During a virus, symptoms such as vomiting, poor appetite, stomach pain and diarrhea are common, so nutritional treatment consists of maintaining good hydration, as well as eating small amounts of food several times a day and maintaining a diet. easily absorbed to aid in the recovery of the intestine.
In addition, it is important to avoid the consumption of foods rich in fiber or with large amounts of fats and sugar, as they can worsen the diet. In this way, the organism is helped to fight the virus, eliminating the organism and providing enough energy to accelerate recovery.
What to eat
The foods that must be consumed must be easy to digest to avoid malaise, so they must contain few fibers and the consumption of cooked, seedless and shelled foods is recommended. In addition, small amounts of food should be eaten, approximately every 3 hours, which facilitates the digestion of food, as well as digestion.
Therefore, the foods that can be included in the diet are carrots, zucchini, green beans, potatoes, yams, skinless apples, green bananas, skinless pears, skinless peaches and green guava.
Preference should also be given to white cheese, toast, white bread, cornstarch, rice porridge, corn flour, tapioca, arros, crackers, French bread, rice, pasta and low-fat meats such as chicken, fish and turkey.
To drink, you can drink coconut water or natural juices, in addition to natural teas such as chamomile, guava, anise or melissa. In addition, to maintain hydration, homemade serum can be used.
Foods to Avoid
Foods that should be avoided while there are symptoms of virosis and that can make diarrhea worse are:
- Fruits with peel or bagasse, as they stimulate the intestine, as is the case with papaya, orange, plum, avocado, ripe banana, fig and kiwi; dairy products; Sauces such as ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard; Pepper and spicy or spicy foods; Diced spices; Alcoholic beverages; Coffee and caffeinated beverages, as they stimulate and irritate the intestine; Dried fruits.
In addition, high fat foods, fried foods, ready-made foods, sugar, honey and foods containing it, such as cakes, filled cookies, chocolates, soft drinks and pasteurized juices, should be avoided.
Sample menu to treat the virus
The following is an example of a 3-day menu of an easily digestible diet to recover more quickly from a virus:
| Main meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast |
1 cup of rice porridge + 1 cup of chamomile tea |
1 cup cornstarch + 1 cup guava tea | 2 slices of bread with white cheese + 1 cup of mint tea |
| Morning snack | 1 cup of gelatin | 1/2 cup of cooked applesauce (unsweetened) | 1 cooked pear |
| Lunch dinner | Fat-free chicken broth | 60 to 90 grams of boneless skinless chicken + 1/2 cup mashed potatoes + boiled carrots | 90 grams of skinless turkey + 4 tablespoons of rice with grated carrots and cooked zucchini |
| Afternoon snack | 1 green banana | 1 packet of cracker with white cheese | 3 maria cookies |
It is important to mention that the menu quantities vary from person to person, as it depends on age, sex, weight and whether or not the person has any associated disease. If you want an individualized diet, you should seek guidance from a nutritionist to make the assessment.
Check in more detail how the food should be in case of diarrhea due to viral infection:
