BRAT diet

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The BRAT diet is a treatment that historically was prescribed when a young child who eats solids has diarrhea. BRAT is an acronym of bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast. This diet was thought to be helpful for patients who present with symptoms of diarrhea. It may be recommended for patients with dyspepsia or gastroenteritis. This BRAT diet also has several minor "spin-offs" such as the BRATT (Bananas, Rice, Apple Sauce, Toast and Tea) or the BRATY (Bananas, Rice, Apple Sauce, Toast, and Yogurt) depending on the severity of symptoms. The BRAT diet was thought to be easy on the stomach and intestines which may be inflamed due to trauma or illness.

Some practitioners consider the BRAT diet to be bananas, rice, applesauce and tubers, because wheat can be difficult to digest. This is also a concern as incidences of celiac disease increase.

The BRAT diet is still recommended by medical professionals for the treatment of diarrhea, but it has also been recommended for patients with diarrhea to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, along with a normal diet (which is higher in calories and protein than the BRAT diet). A child or adult with diarrhea should eat carefully. High-fat and high-sugar foods, however, should be avoided as they can be hard on the digestive system. The elements of the BRAT diet can act as "binders" and thus help with diarrhea, but occasionally work more efficiently when eaten as part of a normal diet and not taken exclusively.

Antibiotics, immunizations, and new foods can change the intestinal flora and cause gastrointestinal upset by changing the balance of probiotics.

The foods that consist the BRAT diet are bland, easy to digest and low in dietary fiber, which may be prebiotic, since foods that are high in fiber may cause gas and worsen the gastrointestinal upset.

An alternative diet that is being researched is the C.R.A.M. diet (cereal, rice, applesauce, and milk) since it may add more protein and fat into the diet. However, there is almost no likelihood of milk becoming part of a diet designed primarily to fight gastrointestinal symptoms, because milk and many other dairy products are among the foods which are very hardest to digest. Thus, in a patient with an already compromised gastrointestinal system, dairy products in general would be almost impossible to digest, and unlikely to be added deliberately to the diet.