There are a few different types of bland rice diets and they are generally recommended for different reasons. The BRAT diet is for people who have diarrhea and are unable to keep any other food down. The Duke rice diet was designed by Duke University researcher Walter Kempner in 1939 to help patients who were grossly overweight or had kidney or heart disease or diabetes. Variations of this rice diet have been adapted by different authors as a weight loss-diet that emphasizes a high-fiber menu with complex carbohydrates, little salt and much protein.
The BRAT Rice Diet
According to the National Institutes of Health, the BRAT diet includes bananas, rice, applesauce and dry toast. People with loose bowel movements or those who have just suffered an illness involving vomting are sometimes advised to consume the BRAT diet. Rice and these other bland foods are generally tolerated by people with gastrointestinal distress, allowing them to consume calories and nutrients until they can recover and gradually eat other kinds of foods.
The Duke Rice Diet
The Duke Rice Diet was originally was a two-week program directly supervised by a physician that resulted in large weight loss for people who had hypertension, heart disease, obesity or kidney disease. Kempner's inspiration came from his research that people who ate a rice-based diet did not appear to have high rates of these illnesses.
An example of a menu on this diet includes two starches and two fruits for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A serving of starch could be one slice of bread, 1/3 cup of beans or rice or pasta. Thereafter, the diet was lacto-vegetarian, including non-fat dairy foods. The diet restricted people to no more than 5 g of fat, 150 mg of sodium and about 20 g of protein per day.
DIY Rice Diet
From its medical origins, the bland rice diet was modified for people who did not have serious health issues or disease. Robert Rosati, author of "The Rice Diet Solution," provided readers with menus and tips for this low-fat, high-fiber, whole-food diet plan. The emphasis is on eating rice and other whole grains, low-fat dairy, legumes, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and non-saturated fats such as olive and flax seed oils. The diet aims to monitor salt, fat and protein intake.
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