Given the standard american diet, how would one come to the conclusion that a vegetarian diet or something would be worse for a sick person, instead of the staple sick food diet, BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples and toast among many other foods, I really want to know what makes these food good to eat when sick? is there some type of specific nutrients in these foods that is essential to our bodies? I fail to understand the importants of the “BRAT” or any other diet designed for sick people IE. covid and the flu. Thank You!
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When you are sick you tend to have a hard time eating, or at least keep down your food. So there is a real danger of you getting malnourished. This is bad as the body will prioritize energy to your more vital functions over your immune system. So you will take longer to heal. I have not heard the exact list of food items you listed but they are all examples of very energy dense food as it contains mostly sugar and water. And this is what is recommended you prioritize when sick. However if you are able to eat full meals then you should do this instead.
Those foods are easy to digest. When you are sick your body needs all energy for recovery, so it will put digestion activity to a minimum. To still get good nutrients you should eat things that are easy to break up, wich is fructose and short chained carbs.
Fats and Proteins take a lot more work to break down. When you’re healthy that’s a good thing because they keep you saturated for longer and don’t cause your blood sugar to spike. But when you’re sick you want an easier task for your intestines.
The BRAT diet specifically is no longer recommended by medical authorities, although the general principle – eat things with simple sugars and proteins – still applies. You don’t need to stick to just those specific foods, but you generally avoid foods that are high in fiber, oils, salt, or acidic ingredients, because those ingredients cause irritation in the digestive tract.
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