The stomach and gastrointestinal problems condition the food and meals
that people can consume in a calm and carefree way; these problems limit diet because there are many foods that could worsen the situation of the body, causing damage that can be avoided.
One of these problems is stomach flu. Gastroenteritis, simply put, is a infectious disease of the digestive system that affects the entire gastrointestinal tract; what the infection does is inflame the lower part of the stomach and small intestine, which means that the processing of food to expel the remains is not done correctly.
Because of this, the foods and meals that are recommended in case someone has gastroenteritis should be soft, not large solids, because these would cause pain when passing through the inflamed small intestine.
Contents
What is a soft diet?
A soft diet is nothing more than an eating plan that only includes soft foods with little or no solid components. This is because the purpose of this type of diet is to soften the digestive and evacuation activity, which is done by stimulating the gastrointestinal tract to stay active in a way that is not harmful or harmful.
Components
The foods and meals of bland diets They must be easily digested, so that what is ingested can leave the body just as easily.
It is worth saying that bland diets indicate a high level of hydration, since the consumption of water is essential to maintain the mild gastrointestinal activity. This type of diet is astringent, which means that it is ideal for treating problems with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
Soft diets should be recommended by doctors, since cutting the daily consumption of foods and hard meals can be radical if you do not have the opinion of an expert on the subject.
What foods can be eaten on a soft diet?
As mentioned above, the idea of a soft diet is that it is composed of foods that are easy to digest, this with the intention of softening the activity of digestion and evacuation, unlike other types of diets that, most of sometimes, they seek to promote the transit of waste in the intestines.
The foods that can be consumed when making a soft diet are the following:
- White rice.
- Wheat.
- Eggs.
- Bird meat.
- Vegetable broths.
- Steamed vegetables.
- Vegetable purees.
- Fruits.
- Fruit compotes.
- Herbal and chamomile infusions.
All of these foods can be combined to create a varied menu and interesting.
White rice
When we talk about rice, we are not only referring to the grain as such or to its classic preparation, white rice, but also to all its derivatives, either rice water, any food or food or drink prepared with rice, rice cream, rice grits and else.
Other types of rice may be similar in consistency to white rice, but the latter type is easier and faster to digest.
and offers a greater variety of options for making soft foods.
Wheat
Like rice, Wheat products derived from it are recommended, as are the refined wheat flour (to make it easier to digest) and the wheat semolina. Foods made with these bases are limited to pasta, noodles and spaghetti, in addition to white breads Y wheat flour tortillas.
Eggs
It can be in the form of an omelette, omelette, boiled (hard) or soaked. The truth is that the preparation of the egg does not matter as long as it does not contain oil or fat.
Bird meat
To facilitate their digestion, the bird meat can’t have skin, and it should always be roasted or grilled. As with the egg, its preparation must avoid oils and fats, as well as intense seasoning; a pinch of salt will suffice.
Vegetable broths
Broths are the best option for eating vegetables during a bland diet. Another benefit of broths is that they are a quick alternative for nutrition and also for hydration, in addition to nourishing with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, although it is not recommended that they be seasoned intensely; a little salt would be enough, but not much more.
These broths can also be made with a piece of meat or chicken just for its added flavor, as a consommé, but the important thing is that it includes vegetables so that the bland character of the dietIt is not a liquid diet.
Steamed vegetables
Another way to eat vegetables, but this time in a more complete and somewhat solid way, is by steaming them. What steam will do is soften them, make them tender without losing their flavor or properties.
They can be made with any vegetable, but the best would be carrot, pumpkin and zucchini.
Vegetable purees
When making purees for a soft diet for gastroenteritis, it is recommended that these are rinsed with some type of broth so that the texture is a little further away from its solidity. These can be mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, or pumpkin.
Fruits
The fruit intake on a bland diet for gastroenteritis it is restricted, especially since eating raw fruits is not recommended; the fruits must be cooked or roasted. This in itself cuts out the options, leaving the cooked / roasted apple, the ripe banana. Quince can also enter the list.
Fruit compotes
The fruit compotes will not only provide the vitamins and energy that fruits offer per se, but presented in this way they are ideal as a dessert. It can be an apple or pear compote, among others.
Herbal and chamomile infusions
These herbal teas and chamomile should be light, not too concentrated, and are recommended for their general pain relieving effect.
And as in all diets, there are also restrictions. One of them is avoid dairy, being natural yogurt one of the few exceptions. In the same way you should also be alert to any food with laxative properties, as well as avoiding sugar and any type of cold drink as much as possible.