BRAT Diet
The BRAT Diet may sound like a fad diet straight from Hollywood, but it was actually developed to help patients with various types of gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, gastroenteritis and dyspepsia.
The BRAT Diet Acronym
The word BRAT is actually an acronym that stands for the types of foods that one should eat in order to avoid an increase risk of diarrhea, dyspepsia and gastroenteritis. BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Tea. It should be noted that there are other possibilities such as BRATTY (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea & Yogurt).
How the BRAT Diet Works
The BRAT Diet works by choosing foods that are bland, easy to digest and have a low amount of fiber. For those that suffer from the above stomach problems, fiber can actually exacerbate these conditions by causing gas and upsetting the stomach. Since this diet is also used when a child has diarrhea, make sure that your child is receiving plenty of fluids and salts- especially if their diarrhea is severe. It may also help to avoid foods and drinks such as gelatin, sugary, processed fruit drinks and carbonated beverages.
It is important to realize that the BRAT diet while being helpful to reduce stomach problems, is not a comprehensive diet and lacks food such as protein. For this reason, foods that are high in protein must be consumed. Tofu is one suggestion as are lean meats such as turkey. An alternative to the BRAT diet that includes more protein and fat is the CRAM Diet. The word CRAM is an acronym for Cereal, Rice and Milk.
The BRAT Diet was not developed for weight loss; it was developed to treat specific stomach conditions. As always, consult your doctor before starting any diet program.
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Filed under Medical Diets.
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