Alternative Foods On The Brat Diet

BRAT stands for banana, rice, applesauce and toast, according to information at BratDiet.com. Doctors recommend these four foods as a treatment for diarrhea. These foods are bland and contain low levels of fiber, making them easier on a stomach already upset by whatever caused the diarrhea. They are also high in starch and/or pectin, which can help the body form more solid stool. If you are allergic to any BRAT food or don't have a particular BRAT food on hand, you can make some substitutions.

Bananas

According to Kaiser Permanente's "Healthwise Handbook," bananas are helpful for diarrhea for two reasons. They are binding foods, helping the body restore structure and body to stool. They are also high in potassium, a mineral the body needs to help it replace nutrients lost because of diarrhea. Several other foods fulfill the first category--see "Rice and Toast" below. Lentils, yogurt and baked potatoes are other bland foods that carry a good amount of potassium.

Applesauce

The key anti-diarrhea component of applesauce is pectin, a thickening agent that works just as well on stool as it does on food. Other high-pectin foods include gelatins, jellies and jams. Note that, according to Kaiser, high-sugar foods can exacerbate upset stomachs and dehydration, so choose with an eye toward sugar content.

Rice and Toast

Rice and toast are binding foods that are low in fiber, easy to digest and kind to the stomach. Other foods that fulfill this description include pasta, white crackers and simple cereals such as cream of wheat. Clear liquids, including diluted fruit juice and some broths, also fill the same niche.

CRAM and BRATTY

The CRAM and BRATTY diets are popular alternatives to BRAT, offering the same benefits from a slightly different arrangement of foods. CRAM stands for cereal, rice, applesauce and milk. Bratty stands for bread, rice, applesauce, toast, tea and yogurt.