Diet and diarrhea

Foods to Avoid

High Fat Foods

The diarrhea diet recommends avoiding high-fat foods, including condiments and fried foods .

The high lipid content can in fact exacerbate the contractions of an intestinal tract already sensitized by the disorder.

Foods with Lactose

The second category of foods to avoid, whether or not you suffer from lactose intolerance , is dairy products .

Diarrhea, in fact, reduces the intestinal enzymatic heritage, including the lactase necessary to digest the sugar typical of milk .

The reduced activity of this enzyme prevents the digestion and absorption of the lactose contained in foods; consequently, there is a need for water due to the osmotic effect and a series of symptoms such as meteorism , flatulence , nausea and diarrhea.

Therefore, the consumption of milk, ice creams and fresh or fermented cheeses is not recommended (even hard seasoned ones which, although lactose-free, are too rich in fat).

Artificial Sweeteners

Some sweeteners used to replace sugar have a marked laxative effect , which can aggravate the symptoms of this annoying ailment; this is the case, for example, of polyols ( sorbitol , mannitol , xylitol and others).

Chewing gum, candies, sugar-free drinks and sweets, and sweeteners in tablets should therefore be excluded from the diarrhea diet.

Foods That Cause Meteorism

The same goes for beans , broccoli , cabbage, cauliflower , onions , peas and all other foods that increase intestinal gas , such as smoothies and carbonated drinks .

Irritating foods

Due to their irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the digestive system , in the presence of diarrhea it is a good rule to exclude coffee , chocolate , chilli pepper and alcohol from one ‘s diet .

Importance of Food Hygiene

Particular attention must be paid to the consumption of potentially dangerous foods, such as those not properly cleaned, prepared and stored.

Fish or not very fresh eggs , for example, represent a common vehicle of food poisoning , particularly dangerous in an organism already debilitated by the disorder .

For this reason, in the presence of diarrhoea, it is even more important to respect some simple and fundamental hygiene rules, such as the thorough washing of food, the generous cooking of eggs, meat and derivatives (mayonnaise, tiramisu, etc.), and the scrupulous cleaning of the surface . on which the food is prepared.

Hands must be washed carefully both before preparing food and after handling raw meat; the latter must be separated from the cooked ones to avoid cross-contamination.