What to eat if you’re feeling nauseous?

Many things can cause nausea and vomiting, but it’s common for nausea to pass on its own with rest. The most common causes of nausea include allergic reactions, stomach infections, food poisoning, gastroesophageal reflux, migraines, pregnancy, motion sickness…

There are serious symptoms which can cause nausea and vomiting, in case the nausea lasts for more than two days in adults, one day in children, if bursts of nausea and vomiting appear repeatedly and last for more than a month, if the nausea is followed by unexpected weight loss, it is recommended to visit a doctor.

If you are feeling nauseous it can be difficult to find food that will agree with your stomach in such a state. If you are vomiting this can be especially challenging because of the feelings of irritability in the stomach and the dehydration that vomiting causes.

Some general tips are:

-   Smaller but more frequent meals, such as having an empty stomach, can worsen feelings of nausea.

-   Eat slowly and don’t lie down after a meal, relax and give your body time to digest the food after eating.

-   Drink fluids between meals, not with a meal.

-   If you are vomiting it is important to replenish the lost liquids and increase water intake, but also to drink it slowly.

-   Avoid sugary drinks, coffee, and alcohol and focus on water and tea instead.

-   Avoid food with a lot of fat, sugar, or salt.

Some foods that can help reduce the sense of nausea are:

-   Dry, bland, food like bread, toast, dry pastries, cereal, or crackers, can help with settling the stomach. Food that has a strong taste and smell can worsen nausea and upset the stomach.

-   Water is key, vomiting can cause dehydration, and it is crucial to stay hydrated. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause a loss in electrolytes as well, which can be replenished quickly with sports drinks.

Drinks that are very sweet, caffeinated, or dairy-based can worsen nausea and it’s best to avoid them.

-   Broths and liquids are often better tolerated than solid food with nausea, they help hydration and the replenishment of electrolytes.

-   Ginger has many health benefits (link) including helping with an upset stomach. It can be useful no matter the way it is consumed, whether as an ingredient in a dish, crystalized, in tea, or independently.

-   Cold food, it’s often easier to eat cold food rather than hot, because of the lack of strong smells which tend to irritate the stomach.

-   Bananas are very rich in nutrients and energy; they are easy and practical to eat and can also help with the replenishment of lost potassium in case of vomiting or diarrhea. Other similar foods which are soft and have high energy and nutritional value include avocados, mashed potatoes and peanut butter.

-   Rice, potatoes, and noodles can be a good choice, these foods have high energy value, are easy to make, and help with calming the stomach.

-   Protein rich foods can also help, this especially refers to longer lasting nausea, studies show that protein rich diets help with less often bouts of nausea.

*This text is intended for informational purposes only. If you experience any symptoms, it is recommended that you seek advice from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.*

*Image taken from the site:https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-body-pain-pijamas-discomfort-5941896/

Nausea and vomiting - symptoms and causes. (n.d.). https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/nausea-and-vomiting

Professional, C. C. M. (2024, July 25). Nausea & Vomiting. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting