You may undergo a bout of diarrhea when you've eaten contaminated food or have some other gastrointestinal disorder. Other causes of loose stools include stress, spicy, rich foods, fecal incontinence and drinking large quantities of alcohol. To combat the frequent loose stools, you may need to include foods in your diet that bind the bowels.
BRAT
The BRAT diet often is prescribed for people with frequent diarrhea. The diet is appropriate after a bout of loose stools caused by food poisoning after about 24 hours, when you are just beginning to eat solid foods again, according to Harvard Health. The diet is an acronym that stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and white toast. The bananas slow the movement in your bowels as it binds them together. The toast, applesauce and rice provide enough roughage to create healthy stools. The low-fiber diet is designed to prevent your digestive system from working too hard until your system is back to normal.
Cheese
Cheese is a product good for binding the bowels. Dairy products in general can be particularly binding for people with irritable bowel syndrome. While cheese is one of the most effective dairy products to combat persistent diarrhea, other foods that might help with binding including milk and ice cream, according to the UC Davis Medical Group. If you have difficulty digesting dairy foods, yogurt may be better tolerated. In addition, the live bacteria cultures in yogurt can help to heal the causes of your loose stools.
Low Fiber
While you need to eat fiber to maintain your bowel movements, consume foods with lower fiber content that bind more easily while you recover from a bout of diarrhea. In addition to bananas, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders recommends other low-fiber foods such as rice, cooked carrots, cooked potatoes and baked chicken minus the skin and extra fat. Food should be bland with little or no seasonings.
White Bread
Crackers and white bread are a good choice for binding food, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. Toast the bread and eat it plain to get the best effects. Crackers made with processed white flour also can serve as binders when your diarrhea flares up. They also help to coat and soothe your upset stomach as you recover from whatever caused the loose stools.
