• Digestive Disorders
• Nutrition

What to Eat After Throwing Up: Gentle Foods to Ease Your Stomach

Medically reviewed and edited by Rachel McLeod, NP

Whether it’s food poisoning or stomach flu, throwing up is an unpleasant experience. While you may not feel like eating with an upset stomach, it’s important that you do. 

In fact, eating after vomiting can help you feel better sooner. Proper nutrition can speed up the recovery process, helping you regain your strength and energy levels.

Choosing the right foods can help you bounce back, soothe your stomach, and replenish lost nutrients.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the best gentle, easy-to-digest foods to eat after vomiting to ensure a comfortable and speedy recovery.

Why You Should Eat After Throwing Up?

Although you might not have much appetite after throwing up, here are some reasons why you should prioritize eating:

• Rehydration: Vomiting causes fluid loss in the body, which can lead to dehydration. Eating helps to replenish your body’s fluids, especially if you eat foods with high water content.

• Restoring electrolytes: When you vomit, you lose electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which are vital for many bodily functions. Eating can help replenish these electrolytes.

• Energy supply: Vomiting can deplete your energy levels. Eating gives your body the calories and nutrients it needs to function properly and recover from stomach bugs and other illnesses.

• Settling your stomach: Eating certain bland foods can help to settle your stomach and reduce nausea, making you feel better overall.

• Boosting immunity: If you’re vomiting due to an infection, eating nutrient-rich foods can help your immune system to combat pathogens.

6 Foods to Eat After Throwing Up

Now that you know why you should eat after vomiting, here are some foods you can try to help you feel better:

Chicken soup and broths

In the first few hours after throwing up, it’s a good idea to stick to foods like broth as they’re easier on your stomach. They may also be easier to tolerate if you’re still nauseous or have a fever.

Broth and soup provide plenty of hydration, which is necessary for your body when you lose fluids through vomiting.

After about six hours from your last vomiting episode, you can start eating soup with added cooked vegetables or chicken. This means you’re eating more calories, proteins, and vitamins, which should help improve your energy levels.

Starchy, plain foods

Rice, mashed potatoes, and noodles are all plain foods that may be easier for your body to digest after vomiting, putting less strain on your digestive system. These foods are also less likely to trigger nausea compared to more flavorful meals.

You may want to boil or steam your rice and eat it plain or seasoned with salt. If hot foods are off-putting, you can also eat your rice cold. 

Noodles can also be added to the soup or broth mentioned above to increase your nutrient intake.

Dry foods

Saltine crackers, toast, and plain pretzels are good snack options that will ensure you don’t have an empty stomach after vomiting, especially if you don’t feel like eating anything else.

The added benefit is that these foods also don’t have an aroma, as the smell of food may trigger nausea. They don’t require much preparation either, giving you something easy to eat that will help settle your stomach.

Bananas 

While you’re ill, you may not feel up to preparing food that involves cooking vegetables. Instead, you could simply grab a banana.

Bananas are easy for the body to digest because they’re naturally soft. They’re also rich in potassium, which can help with the loss of electrolytes people experience while vomiting. 

Finally, bananas are a good source of energy due to their natural sugars and carbohydrates, which can help your body regain its strength after vomiting.

Ginger

Ginger has natural antiemetic properties, which means it may help to reduce feelings of nausea and prevent further vomiting.

It has positive effects on how quickly the stomach empties itself, which can help alleviate any pain or discomfort caused by throwing up. 

Ginger also has natural anti-inflammatory properties. The stomach lining becomes inflamed during vomiting and ginger can help soothe inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

You can drink raw ginger steeped in hot water, enjoy it as ginger tea, or cook it into a soup.

Cooked oatmeal

Oatmeal is very gentle on the digestive system and easy for the body to digest. 

Its smooth and creamy texture can calm the inflamed and irritated stomach lining often caused by vomiting.

Additionally, cooked oatmeal is low in fat, which is good for your body as high-fat foods can worsen nausea and vomiting — which we will discuss later in the article.

Oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates, which can help to restore your energy levels after vomiting episodes. The energy from oatmeal is slowly released, which may help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Tips for Eating After Throwing Up

• Stay hydrated with clear liquids: As mentioned earlier, vomiting can lead to dehydration, which can be dangerous. Ensure that you stay hydrated while you’re ill by drinking plenty of clear fluids like water, oral rehydration solutions, juice, or iced tea.

• Start with bland foods: Bland foods are gentler on the stomach and less likely to trigger nausea or more vomiting. They’re also easier for your body to digest, which puts less stress on a sensitive digestive system. 

• Avoid solid foods while actively vomiting: If you are currently vomiting, try not to eat solid foods right away. Your digestive system is in distress while you’re vomiting, meaning solid foods place more demand on the body. Solid foods may also irritate your stomach lining, which can trigger more vomiting.

• Suck ice chips: If you’re actively vomiting, sucking ice chips is a great way to ensure you’re staying hydrated without overwhelming the stomach. They may also have a soothing effect on a sore throat that often accompanies vomiting.

• Eat regularly: Vomiting can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Eating small meals regularly can help stabilize blood sugar dips and spikes that can leave you feeling unwell. Small, frequent meals also help keep your stomach settled and reduce nausea.

Foods to Avoid After Throwing Up

Vomiting puts your digestive system under stress, which is why there are some foods you shouldn't consume after throwing up. 

Here are some types of foods to avoid: 

Fried foods

These foods are typically high in fat, which can make it harder for your stomach to digest them. 

Fatty foods can also irritate the stomach lining, which is likely already inflamed due to vomiting. 

Fried foods can slow down how quickly your stomach empties, which can lead to unpleasant feelings of fullness, bloating, and nausea.

Spicy foods

These foods can increase the production of stomach acid, which can lead to discomfort, indigestion, and acid reflux. They can also make you feel more nauseous and may harm a sensitive stomach.

Very sweet foods

Foods high in simple sugars can draw water into the intestines, which can trigger or worsen diarrhea. 

They can also overwhelm the stomach and cause rapid blood sugar fluctuations, which may leave you feeling worse.

Caffeine

Caffeine can cause additional stomach acid, which can lead to more discomfort and prolong your recovery. 

It can also increase urine production, causing dehydration, which is already a risk when you’re vomiting.

Alcohol

Consuming alcohol can lead to dehydration, worsening any existing fluid imbalances. 

It could also interfere with the digestive process, leading to further discomfort. In addition, alcohol can impair the absorption of nutrients, which are critical for recovery after illness.

When to Seek Medical Help for Vomiting

If your vomiting doesn’t ease within 24 to 48 hours and you experience the following symptoms, seek medical attention:

• Severe abdominal pain 

• A small amount of blood in the vomit

• A fever above 101°F

Should you become dehydrated due to vomiting, you must contact your doctor. Some symptoms of dehydration are:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Little or no urine production

• Dry mouth or eyes

• Extreme thirst

Where Can I Learn More About Feeling Better After Throwing Up?

At LifeMD, we know that any form of upset stomach is unpleasant, uncomfortable, and even painful.

A team of healthcare professionals can provide nutritional advice and prescribe medications for nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to help you feel better sooner.

Make an appointment to get started.

Rachel McLeod, NP

Rachel is a certified and licensed family nurse practitioner who has worked in the healthcare field for over 15 years. She graduated from South University with a Master’s of Science degree and a specialization in Family Nurse Practitioner. Rachel has experience in a variety of areas including Urgent Care, Primary Care, Mental Health, and Weight Management. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

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