An astringent diet is a type of change in diet that takes place after a time with ailments or stomach conditions. Normally, this type of diet is done when we have suffered conditions such as gastroenteritis, a disease that dehydrates our body and that can endanger our reserve of nutrients and fluids.
This type of diet is specially designed to rebuild our digestive system by eating astringent foods, i.e. foods that constipate and prevent further loss of fluids or minerals. In this article, we will find out what an astringent diet is and the most outstanding recommendations for good food planning.
What an Astringent Diet Is?
Astringent foods are the ones that help us stop the stomach decomposition that may have appeared in our body because of food poisoning or a health condition such as gastroenteritis. These ailments often cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, feeling tired, nausea, lack of appetite, etc., and an astringent diet will help you rebuild your body and make you feel in full shape again.
On many occasions, stomach discomfort can cause any food we include in our diet to be eliminated immediately by natural means when rejected by the body. Therefore, with the astringent diet what we do is gradually introduce astringent and light foods that will help the stomach recover and therefore do its functions again.
Phases of an astringent diet
An astringent diet consists of different phases that will allow you to include new foods in your day-to-day lives. Here we find out:
– Phase 1. During the first day of experiencing the symptoms of the ailment, what you should do is fast. You should drink water or liquid-based food to avoid dehydration but try not to eat solids during the first 6 to 24 hours.
– Phase 2. After this initial moment, in the astringent diet, you can incorporate astringent and stomach-healthy foods right now. White rice is a good option, as well as steamed potatoes, lean meat (chicken, turkey) or fish. Always cook everything on the plate and with little (or nothing) of oil.
– Phase 3. After 24 hours, you can start to include vegetables such as zucchini, beans, pumpkin, etc., although it is recommended that they be prepared in the form of cream or puree for better digestion. You can also eat white food, never whole grain.
– Recovery phase. And now it’s time to incorporate the rest of the food. But do it gradually and avoid very strong seasonings or greasy preparations. Bet on a light and healthy diet so your stomach doesn’t suffer.
Recommendations for an astringent diet:
And we ended this article by giving you some good tips and recommendations for your astringent diet. Here you go.
– Go to your doctor for any anomalies. If you don’t recover well or feel severe belly or stomach pains, go to your doctor. Nothing better than a healthcare professional to know your condition and give you the most appropriate prescription.
– Avoid the fiber. During the 4 or 5 days of the astringent diet, you should avoid taking fiber. No whole grain products, watch out for vegetables and you shouldn’t eat fruit either.
– Eliminate milk. Lactose-rich products can cause us even more stomach problems, so avoid their consumption as much as possible.
– Drink plenty of water. To avoid dehydration of the body, you should consume 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day.