Food poisoning can strike unexpectedly, often presenting with sudden and uncomfortable symptoms, including bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, and an upset stomach.
Knowing how to support your body and what to eat after food poisoning can significantly speed up your recovery and help restore your gut health more effectively.
Discover how to ease food poisoning symptoms and explore the safest foods to promote healing.
What is food poisoning?
According to guidelines published by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), food poisoning is a foodborne illness caused by consuming food contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and even chemical substances such as pesticides.
These contaminants can lead to serious health issues depending on the type and level of exposure.
Several factors can lead to food contamination:
- Improper food handling and poor hygiene
- Cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods
- Inadequate cooking temperatures
- Leaving perishable foods at room temperature too long
- Contaminated water sources
- Introduction of chemicals throughout the food supply chain
Understanding how food safety impacts health is crucial, as proper food handling at home can prevent most cases of food poisoning. Disease control measures in commercial kitchens also play a vital role in preventing food-borne illness.
When food poisoning strikes, your body’s immune system rapidly activates to fight off the harmful pathogen. Symptoms can appear within a few hours to several days after exposure as your body aims to expel the toxins.
This natural process involves processes and symptoms designed to quickly eliminate harmful substances and protect the digestive system, such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and abdominal cramps.
Watch the video to learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of food poisoning.
Symptoms of food poisoning
The onset of food poisoning typically begins with an upset stomach, followed by a cascade of increasingly uncomfortable symptoms.
Common symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Fever
- Weakness and fatigue
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Muscle aches
The severity and duration of food poisoning-related symptoms can vary significantly depending on the type of contaminant exposure, your body’s immune health, and digestive functions.
In more severe cases, symptoms can progress to include:
- Bloody stools
- Excessive vomiting
- High fever over 101.5 degrees F (39 degrees C)
- Severe dehydration
- Difficulty retaining liquids
- Neurological symptoms, including blurred vision
- Muscle weakness
These advanced symptoms often indicate a more serious infection that requires immediate medical attention.
Tips for recovering from food poisoning
The first 24 to 48 hours after food poisoning are crucial for recovery. During this time, your digestive system needs gentle support as it works to eliminate harmful pathogens and stimulate healing processes.
Here are six tips to help you recover from food poisoning.
1. Rest the digestive system
Fasting involves voluntarily refraining from food for a designated period of time, which enables the body to conserve energy typically used for digestion.
This energy can then be redirected toward cleansing and repairing vital systems. When combined with adequate electrolyte replacement, fasting can be a particularly effective remedy when you’re sick, especially in cases of food poisoning.
A study published in PLOS Pathogens found that mice that fasted before and during infections had significantly improved health outcomes compared to those that continued to eat.
The researchers emphasized fasting’s role in suppressing inflammatory responses and enhancing the gut microbiome’s ability to resist harmful bacterial colonization, such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), a leading cause of food poisoning in the United States.
2. Stay hydrated
One of the most significant risks of food poisoning is dehydration. Repeated vomiting and diarrhea can rapidly deplete fluids and essential minerals needed for immune defense and fluid balance.
Contrary to common belief, drinking water isn’t the best way to stay hydrated. It’s crucial to add a zero-sugar electrolyte powder to water to replenish lost electrolytes and promote quicker recovery.
It’s best to avoid commercial sports drinks to replenish electrolytes as they’re often laden with sugar and artificial ingredients that can further irritate an already inflamed gastrointestinal tract.
3. Promote optimal zinc levels
Once vomiting subsides, consider taking a high-quality zinc supplement to promote healing.
Zinc is crucial for supporting immune functions, repairing the intestinal lining, and enhancing digestive enzyme activity, all of which can aid in recovery from food poisoning.
4. Support stomach acid production
Restoring the stomach’s acidity can support digestion and create an environment less favorable to harmful bacteria.
Once diarrhea and vomiting associated with food poisoning diminish, taking betaine hydrochloride (HCI), consuming diluted apple cider vinegar, or eating raw sauerkraut, can help reestablish optimal acid levels, which helps improve nutrient absorption and gut health.
5. Enhance detoxification processes
Once diarrhea stops, remedies such as activated charcoal or bentonite clay can help bind and eliminate some of the remaining toxins in your digestive system.
These natural compounds act like sponges, absorbing and expelling harmful substances, which support your body’s detoxification processes.
However, it’s crucial to consult your healthcare provider before incorporating these remedies, especially if you take medications, as these compounds may interfere with drug metabolism.
6. Eat simple, nutritious foods
The foods you eat immediately after food poisoning can significantly affect your recovery time.
While traditional recommendations, such as the BRAT diet, consisting of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, offer simplicity, it lacks essential nutrients and can lead to blood sugar fluctuations.
Instead, prioritize nutrient-dense foods that help replenish healthy bacteria in the gut and restore balance to your normal intestinal flora.
It’s also vital to avoid high-carb, sugary, and fried foods, as they can exacerbate inflammation and fuel the growth of harmful bacteria, slowing the recovery process.
What to eat after food poisoning
Once your condition stabilizes, you can start slowly reintroducing foods into your diet. It’s vital to choose simple, nutritious options to promote immune system function and facilitate the body’s natural healing process.
Here are three foods that can help gently ease your body back into healthy digestion.
1. Broth and cooked vegetables
Warm organic bone broth is rich in collagen and amino acids, which can help rebuild the gut lining and soothe an irritated digestive tract.
Steamed vegetables, such as zucchini, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage, provide vitamins and minerals without straining the stomach or intestines.
These foods also help maintain hydration, especially if nausea lingers and eating solid foods feels challenging.
2. Easy-to-digest proteins
Once you’re ready for solid foods, begin with small portions of easily digestible proteins such as soft-cooked eggs to provide essential nutrients for tissue repair without overwhelming your system.
As tolerance improves, introduce light proteins such as turkey or chicken prepared without inflammatory seed oils. This approach ensures you receive the necessary amino acids for healing while avoiding components that exacerbate an irritated digestive tract.
3. Fermented foods
Fermented foods such as unsweetened kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and naturally fermented pickles can deliver probiotics that help replenish beneficial gut bacteria and support natural immunity.
“If you’re dealing with diarrhea or food poisoning, fermented foods can help restore balance to your intestinal flora,” explains Dr. Berg. “Fermented foods provide both probiotics and crucial nutrients that calm inflammation and support normal digestion.”
When to see a doctor
Information related to food poisoning should be discussed with a healthcare provider to determine suitability based on individual health needs.
While most cases of foodborne illness resolve with hydration and rest, others require medical attention. If symptoms persist beyond or worsen after 1 to 2 days, seek professional care, as this may increase the risk of severe dehydration.
Vulnerable groups, such as infants, older adults, and those with health conditions, should consult a healthcare provider if vomiting persists for more than 12 hours or if diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours.
In addition, if you have severe abdominal pain, a high fever, bloody stools, or signs of confusion, seek medical care immediately. Early intervention can prevent serious complications and help ensure a quicker recovery.
Key takeaways
Recovering from a foodborne illness involves careful attention to hydration and electrolyte replacement and understanding what to eat after food poisoning.
Reintroducing probiotic-rich, easily digestible foods such as fermented items, steamed vegetables, bone broth, and light proteins helps repair the gut and restore healthy bacteria for better digestion and overall wellness.
FAQ
1. What is the best food to eat after food poisoning?
Consuming easy-to-digest, nutrient-rich foods, including cooked vegetables, bone broth, fermented foods, and easy-to-digest proteins such as eggs, can aid gut recovery after food poisoning.
Avoid fatty foods made with inflammatory seed oils and ultra-processed foods, as their high sugar and carbohydrate content can worsen digestive problems.
2. What is the fastest way to flush out food poisoning?
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and using a sugar-free electrolyte supplement to help flush out toxins. Fasting can also support recovery from foodborne illness by allowing the digestive tract to rest and reducing inflammation.
3. Can I eat scrambled eggs after food poisoning?
Yes, once vomiting and diarrhea improve, you can slowly start incorporating scrambled eggs as they’re generally easier to digest than other proteins and provide essential nutrients that aid recovery.
4. What should I drink if I have food poisoning?
Staying hydrated with water enriched with a high-quality, sugar-free electrolyte powder is crucial for maintaining mineral and fluid balance after food poisoning.
Additionally, herbal teas, such as ginger or peppermint, kombucha, and bone broth, can help replenish fluids and nutrients, support gut health, and soothe the digestive system.
5. How long does food poisoning last?
Food poisoning symptoms can develop within hours of consuming contaminated food and typically last between 12 to 48 hours, depending on the type of infection and your overall health.
If symptoms worsen or you are unable to keep liquids down for more than a day, seek medical attention immediately.
