This is the diet usually being prescribed by Pediatric consultants on their patients who have diarrhea. This practice has been handed down by their mentors. Many clinicians believed that during diarrhea a well- balanced diet is not always the best since the lining of the digestive tract (intestinal mucosal cells) are damaged hence it cannot properly absorb nutrients until they regenerate which is usually after 48 hours. The diarrhe patient doesnt have the appetite to eat so clinicians feel that giving a bland diet helps them progress one step at a time. The reason for this choice is Apple Sauce and Toasts contains pectin which helps the mucosal lining and bananas and rice has anti-secretory properties. Bananas also contain amylase-resistant starch which prevents non-ulcer dyspepsia.Extension to the BRAT Diet is the BRATT Diet( which includes Tea) and the BRATTY Diet( which includes Tea and Yogurt).
In the Philippines, it has been a practice to advise apples and bananas during diarrhea plus the addition of Gatorade to make sure that the lost minerals are replaced. Oral rehydrating solutions never tasted good for children and even pregnant patients so instead of insisting ORS to replace salt losses, giving gatorade is more successful (making it easy for patients to tolerate intake).
Other practice includes drinking rice water ("am"). When I was young my mom give us rice water when we have diarrhea. The rice water is not the water drained from washing the rice but the water one can get when cooking rice on a conventional pot and not the rice cooker. Once the rice has boiled, the thick fluid on top of the almost cooked rice just before it totally dries up is placed in a cup and a little of sugar is added for it to taste good. Compared to ORS, rice taste even better and the addition of sugar doesnt only make it taste good but it provides glucose when broken down. Glucose is a brain food that prevents mental confusion during dehydration. In studies of chlolera patients, rice-based oral rehydration solution helps to decrease stool volume hence stops diarrhea sooner.
Even if the BRAT diet is safe for pregnant patients and children one must bear in mind that it is not nutritionally complete so restricting diet to BRAT exclusively is not recommended.The American academy of Pediatrics states that most children should continue a normal, age appropriate diet. The foods from the BRAT diet may be added, but should not replace normal tolerated foods.
Check out the CRAM Diet which beats the BRAT diet by being more nutritionally balanced. :)
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