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There are many reasons you might need to eat foods that are more easily digestible than others. It may be that you suffer from indigestion, or that you have diarrhoea or have been vomiting. By eating foods that are easier to digest it is possible to provide our bodies with the necessary nutrients such as sodium, water and vitamins, without creating more discomfort. In some cases the problems can actually be worsened by having nothing in your stomach, so if you can eat a little of something easy to digest, this can then help you to get back on track and on the way to normal health again. Here we will look at a few things you can consume that won't take too much work for your body to digest.
Things to Avoid
The best way to work out what you can eat is to narrow down those things that you cannot. These include for example those foods high in fibre or fat. Fibre is designed to be difficult to digest and to thus pass through our digestive tract un-broken down so that it can clear out the system and get rid of fatty deposits. This is very useful, but not so much if you are struggling with diarrhoea (soluble fibres are better than insoluble). You should also avoid those foods high in fat as this is also harder for the body to digest and will sit in our stomachs for a long time after we eat it this is why we often feel as though we are fuller when eating fast food such as a beef burger (and why it's so defiantly satisfying).
You also want to avoid foods that are spicy, greasy or sugary. Something like curry for instance should very much be avoided as this can cause digestion problems at the best of times. Other complications are caffeine, gas, acid, and alcohol. You should avoid then: tea and coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks such as Coke, tomatoes, and mints.
Things to Look For
What you do want then is for your foods to be as simple as possible and the fewer flavours and spices you have to confuse your system the better. Your body needs to work through different types of foods to digest them differently so try to stick to just one or two items (bread rather than bread with butter, celery and chicken).
The other role of your digestive system is to break up foods so that they can be absorbed by the body. You want to also avoid foods then that are very tough or sinewy or that are otherwise difficult to break up. Eat things that are instead as soft and easily broken down as possible. Things like banana, mashed potato (this is also very good for soaking up other things), soup, white bread, rice, cooked vegetables and oat porridge.
A Short List of Easily Digestible Foods
Bread,
Rice,
Cooked Vegetables,
Soup,
Porridge,
Apricots,
Banana,
Cantaloupe,
Mashed Potato,
Scrambled Egg,
Honeydew Melon,
Peaches,
Watermelon,
Alfalfa Sprouts,
Mushrooms,
Squash,
Zucchini,
Carrots
A Quick Snack That's Easy to Digest
If you have acute indigestion or stomach upset, then you might be looking for a quick and easy meal that you can be sure won't provide too much trouble going down. A great one is savoury rice which can be made very simply by boiling rice in cold water that has one OXO cube added to it as well as some Maggi (seasoning). This creates a delicious savoury rice that should go down relatively safely.
Comment:
First bread is not easily digested, it breaks apart quickly but that is not digestion, it contains lectins that are an anti food for people with digestive issues, second potato is a nightshade and also upsetting to the stomach and to mash it is to assume added butter and dairy is okay, and it's not. Bananas depend on whether it was tree ripened or not as aged unripened bananas are highly acidic. There are other flaws, seems these foods were not researched but gathered from some outdated unproven list.
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14683/1/List-of-Easy-to-Digest-Foods.html
Easy to Digest Foods
Overall, eating foods that are easy to digest promote better digestive health. Foods that are high in nutrients but break down easily are much easier to digest than those which are fatty or complex.
There are many reasons, both comfort and health based that would prompt someone to focus on consuming foods that are easy to digest. If you have a condition that makes it difficult to digest foods properly, if you are getting over an illness like the flu or you are simply looking to put less stress on your system overall, you can benefit from eating more foods that are easy to digest rather than those which put stress on the system.
When do You Need Easy to Digest Foods?
Any time your digestive system is stressed you should focus on eating foods that are easy to digest. Given below are some special periods and situations that you may need easy to digest foods.
Gastrointestinal distress. This can include times that you are suffering from temporary gastrointestinal upset such as food poisoning or permanent conditions such as Crohn's disease. To some extent if you are focusing on treating these types of conditions you will need to focus your efforts on specific foods that have been aggravating your condition. Gastrointestinal distress is often coupled with food allergies and other complications that may make some foods harder to digest than others.
Recovery period. If you are recovering from a disease or an injury such as surgery, eating foods that are easy to digest can shorten your recovery time. When your body is trying to repair, you want to give it less things to focus on so that it can focus more of its energy and resources toward getting you back to normal. In many cases, illness or injury will also require you to restrict your activity and get more rest. When you are spending more time than usual in a resting position it is important to stick to foods that are easy to digest so that your system does not become bloated or uncomfortable.
Slow aging. Those looking to slow the natural aging process may also benefits from focusing their diets on foods that are easier to digest. Putting less stress on your system can help your body from prematurely showing signs of aging that will impact your system as a whole. Many foods that are easy to digest are also high in nutrients that can help your body maintain itself more effectively, which will also help keep you looking youthful for longer than you would otherwise.
Lose weight.Some people also use a diet that is mostly comprised of easily digestible foods when they are attempting to lose weight. On top of having more nutrition than snacks or prepackaged foods that are known to be hard to digest, these foods are often quite filling so you do not feel as though you need to eat as much to become content. Some foods that are easy to digest can also be used to cleanse your system, clearing out food or waste that may be trapped in your digestive system, which will promote healthy weight loss and more digestive comfort.
Find Your Easy to Digest Foods
There are a few key rules that you want to keep in mind when you are designing an easily digestible diet.
Portion size. The first step to developing a diet that is easy to digest is to pay attention to portion size. Instead of having two or three large meals throughout the day, eat five or six small meals throughout the day to avoid bloating. This promotes more regular digestion and helps your body stay in a natural rhythm.
Foods to eat and avoid. In general, foods that are prepared simply that do not include a lot of spice or fat are easier to digest. Foods that are very sugary or include ingredients like carbonation or alcohol can also cause distress on your system. Stick to gentle foods like fresh fruits like cantaloupe, squash or apricots or lean proteins like scrambled eggs that do not put difficulty on your system.
Rice diets.One of the most commonly recommended foods for those who require foods that are easy to digest is rice. Those who suffer from extreme allergic reactions are advised to go onto rice diets because rice allergies are extremely rare. Rice is also very easy to digest and its nutrients can be absorbed quite easily. Bland starches such as rice can also be used to settle an upset stomach. Foods recommended for similar reasons include toast or saltine crackers.
Spur digestive process. In some cases it may be necessary to stimulate the digestive process in order to relieve digestive distress. Bananas are a food that is easy to digest which also contains the necessary enzymes to accelerate digestion. Combining these foods with gelatin or mashed potatoes can also help soothe the digestive tract when it is suffering from distress.
Get enough nutrition. When you are focusing on foods that are easy to digest, you do not want to do this in a way that limits the amount of nutrition that is going into your system. In order to make sure you are getting enough protein, try eating chicken. Chicken is one of the easiest meats to digest and the enzymes in the meat can also help soothe conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. To make sure that you are still getting the vitamins and nutrients that you need, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables such as cabbage. Not only are these filled with valuable nutrients but they can help promote weight loss.
Fermented foods. If you are suffering from a digestive disorder that is caused by a bacterial infections, fermented foods such as yogurt or sauerkraut can be ideal for your condition. These foods can help eliminate bad bacteria in your system that is making you sick while helping you replace the good bacteria that helps you break down food.
Table 1: Easy to digest foods
Food
When to take/how to prepare
Rice
Boil in water and consume after stomach flu or during an allergic reaction
Toast or saltine crackers
No preparation necessary. Recommended for those who are suffering from nausea.
Bananas
No preparation necessary. Take when recovering from flu or when digestion has been slowed.
Chicken
Prepare broiled or in soup. Take when you are suffering from digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Green leafy vegetables
Eat raw or boiled and in soup. Take when you require additional nutrients in your diet or to promote weight loss.
Gelatin
Prepare according to package instructions. Consume to soothe digestive distress.
Fresh fruit including cantaloupe, squash or apricots
No preparation is necessary as long as the patient sticks with options that are not acidic. Take when you require additional nutrition when your body is suffering from gastrointestinal distress.
Scrambled eggs
Prepare in a pan with little or no butter and oil. Consume when you need protein in your diet when suffering from nausea.
Mashed Potatoes
Prepare by boiling and then mashing without sour cream or excessive amounts of butter. Consume when suffering from nausea.
Fermented foods including yogurt and sauerkraut
No preparation necessary. Consume when you need to address a bacteria imbalance in your system.
References
Hill, Patricia. "List of Easily Digestible Foods." EHow. N.p., 22 July 2012. Web. Retrieved 02 Oct. 2012 from <http://www.ehow.com/list_5900346_list-easily-digestible-foods.html>.
J, Nicks. "Foods Easy to Digest." Buzzle.com. Buzzle.com, 30 Sept. 2011. Web. Retrieved 02 Oct. 2012 from <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/foods-easy-to-digest.html>.
Rossi, Seana. "A List of Foods That Are Easy to Digest." LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., 28 Mar. 2011. Web. Retrieved 02 Oct. 2012 from <http://www.livestrong.com/article/321399-a-list-of-foods-that-are-easy-to-digest/>.
Williamson, Justin. "List of Easy to Digest Foods." HealthGuidance. N.p., n.d. Web. Retrieved 02 Oct. 2012 from <http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14683/1/List-of-Easy-to-Digest-Foods.html>.
http://www.md-health.com/Easy-To-Digest-Foods.html
Easy-to-Digest Foods for Upset Tummies
I often see patients who are overcoming the stomach flu, undergoing chemotherapy, getting over an attack of gall bladder or irritable bowel, or struggling with ulcer, gastritis or colitis. Most of these patients complain of not being able to eat anything without aggravating their nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort and/or diarrhea.
Certainly, acupuncture is very helpful for these conditions, as are Chinese herbs that are tailored to the individual case. And, for individualized dietary advice, it is essential that you see an acupuncturist for your specific Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) diagnosis; two people may have the same symptoms, but completely different diagnoses. For example, chronic diarrhea may be due to Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine , or due to Spleen Yang Deficiency or Cold in the Middle . These are very different disorders, requiring different treatment and dietary approaches.
That being said, however, there are some recommendations that can be used by most people, regardless of their diagnosis, to good effect. These can then be modified, according to the TCM diagnosis:
Congee:
Congee is the foremost of the easy-to-digest foods in Oriental medicine, used for all types of imbalanced digestion. Besides being easy on the system, it is said to nourish the Digestive Qi (energy). Congee is a thin porridge, that is often used as breakfast in parts of China. There are many congee recipes available online, but I will give you the basic formula here:
I typically like to use brown rice, millet, quinoa or buckwheat (or a combo of any of these) as these are easy to digest and usually the least allergenic. Use a ratio of 1 part whole grain to 5 or 6 parts water. To this, you can add various fruits, vegetables, spices or herbs, depending on your individual TCM diagnosis. Then cook on low for several hours. (I usually cook this in a crock pot overnight on the low setting.)
Examples of ingredients to add to the congee would be ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, raisins, chopped carrots and apples. (These will add a touch of flavor and texture to the congee, but will still be well-cooked for easy digestion.) Or your acupuncturist may say that you should avoid the sweet or spicy foods so you could go more with veggies such as zucchini, celery, water chestnuts and carrots. But go lightly with the added ingredients in general it is the blandness of the congee that makes it so gentle on the digestive system and so nourishing for the Digestive Qi.
You can also put cooked congee through a blender to feed to infants and toddlers with tummy problems . Again, ask your acupuncturist for specific herbs, spices, fruits or veggies to add to your child s congee.
Warm Cooked Foods:
When your system can handle more solid foods, you can add cooked potato, sweet potato (remove the skin initially if you need to), cooked winter squash (such as pumpkin), cooked summer squash (like yellow squash or zucchini), cooked root veggies (such as carrots, beets, daikon radish), whole grains like rice, quinoa, millet and buckwheat, and warm veggie soups with clear broth or miso broth.
For variety or convenience, you could also eat organic babyfood. It has been cooked and pureed, so it is easy to digest.
You may also add to your diet stewed fruits such as apples, pears, prunes, and figs, particularly if you are constipated.
Easy-to-Digest Puddings:
Try the Green Pudding Recipes under the recipes tab. If you are very nauseous, omit the spinach from the recipes until you are less queasy. These are very easy to digest, yet full of enzymes, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The ginger and cinnamon in the recipes help aid the digestion. Ginger is great for calming nausea and it moderates the Cold energy of the raw fruits and vegetables. And, because they are blended, these puddings become much easier for the digestive system to process.
Again, please consult your acupuncturist for any modifications to the pudding recipes for your specific diagnosis. Someone with Cold digestion will need to add more ginger and cinnamon. Someone with Damp-Heat will want to avoid too much of these warming spices, and add more greens to the blender.
Warm Teas:
Consult your acupuncturist for the most appropriate herbal teas for your diagnosis. Most people do well with chamomile tea, licorice tea, rooibos (redbush) tea, or fennel tea. People with Cold digestion can also drink ginger tea and teas that have cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Those people with a Damp-Heat diagnosis would do better with peppermint tea, green tea and white tea.
You can also sip on warm, clear broths or warm miso broth.
Foods to Avoid:
With nausea, vomiting, stomachache and/or diarrhea, avoid raw veggies, frozen, iced and chilled foods, as well as acidic fruits (like citrus and raw tomato) until your digestion is feeling normal again. Depending on how weak your digestion is, you may need to eliminate all raw fruits initially as well, even bananas and the green puddings until you are feeling a little stronger.
Other foods to avoid with weak digestion are diary products, which are very difficult for most people to digest and create excess mucous in the digestive system, as do wheat products, animal meats, sugars, artificial sweeteners, and fried or greasy/fatty foods and oils.
Beans, nuts and seeds are healthy foods, but should be avoided until the digestion feels normal again.
See your acupuncturist for advice on which foods to emphasize and which to avoid for your specific diagnosis, and to help prevent recurrence of your digestive disorder.
Also, for more on Nutrition from the Oriental Medical perspective, See Nutrition, Part 2.
Dawn Balusik
http://healthy-tidbits.com/2011/01/28/easy-to-digest-foods-for-upset-tummies/
Diet With Foods That Are Easy to Digest
If you suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastoesophageal reflux disease, Crohn's disease or simply indigestion, it's important to watch the kinds of foods you eat. Eating foods that are difficult to digest is only likely to worsen your symptoms. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, some foods are digested quickly, some require multiple steps to be broken down and emptied from the stomach, and some are indigestible. The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance recommends a GI diet to minimize gastrointestinal problems.
Low-Fiber Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are among the more easily digested food groups, reports the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, but fiber is not digestible and may cause bloating or diarrhea. While the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance recommends four or more servings of carbohydrates a day, whole grains, brown rice and cereals with more than two grams of fiber are discouraged. Instead, you can eat bagels, white bread, cornmeal, white flour and white rice. Avoid too much fat or fat substitutes, such as Olestra, as these do not digest easily.
Low-Fat Protein
Protein is another type of food that digests easily. However, fat doesn't digest easily and may lead to diarrhea. When choosing proteins, be sure to select those that are lower in fat. Among the proteins recommended by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance are crab and imitation crab, well-cooked, lean cuts of fish, skinless poultry or ham, canned tuna, lean lunch meat such as turkey, and low fat hot dogs. Avoid fatty proteins such as corned beef, pepperoni, fried meats or fish, and beans and legumes.
Non-Citrus Fruits and Fruit Juices
Although fruits generally digest well, citrus fruits and fruit juices may lead to heartburn. Likewise, some fruit juices may naturally contain sorbitol, a sugar which may cause diarrhea. The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance recommends 2 or more 1/2-cup servings of fruit or fruit juice per day. The recommended fruits include apricots, bananas, melons, peaches, pears, mango, papaya, and nectarine, and suggested juices include cranberry, cran-raspberry and fruit nectars.
Well-Cooked Vegetables
For a gastrointestinal diet, vegetables are best served cooked, as raw vegetables are associated with gas and bloating. The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance recommends 2 or more 1/2-cup servings of cooked vegetables such as asparagus tips, beets, carrots, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms and pumpkin. Potatoes should be prepared without skin and in a low-fat recipe.
References
Seattle Cancer Center: Gastrointestinal Diet 2
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Your Digestive System and How it Works
http://www.livestrong.com/article/222601-diet-with-foods-that-are-easy-to-digest/