A healthy gut goes a long way to ensuring a happy life, and what you eat plays an important role in maintaining healthy digestion. Just as eating a high-fiber diet, rich in nutrients, will help maintain optimal digestive function, there are foods you can eat to help ease digestive complaints such as stomachache.
Here is a list of foods that can help you heal your upset stomach:
Ginger - Ginger has been shown to work as both an intestinal spasmolytic and carminative, meaning it helps reduce wind and soothes the digestive tract. It also stimulates the production of bile, which helps support digestive function. Ginger also contains shogaols and gingerols that are believed to obstruct the serotonin receptors in the gut, therefore alleviating nausea.
Coconut water - Coconut water is packed full of nutrients needed when your body is dehydrated. Unlike sports drinks, coconut water is completely natural and more gentle on the stomach, making it an excellent fluid choice when you have an upset tummy. It is also beneficial for stomach ache as it has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe your stomach lining.
Bananas - Bananas are gentle on the stomach and very easy to digest, making them an excellent food choice for a volatile tummy. They are high in potassium which aids in the production of bile, your stomachs natural protection, and are also rich in pectins which work to bind your stool and help reduce symptoms of diarrhea.
White Toast - Simple carbohydrates are easier for your body to digest, and less likely to cause you to be sick. Though wholemeal and wholegrain toast provides more nutrients, white toast is more gentle on your stomach and easier to tolerate.
White rice - Like white toast, white rice is a simple carbohydrate that is gentle on your digestive system and easier to digest.
Plain potatoes - As well as being a simple starchy carbohydrate that is gentle on your stomach and easy to digest, plain potatoes contain potassium which aids in the production of bile and helps protect your stomach lining.
Oats- Oats are both gentle on your stomach and a great source of fiber, meaning they help bind stool and aid in the digestion process.
Apples - Apples are rich in pectins which bind your stool and help ease symptoms of diarrhea. When eaten stewed, apples are also gentle on your stomach and easy to digest.
Papaya - Papaya is rich in papain, a natural enzyme that works to break down foods that might be irritating to your stomach. It is also rich in fiber and has been used to help manage ulcers, diarrhea, and heartburn.