Astringent bland diet

When we are sick to the stomach, and we have diarrhea (or gastroenteritis), the astringent soft diet is ideal to take care of our digestive system.

Surely, at some point, you have needed to follow a bland diet (or astringent diet). It is a type of diet suitable for indigestion, food poisoning or gastric disorder, thanks to the fact that it helps to nourish our body by stimulating little digestion, so that the problem that has caused the momentary implantation of this diet does not continue.

There are two groups more likely to have to follow this type of diet:

• Children: from getting sick with gastroenteritis due to lack of hygiene (for example, by not washing their hands before eating, or by putting their hands in their mouths without first having washed them), or by eating a lot of sweets, which feel heavy in their small digestive system.
• Elderly: especially when they eat foods that are difficult to digest.

However, it is true that in the event of any digestive disorder or disease, it is likely that our doctor will prescribe a soft diet.

What is a soft diet like and what does it consist of?

As its name might suggest, a soft diet is a type of diet based on foods that retain water and do not provide much fiber, which means that these foods nourish our body but stimulate digestion little.

The foods chosen for this diet do not tend to generate excess gastric acids, which help to calm the digestive system while it regenerates on the one hand, and on the other they help to alleviate diarrhea.

Recommended foods or recipes in the soft diet

Low-fat and low-fiber foods are especially recommended. In reference to the best types of cooking, steaming, boiling and baking are ideal. Fried, stews, marinades and highly seasoned cooking are not allowed.

Yes it is advised:

• The water resulting from the cooking of rice, a suitable traditional remedy in case of diarrhea or an upset stomach.
• White fish broth with rice.
• Grilled or cooked white fish.
• Carrot soup with white rice and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
• Roasted apples with lemon zest.

These recipes are useful in the first days. A little later you can choose to:

• Boiled eggs
• Omelette.
• White yogurt