Best Fibre-Rich Foods for Treating Diarrhea

Key takeaways:

• Diarrhea is an uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptom that can make you feel weak and frustrated.
• Although rehydration and medication are usually the first lines of treatment for diarrhea, eating fiber-rich food can also help manage the symptoms and restore health.
• Soluble fiber-rich foods are more effective for treating diarrhea than insoluble fiber.
• Plantains, oats, avocados, and chia seeds are some high-fiber foods that may help manage diarrhea.

Diarrhea is a common gastrointestinal condition that causes a person to have loose and watery stools more than three times a day. It could be acute, persistent, or chronic. 

Almost everyone has experienced diarrhea at some point in their lives. Different factors, such as bowel infections (viral, bacterial, or parasitic), food allergies, medication, or gastrointestinal problems like irritable bowel syndrome and celiac disease, can cause this symptom.

Diarrhea can cause dehydration and malabsorption of nutrients from the food we eat. Dealing with diarrhea can be frustrating, as it can make one weak and tired. But some management strategies can help.

One natural way to relieve diarrhea is to incorporate fiber-rich foods into your diet.

Fiber-rich foods are generally beneficial to digestive health. They can also help manage diarrhea symptoms by controlling bowel movements, adding bulk to the stool, and preventing water loss.

10 Fiber-rich foods that can help with diarrhea

Below are some high-fiber foods that can help in managing diarrhea.

1. Bananas and plantains

Plantains and bananas are nutritious fruits rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber found in bananas and plantains. It has many health benefits, such as slowing gastric emptying, improving physical bowel function, and adding bulk to stool. Pectin is recognized as a prebiotic, which promotes the growth of good bacteria or probiotics in the gut.

Bananas and plantains are also easy to digest. Both are good sources of carbohydrates, providing the much-needed energy to combat weakness associated with loose bowel movements. They also contain potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which can help replace lost electrolytes.

2. Sweet potatoes

In addition to being delicious, this root vegetable is rich in pectin, a water-soluble fiber that helps solidify stools and ease diarrhea symptoms. 

Sweet potatoes, cooked or baked, are easy to digest and rich in potassium, an electrolyte often lost when a person has diarrhea.

3. Oats

Oats are rich sources of soluble fiber, which can help reduce the symptoms or frequency of diarrhea by slowing down digestion, firming stool, and promoting regular bowel movements.

Oats containing minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium can also help replenish lost electrolytes.

4. Avocado

Avocados are not only a good source of healthy fats; they are also rich in soluble fiber. You can eat them alone, add them to salad or other dishes, blend them with other fruits into a smoothie, or mash them and use as bread spread. 

One avocado contains about 13g of fiber, about 48 percent of the daily value of fiber for an adult. Including avocados in your diet can help slow digestion and water absorption in the gut, regulate bowel movements, and reduce the frequency of diarrhea.

Avocados also contain minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and calcium , which are beneficial electrolytes needed for the body's proper functioning.

5. Green Peas

Green peas are legumes that are part of the bean family. They are high in nutrients and fiber. One cup of cooked green peas contains about 8.8 grams of fiber. This makes them a great addition to your diet. 

You can incorporate them as vegetables into different dishes—salads, soups, and stews—to help promote digestion and regulate bowel movements.

6. Barley

Barley is a common grain packed with many healthy nutrients—vitamins, minerals, and beta-glucan. 

Beta-glucan is a soluble fiber found in oats and wheat. It also functions as a prebiotic, and studies have shown that it can boost immunity and improve gut health. It can add bulk to stool, regulate bowel movements, and promote faster recovery from diarrhea.

7. Chia Seeds

These are tiny white and black seeds from Salvia hispanica, a plant that belongs to the mint family. These seeds contain soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus minerals. 

Chia seeds' high fiber and electrolyte content make them an excellent addition to a diet that aims to promote regular bowel movements.

8. Flaxseeds

These seeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. They can promote bowel movements and digestive health, and studies have shown they can manage diarrhea and constipation. You can add them to your meal by sprinkling them on yogurt, oatmeal porridge, or smoothies.

9. Apples

Apples, whether peeled, raw, or cooked, can help promote digestive health. They contain both insoluble fiber and pectin, a type of soluble fiber that can help manage the symptoms of diarrhea and constipation by bulking up stool and slowing down digestion. 

10. Carrots

This crunchy and tasty root vegetable comes in different colors—orange, yellow, red, purple, and white. It is high in soluble and insoluble fiber, which is good for digestive health and can help manage diarrhea. 

Aside from enjoying your carrots raw, you can also cook them. Cooked carrots are softer and easier to digest. Cooking the carrots can help break down some cellulose (insoluble fiber) in carrots, making the soluble fiber more readily available.

Cooking the carrot can also help to increase the availability and absorption of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant found in carrots.

How soluble fiber helps you manage diarrhea

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber: This fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance that helps add bulk to stool. Sources of soluble fiber include apples, bananas, chia, oats, barley, and psyllium husk.
• Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber remains the way it is. They add bulk to the stool without dissolving. Insoluble fiber helps move food through your digestive system, promoting regular bowel movement and preventing constipation. Sources of insoluble fiber are fiber from whole-wheat bread, corn bran, brown rice, carrots, and leafy greens.

Soluble fiber acts like a sponge in your digestive system. It absorbs excess water and prevents water loss, solidifying stool and slowing its passage through your intestines. This reduces the time you need to visit the comfort room and allows for a faster recovery from diarrhea. 

Soluble fiber also supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and adds bulk to your stool.

Foods that can worsen diarrhea to avoid

You should avoid foods that may make your diarrhea worse, such as:17

• Fried, fatty, and greasy foods such as french fries 
• Drinks and foods that have a lot of added sugars and artificial sweeteners, such as candies
• Spicy foods—foods prepared with lots of chili pepper, habanero pepper, and hot sauce 
• Citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and mandarins, as they contain insoluble fiber
• Fruits and vegetables that cause bloating and gas, such as broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables
• Alcoholic drinks
• Caffeinated or carbonated drinks such as coffee, soda, and tea 
• Dairy products such as milk, ice cream, and cheese

What to drink when you have diarrhea

You need to hydrate to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes and treat or prevent dehydration. You can stay hydrated by:

1. Drinking plenty of water
2. Natural or decaffeinated teas like ginger and chamomile
3. Drink liquids that contain electrolytes, such as soup and broths, fruit juices and smoothies with no added sweeteners, oral rehydration solution, and electrolyte-rich drinks such as coconut water.

Note: If you have diarrhea, it is best to eat small, frequent meals and monitor your tolerance for each meal. Afterward, you can increase the frequency and consistency of your meals to meet your nutritional needs.

When to see a doctor for diarrhea

Contact your doctor if:

• The diarrhea worsens or persists without getting better for more than 24 hours for a child or 2 days for an adult.
• Your stool has an unusual odor or color.
• You also feel nauseated or are vomiting.
• There is blood or mucus in your stool.
• The diarrhea is accompanied by a fever that does not go away.
• You have stomach pain.

Wrap up

In addition to lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (considered bad cholesterol) and promoting weight loss, incorporating fiber-rich foods into one's diet can help manage diarrhea and promote digestive health.

You can start by slowly incorporating these fiber-rich foods into your diet and increasing your intake gradually to prevent bloating or gas. 

Also, remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids to aid the fiber in its work. If the symptoms persist or worsen, consult your doctor.