Should You Include Dairy Products in Your Diet When Experiencing Diarrhea?

Diet plays a crucial role in managing diarrhea, with certain foods helping to alleviate symptoms while others may worsen them. Selecting the right foods can make a significant difference in recovery.

Popular options to help reduce diarrhea include white rice, bananas, and plain yogurt. Conversely, foods like cauliflower, broccoli, beans, and milk are known to exacerbate symptoms.

But why does dairy sometimes help and sometimes harm during diarrhea?

The Relationship Between Dairy and Diarrhea

Dairy products contain lactose, a natural sugar that can cause digestive issues if not properly processed. Individuals with lactose intolerance cannot effectively digest this sugar, which can trigger diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.

How Does Dairy Contribute to Diarrhea?

The enzyme lactase, produced in the small intestine, helps digest lactose. When lactase production drops during illness, consuming dairy can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and gas.

Even for those without lactose intolerance, dairy intake during diarrhea can worsen symptoms because intestinal illness can temporarily impair lactase activity, hampering lactose digestion and causing discomfort.

Benefits of Yogurt During Diarrhea

Yogurt contains beneficial live bacteria that support digestion. During diarrhea, helpful gut bacteria are often depleted. Including yogurt in your diet helps restore these good microbes and fights harmful bacteria with lactic acid.

Many lactose-intolerant individuals can tolerate yogurt due to probiotics present in it.

How to Incorporate Yogurt When Managing Diarrhea

Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt without artificial additives. You can enjoy a bowl at breakfast or lunch. Regularly eating yogurt can promote gut health and reduce diarrhea episodes. It pairs well with cereals, rice dishes, and as dips.

If diarrhea persists chronically, consult a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause.