Bland food relieves the digestive system and therefore helps with gastrointestinal problems, for example. We explain everything you should know about light foods.
What is bland food?
Bland food is a special diet with whole food that relieves the gastrointestinal tract and is supposed to improve digestion. Light, well-tolerated foods can be useful for illnesses in the stomach area, for example, to reduce discomfort. Diets are also often recommended after fasting for a slow return to eating.
Eating healthily: When is bland food used?
The stomach-friendly diet is rated as useful, especially for the following complaints :
- constipation
- diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Bloating
- Food intolerance
- heartburn
- stomach pain
- Abdominal influenza
- Inflammation of the stomach lining
- Nausea/vomiting
Why is light food so useful?
Not only do the unprocessed foods protect the digestive system, but also the method of preparation. With light foods, the food is prepared by steaming, stewing, or low-fat grilling, which ensures that most of the nutrients are retained. Also, food can be better broken down in the gastrointestinal tract. With the light diet, several small meals are eaten throughout the day - this also relieves digestion.
What happens in the body through light food?
The change in diet has the following effects on the body:
- Relieves the digestive system
- Relieves discomfort
- Supports the body in healing itself
The nutritional phases in light foods
The change in diet is implemented in several phases, and various light recipes help you persevere. In general, the following foods can be consumed as they are well tolerated:
- Fruits: pears, apples, berries, and bananas. The fruit must be generally ripe.
- Vegetables: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, fennel, kohlrabi
- Dairy products: Reduced-fat products, for example, low-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese
- Meat: Lean meats such as poultry
- Fish: Lean types of fish, including cod and saithe
- Cereals/cereal products: couscous, potatoes, oat flakes, pasta, rusks, rice, stale bread
And this is how the switch to bland foods works:
While people used to eat a one-sided diet with traditional home medicines such solely rusks, broth, and tea, today they should eat a light whole-food diet and drink lots of water (at least two to three liters per day). Sugary, greasy, and flatulent foods should be avoided in general.
1st phase: tea and broth
Unsweetened tea, broth, gruel, oatmeal soup, rice, crispbread, toast bread, and rusks are on the menu for one to three days. The carbohydrates from these foods are easy to digest, and there is little fat.
2nd phase: light diet
Light energy sources produced from carbohydrates and protein, such as honey, low-fat quark, compotes, readily digestible vegetables and fruit (e.g. apple, melon, banana, zucchini, and carrots), mashed potatoes, lean meat, and fish, are supplemented during the next seven to ten days. The fat content of the diet remains modest.
3rd phase: Light, complete diet
This is essentially the trial period, during which you can see what additional things your stomach can handle. Fruit juices, coffee, low-fat dairy products, and pastries can now be ingested again to provide extra fiber to the body. Raw vegetables and salads should be avoided since they strain the digestive system. The phase can be continued for as long as you desire or until the health problems have gone away.
Relaxed intestines: what should I avoid with light foods?
Some foods are unsuitable for light food recipes because they are not easy on the stomach. These include:
- Fatty foods (e.g. ready-made products and fast food)
- Flatulent and difficult to digest vegetables (e.g. cabbage, mushrooms, cucumbers, garlic, peppers, tomatoes)
- Raw food
- nuts
- Fried or cured dishes (boil, steam, grill for recipes)
- Full-fat dairy products
- Stone fruit
- Hot spices
- alcohol
- Desserts
- Fresh citrus fruits
How long should I eat light foods?
In general, light foods are considered very healthy: Because only natural and manufactured meals high in nutrients are consumed, no deficiency symptoms can emerge, and the bland food can theoretically be used indefinitely. If you're on this diet to ease symptoms, you should stick with it at least until they go away. In the long run, anyone suffering from chronic gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease can benefit from light foods.
Important: If the symptoms persist for a long time despite a bland diet, a doctor should look for the causes. There could be a chronic illness that needs treatment.
More tips on light diets
Do you want to try the light diet? Then you should also heed the following tips:
- Since fat is considered to be challenging to digest, fatty foods (such as fried foods) should be removed from the menu. Those who cook with oil should reduce the amount.
- Hot spices and salt put pressure on digestion.
- Better: season dishes with herbs.
- Instead of three large meals, we should rather eat five small meals throughout the day.
- Take time to eat: chew each bite well before swallowing it. So you can not only enjoy the taste better, but you also swallow less air - if you have a lot of air in your stomach, you are more prone to gas.
- Pamper your stomach with warmth: it relaxes the muscles and promotes blood circulation. Simply lie down on your stomach with a hot water bottle or a cherry stone pillow. Light massages, such as laying one hand on your stomach and rubbing it clockwise around your belly button, can also assist.
- Only those who drink enough water can best support their bodies in their functions, such as flushing out toxins.
- At least two to three liters each day is recommended. Still, water is the ideal option, but unsweetened herbal tea will suffice. A little exercise can also help to enhance blood circulation and digestion.
- A short, relaxing walk can help with stomach aches and pains.
- A good workout should be done two to three times per week for at least 30 minutes each time.
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