor as soon as possible. It is especially important to monitor the health of the elderly and infants, who suffer more than others from dehydration caused by poisoning.

What can be done? 

Prepare a rehydration mixture yourself. For this, you need a liter of water, a tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and 2.5 grams of soda. But it is better to consult a doctor – only he can prescribe adequate treatment.