What to Eat During Food Poisoning: Foods and Drinks to Try

Foodborne illnesses, commonly known as food poisoning, are caused by contaminated foods that contain microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, Listeria, Norovirus, and Campylobacter. There are hundreds more microorganisms known to cause food poisoning.¹

Food safety is critical to preventing foodborne illnesses. You can get food poisoning from undercooked meat and eggs, raw fish and shellfish, unpasteurized milk, unwashed raw vegetables, and more. Symptoms include stomach cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can cause dehydration and appetite loss.²

Your body needs energy and nutrients to prevent and fight infections. This is especially important for people with diabetes, as they need to choose foods that help with recovery and control blood glucose levels. Knowing which foods and drinks to eat and avoid helps your body recover from food poisoning, which you will learn about in a moment.³

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Best Drinks to Treat Food Poisoning

Water is vital for life—it helps regulate body temperature, aids nutrient absorption, filters out waste, supports the immune system, and creates an optimal environment for all physiological processes. If you experience fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, you lose fluids and electrolytes, which can lead to dehydration and weakness.

First, it's essential to drink plenty of water and fluids. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, urinating less, dark yellow urine, and feeling tired. Severe dehydration can cause a lack of urination for an extended period, a weak or rapid pulse, dizziness, decreased consciousness, and can require medical attention.

Best drinks may include, but are not limited to:

• Rehydration Solutions: Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) such as Ceralyte, Pedialyte, or Oralyte are available over the counter. They help prevent and treat dehydration. If you're vomiting, drinking ORS too quickly can trigger further vomiting, so you can try sipping the solution frequently in small amounts. Besides, it's low-cost and easy to prepare.⁴
• Broth: Clear fluids like broth can help with liquid intake and include some electrolytes, although the content depends on how it’s extracted.⁵
• Watered-down Juice: Juice might be easier to drink for people with less appetite. It's recommended to water down juice to lower sugar content. This is because drinking too much sugar draws more water into the bowel, which can worsen watery diarrhea. Juices with more acidic fruits can also disturb the stomach in some people. You can choose less acidic options, such as melon, tomato, carrot, and beet juice, over grapes, orange juice, or pineapple juice. If you have diabetes, you can choose a smoothie with some protein instead of fruit juice. Adding a protein source, such as yogurt, to the smoothie can help with glucose management.
• Herbal Teas: Warm herbal tea with no caffeine, such as chamomile tea, can help calm you down and promote rest. It also contributes to fluid intake.^{8, 9}
• Fermented Drinks: A meta-analysis showed that fermented foods can reduce the duration of diarrhea but not stool frequency. They contain probiotics that are associated with numerous benefits for gut health. So, fermented beverages such as kombucha and kefir can also help recovery.¹⁰

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=kombucha>Kombucha: Pros, Cons, and Who Should Drink It</a></a>.</div>

Best Foods to Treat Food Poisoning

It's essential to consume enough energy and nutrients to support your body. If you're selective, choose nutrient-dense foods you can eat comfortably. Many people lose their appetite when sick, especially if they experience vomiting and diarrhea. If you live with diabetes, it’s crucial to get enough energy. Not eating for long periods can cause diabetic ketoacidosis.¹¹

In cases of frequent vomiting and diarrhea, the first priority is to avoid further disturbing the gastrointestinal system. Eating soft, low in fiber, cooked, and non-spicy foods can help with digestion and absorption. 

The BRAT diet is the most well-known at-home aid for diarrhea. It includes bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This diet can be helpful if you're struggling to keep food down. On the other hand, there is limited evidence that eating these foods can improve recovery. The best foods to eat when you don't have much appetite when sick may include but are not limited to:

• Bananas: Cooked green bananas have been shown to improve the length of recovery in addition to ORS and zinc supplementation. The resistant starch in green bananas promotes the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which can improve water and salt absorption.^{12, 13}
• Rice: A study showed that rice soup with oral rehydration solution improved the length of diarrhea compared to placebo. Rice-based ORS, which replaces sugar with rice, has also been shown to reduce diarrhea.^{14, 15}
• Applesauce: Apple is rich in pectin. Pectin is a type of fiber shown to improve the gut barrier. Other pectin-rich foods include oranges, apricots, peaches, and bananas.¹⁶
• Toast: Bread is rich in carbohydrates and is easier to digest. Add it to soups or spread cottage cheese, nut butter, or jam.  When you're sick, the body will likely feel weak and tired, so consuming enough energy is important.
• Broth-based Soups: Soups are a great way to get more liquid and are easier for your stomach to tolerate when sick. You can make a nutrient-dense soup with carbohydrate sources such as rice or pasta and protein sources like tofu, chicken, or fish. You can also add bone broth for extra minerals.
• Crackers: Crackers are generally salty, which helps replace the salt lost during vomiting and diarrhea. Some people also find that they help with nausea. Plus, they are also rich in energy.
• Jell-O: Jell-O is only made with gelatin and water, so it is not the most nutritious option. However, sometimes, it might be one of the few things you can tolerate eating. In this case, Jell-O can help you get some liquids, too. People with diabetes should be careful if they're not making their sugar-free jello at home, as store-bought jello is likely to contain high sugar.
• Bland Foods: Bland foods are typically recommended for gastrointestinal conditions. They refer to low-fiber, low-fat, non-spicy, and soft foods that are easy to digest. Examples include eggs, broth, puddings, fruit juices, tofu, lean meats, and vegetables that are less likely to trigger digestive issues.

If you can tolerate various foods, you don't have to restrict yourself to only a few. You can cook to soften or blend other foods to help with digestion.

Drinks to Avoid During Food Poisoning

Hydration is extra important when you experience fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, some drinks can worsen your symptoms. Worst drinks may include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol: You should avoid alcohol when sick for several reasons. Alcohol increases water loss through urine. You may experience stomach irritation, and it also negatively affects gut health.^{17, 18}
• Caffeinated Drinks: Caffeine can have a laxative effect, meaning it increases bowel movements, potentially worsening diarrhea. It also increases water loss through urine. Additionally, many caffeinated drinks can be high in sugar, which can exacerbate diarrhea when consumed in large quantities.¹⁹
• Coffee: Coffee is also not ideal because of the caffeine. If you need your morning coffee, try using less coffee and diluting it.²⁰
• Soft Drinks: They have poor nutritional value due to excessive sugar, and many are also carbonated, which can irritate your stomach. They can also contain high amounts of caffeine.
• Milk: Milk contains lactose. Some people do not tolerate lactose as well as others. In this case, drinking milk can worsen diarrhea. However, if you tolerate milk well, you don't have to restrict it. Fermented milk products like yogurt and kefir can even help recovery.²¹

Foods to Avoid During Food Poisoning

While it's important to consume nutrient-rich foods to support recovery, you may need to avoid certain foods to prevent triggering symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Worst foods may include, but are not limited to:

• Dairy: Most people believe they must avoid dairy altogether, but this is not the case for those who can tolerate it well. Dairy is a good source of carbohydrates, protein, and minerals. It is versatile and can be mixed with liquids or soft foods like smoothies and puddings. If you have lactose intolerance or do not digest dairy well, it's important to avoid it until you recover. Otherwise, you can continue consuming dairy, especially fermented dairy products.
• Spicy Foods: Spices are a great way to add flavor, helping you eat more when sick. You can add them in small amounts, but spicy foods can cause an upset stomach. 
• High-fiber Foods: Low-fiber foods can be recommended until your symptoms are significantly reduced and you can tolerate eating more. Although high-fiber foods are great for gut health, they can make your digestive system work harder. Low-fiber foods can help your digestive system to rest and to avoid triggering vomiting and diarrhea.^{22, 23}
• Acidic Foods: Foods with high acid content can irritate the stomach and worsen vomiting. Examples include pickles, apple cider vinegar, citrus fruits, grapes, and berries.
• High-fat Foods: It's okay to include healthy fats in your meals if you can tolerate eating without worsening your symptoms. However, some foods, such as processed and fried foods, are likely to contain high levels of unhealthy fats, which can disrupt gastrointestinal symptoms.
• High-protein Foods: You must consume high amounts of protein to trigger diarrhea. Otherwise, meeting your daily protein intake can help with recovery. Some protein sources, such as red meat, can be harder to digest; however, you can choose easier-to-digest protein sources like eggs, yogurt, tofu, and fish. Cooking these foods by boiling or steaming can make them easier to tolerate.

Do not use any antibiotics without medical advice. If your symptoms don't improve or worsen, consult your healthcare provider. Some symptoms of food poisoning that require medical attention include, but are not limited to, bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than 3 days, high fever, frequent vomiting, lack of urination, dry mouth, and feeling dizzy.²

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