Recipes for an upset stomach: When you need relief from rich holiday meals (2024)

Recipes for an upset stomach: When you need relief from rich holiday meals (1)

After heavy holiday meals, drinking ginger tea can help settle an upset stomach.

With the holiday season upon us, you may be enjoying the rich and often decadent meals you don't usually eat during the rest of the year. Of course, if you overindulge in these meals, it can cause you to feel sick or get an upset stomach if you're not careful. Fortunately, there are several simple recipes for an upset stomach that can help you feel better if you overdo it during the holidays.

Why do holiday meals upset the stomach?

During the holidays, it's common to gather with friends and family to share meals, and in the conviviality of the season, it can be easy to eat more than you normally do. Holiday meals can easily exceed 2,000 calories, and leftovers can mean multiple days of going over the recommended daily calorie count. Not only that, but holiday meals tend to be high in sugar and fat, which can irritate the digestive system.

Fatty foods take longer to digest and sit in your stomach while the body forms gas and acid that can cause heartburn or bloat. Stress and travel can make these issues even worse. Stress releases cortisol, which can decrease blood flow to the organs and cause diarrhea. Additionally, travel can throw off normal routines and lead to constipation. All of these factors together can create a perfect storm that could lead to sickness.

What foods can provide relief from an upset stomach?

Although eating more might be the last thing you want to do when you have an upset stomach, some foods can help alleviate the symptoms. It's also important to stay hydrated, as you can lose fluids through diarrhea and vomiting. Fluids can also help with constipation by softening stools. Plain water and electrolyte drinks are a good option, as are herbal teas and clear soup broths.

As far as foods, one recommendation is to follow the "BRAT" diet. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These foods are low in fiber, easily digestible and gentle on the stomach. However, they lack essential nutrients such as calcium and protein, so the BRAT diet should be considered a temporary solution. Other foods that can help relieve an upset stomach include:

  • Steamed or boiled vegetables
  • Low-fiber starches such as white bread, saltine crackers or cream of wheat
  • Skinless baked chicken or turkey
  • Oatmeal
  • Potatoes

If you're recovering from an upset stomach, you should avoid fatty, greasy foods as well as milk and dairy products — with the exception of yogurt and kefir. You should also try to avoid acidic fruits, such as pineapples and oranges because they are high in fiber, and their acidic nature can further upset your stomach.

Recipes for an upset stomach

If you're recovering from an upset stomach, you don't want to eat anything too heavy that could make you feel worse, but you also need more nutrients than the BRAT diet can provide. These simple recipes can help you feel better and ensure you're getting the nutrients you need.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup is a staple for upset stomachs for a reason. It provides vitamins, protein and other nutrients, and it can help keep you hydrated. You don't need to use a lot of different ingredients to get the benefits either. This basic chicken soup recipe can help you feel better in no time. You'll need:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds) cut into pieces
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 4 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 4 crushed cloves of garlic
  • 6 medium carrots

Bring the chicken, water and salt to a boil in a large stockpot, skimming the foam from the top. Add celery, garlic and onions, and reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes, leaving the pot partially covered. Remove the chicken breast and add carrots, and then let the soup simmer partially covered for another 40 minutes. Remove any remaining chicken to cut into bite-sized pieces, and add the desired amount back into the pot.

Ginger tea

If you're not feeling up to eating just yet, a cup of ginger tea can help to settle your stomach and keep you hydrated. While you can buy premade ginger tea, you can also make it yourself with fresh ginger root for a tastier brew. Here's what you'll need:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons honey, to taste

Peel the ginger and slice it thinly. Add water and ginger to a 1 1/4-quart pot and bring it to a boil for 10 minutes. If you want your tea to be stronger, boil it for up to 20 minutes or more and add more ginger. When it's ready, remove the tea from the heat, strain it and add lime juice and honey to taste.

White rice

Although you can eat white rice on its own to soothe your upset stomach, you can also add chicken to get even more nutrients, or you could add it to your chicken soup if you don't want to use noodles. This simple meal can be whipped up in no time at all, and it only requires a few ingredients:

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt, and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid. When the rice is done, remove it from the heat, keep it covered for 10 minutes, and then fluff and serve.

Keep these simple recipes in mind this holiday season to counteract an upset stomach, but also try to be mindful of how much you are eating, and give yourself time to digest your food before going for seconds or dessert.

Recipes for an upset stomach: When you need relief from rich holiday meals (2024)

FAQs

Which is the super food that helps soothe an upset stomach? ›

Bland foods and clear liquids, such as crackers, white rice, toast, and broth, help ease diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It's important to stay hydrated and fuel your body so it can recover. Diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration and make you feel weak from not eating enough calories.

What are the best things to eat to calm stomach? ›

If you have an upset stomach, you can try eating bland carbohydrates, like the BRAT diet. This involves eating bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — or other bland carbohydrates that are easy to digest, like plain crackers and broth.

Can rich food give you an upset stomach? ›

Indigestion

Sometimes, this can irritate the stomach lining and cause indigestion. Rich or fatty foods, caffeine, sugary drinks, and alcohol can make indigestion worse. Over-the-counter medication, which is known as an antacid, may help if cutting out certain foods and drinks makes no difference.

What foods are gentle on the stomach? ›

Foods that are easier to digest include toast, white rice, bananas, eggs, chicken, salmon, gelatine, applesauce, and oatmeal.

Are scrambled eggs good for an upset stomach? ›

Eggs. Prepared simply, eggs are one of the most easily digestible foods that you can eat to help ease nausea. Scrambled, poached or soft-boiled all do the trick, giving the body a lift of energy with minimal volume.

Is pasta good for an upset stomach? ›

Pasta, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes are OK. You may also try pancakes and waffles made with white flour, and cornbread. But don't add too much honey or syrup.

How can I make my stomach feel better in 5 minutes? ›

Applying a heating pad, hot water bottle, hot towel, or heat wrap over the abdomen and back helps relax the muscles and relieve abdominal cramps and pain. The temperature should ideally be 104° Fahrenheit. Taking a hot bath with bubbles and essential oils or hot showers can also help.

Are Ritz crackers good for an upset stomach? ›

Diarrhea and Vomiting

Slowly add soft, bland foods - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, Ritz crackers, dry cereal. Avoid greasy foods, milk, orange juice or liquids that contain caffeine.

Is peanut butter good for an upset stomach? ›

Peanut butter may also help to relieve symptoms of digestive distress, such as bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort. This is because peanut butter contains healthy fats, which can help to lubricate the digestive tract and improve the movement of food through the intestines.

What 12 foods stop diarrhea? ›

Common Questions & Answers. What are some foods that are recommended to eat when you have diarrhea? The list includes simple foods like oatmeal, bananas, plain rice, applesauce, boiled potatoes, toast, plain crackers, pretzels, and baked chicken without skin or fat.

How to make your tummy stop hurting? ›

Drink plenty of clear fluids such as water. Reduce your intake of coffee, tea and alcohol as these can make the pain worse. When you are allowed to eat again, start with clear liquids, then progress to bland foods such as crackers, rice, bananas or toast. Your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods.

What foods are easy to digest when sick? ›

Refined white bread, crackers, and pasta are easy on your stomach if you have diarrhea or vomiting. Foods that reduce inflammation, such as fatty fish and green leafy vegetables, may alleviate cold and flu-related symptoms like body aches. Staying hydrated is essential, no matter your symptoms.

Are eggs ok for an upset stomach? ›

A few foods to avoid with an upset stomach include dairy, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods, while eggs, gelatin, and toast can help settle your stomach.

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