Home Remedies - Food To Eat During Loose Stool

Loose motions or diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery stools or a frequent need to have a bowel movement. It usually lasts a few days and often disappears without any treatment. Diarrhea can be acute or chronic. During Loose Motion Your tummy hurts and you have to keep rushing to the restroom, which drains you of all the energy and leaves you exhausted. Since you’re losing a lot of water along with the frequent stools, you may feel dehydrated. Experts often advise to drink plenty of water and fluids to replenish your body. The symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, dry mucous membranes, increased heart rate, a headache, lightheadedness, increased thirst, decreased urination, dry mouth.

Besides this, certain foods also act as binding agents and bulk up your stool and thus, help you recover quicker. These are certain home remedies for loose motions that may work in controlling symptoms of the illness. Your loose motion diet must consist of certain foods that help in regularising bowel movements.

What Causes Loose motions or diarrhea

You may experience diarrhea as a result of a number of conditions or circumstances. Potential causes of diarrhea include:

- a food intolerance, such as lactose intolerance
- a food allergy
- an adverse reaction to a medication
- a viral infection
- a bacterial infection
- an intestinal disease
- a parasitic infection
- gallbladder or stomach surgery

Here are some foods to eat during loose motions that will give you relief and have always been recommended by our mothers and grandmothers.

Mashed Potatoes

Boiled, baked or mashed potatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper can help you safely recover from loose motions. A starch diet is often recommended during loose motions and the humble potato totally fits the bill. It replenishes the body with Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 which are lost with watery stools. Healthy Mashed Potatoes are full in flavor but low in calories. Made with low-fat sour cream they are a must have healthy potato side dish! They are perfect if you are on a low calorie and low fat diet. Mashed potatoes made with cream and milk, can have anything from 250 calories a serving and upwards. These creamy potatoes are around 180 calories per serving, so are a much lighter option.

Oatmeal

Oats are a whole-grain food, known scientifically as Avena sativa. Oat groats, the most intact and whole form of oats, take a long time to cook. For this reason, most people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats. Oats are commonly eaten for breakfast as oatmeal, which is made by boiling oats in water or milk. Oatmeal is often referred to as porridge. The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs water in your gastrointestinal tract and helps to add firmness to your stool, thus reducing the incidence of loose motions. Avoid adding milk to the oats and instead you can make a savoury dish with light veggies like beans, cucumbers and carrots. Oats are loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. Half a cup (78 grams) of dry oats contains 51 grams of carbs, 13 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat and 8 grams of fiber, but only 303 calories.

Apples

If you're looking for a ideal food for lose motions, then skinned apples can be eaten. Apples are a good source of pectin, which has binding properties. Stewed apples are also a good option. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a medium-sized apple is a good source of fiber: It contains 4.4 grams of fiber, covering 16 percent of the daily value (DV). Also, the same apple offers 8.4 milligrams of vitamin C, providing more than 9 percent of your DV, along with small amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

White Rice

A light khichdi with moong dal can be a good option to add to your loose motion diet. It gives you the required strength and energy and is digested easily. White rice unlike fiber-rich whole grains is easier to digest and makes your stool more solid. White rice has a higher glycemic index, which means its carbs convert more quickly into blood sugar than brown rice. Higher intakes of white rice may result in a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

Yogurt

One of the best foods for loose motion is yogurt which has a soothing and cooling effect on your stomach.Yogurt containing probiotics can increase the body's ability to fight harmful bacteria. Not only that, yogurt which is rich in good bacteria can also soothe the stomach to relieve GERD. With the consumption of yogurt, the time food moves into the intestine can increase faster.

Bananas

Bananas are one of the best foods to eat while suffering from loose motions. The potassium in bananas will help in getting the digestion back to normal. Bananas contain resistant starch that helps to absorb water and salt in the colon and thus, makes your stool firmer. The fiber content in them also helps to restore normal bowel activity. Bananas are one of the best fruits to eat while suffering from loose motions.​

Drink Plenty of Water

Apart from these Liquids are also vital to recovery. People with diarrhea must drink plenty of water throughout the day and should drink an additional cup of water after every loose bowel movement. Drinking plenty of water helps prevent dehydration and flush any toxins out of the body. However, as well as water, the body also loses minerals and electrolytes through diarrhea. People should try to drink liquids containing minerals and electrolytes to replenish those lost. Sources of electrolytes and minerals include soup broth, coconut water, buttermilk, orange, pomegranate, electrolyte water and sports drinks.

Foods to avoid

Many foods can aggravate the digestive system and make diarrhea worse. These include spicy food, fried foods, Sugary foods and artificial sweeteners, high fiber foods, onion, garlic, raw vegetables, packaged food, citrus fruits, and foods that produce gas in the intestines, such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.