Diarrhea is a very unpleasant digestive system issue. Luckily, it tends to go away on its own after a few days in most cases. Yet, it can still be quite annoying while it lasts. So, it can be beneficial to slightly alter your diet to help you recover from diarrhea as fast as possible.
There are many healthy foods available that can help you treat diarrhea. And one of them is avocado.
Are Avocados Good for Diarrhea?
Small portions of avocados are an excellent choice for the times you’re struggling with diarrhea or have an otherwise upset stomach. Avocados are very rich in potassium and insoluble fiber, both of which improve the symptoms of diarrhea and help you recover.
So, including small quantities of this fruit in your diet can be wonderful for your digestive system. But be sure to do so in moderation.
How can avocados help with diarrhea?
According to experts, avocados contain plenty of important nutrients that can help you treat diarrhea.
First of all, avocados are an excellent dietary source of potassium. In fact, one cup of sliced avocado contains as much as 727 mg of potassium, which equals 21% of your daily recommended need for this mineral.
Potassium helps keep your electrolyte levels in check, which helps prevent dehydration. When you have diarrhea, dehydration is quite common since water, minerals, and vitamins are flushed out.
So, it’s important to consume plenty of potassium-rich foods when you have diarrhea.
In addition, avocado contains plenty of fiber. One cup of sliced avocado contains 10.1 mg of fiber – 40% of your daily recommended need for this nutrient.
According to studies, around 75% of the fiber in avocados is insoluble, and 25% is soluble. Both of these types of fiber work great for diarrhea and constipation and help restore balance to your gut health.
That said, some experts believe that soluble fiber is better for diarrhea, while insoluble fiber works best for constipation. But most research agrees that a mix of both of these is the best.
As a result, avocado makes for a perfect choice for this type of digestive system issue.
What’re more, avocados, just like other fruits, contain plenty of powerful antioxidants. These plant compounds help prevent oxidative damage to our cells, reducing your risk of various chronic health problems.
Antioxidants also prevent inflammation in your body, which lowers your risk of several digestive system issues, including diarrhea. So, they make for a great addition to any healthy diet.
Some studies also show that foods containing zinc help keep your digestive tract healthy, reducing the duration of diarrhea.
A single serving of avocado contains 9% of your daily need for zinc, which is a pretty good amount. You may also want to add other zinc-rich foods to your diet to prevent diarrhea in the future, such as red meat, poultry, breakfast cereals, and seafood.
Can avocados cause diarrhea?
For most people, small to moderate servings of avocado are incredibly unlikely to cause diarrhea. But some people might be more sensitive to fiber-rich foods than others, especially those who don’t normally follow a diet high in fiber.
In those cases, consuming too much avocado, especially when you’re suffering from diarrhea, can worsen it. What’s more, it’s quite easy to consume too much avocado, which can further irritate your stomach.
In addition, avocados may also be contaminated with molds, bacteria, and other pathogens that might not be visible to the eye. These can trigger diarrhea and other digestive system problems.
So, while avocado skin is not edible, it’s a good idea to wash the whole fruit before slicing it.
How much avocado is too much for diarrhea?
The standard serving of avocado is often said to be half of a fruit. But this strongly depends on the size, which can be drastically different between various varieties.
Generally, ½ of an avocado should weigh about 100 grams, according to the serving size. But if the avocados you eat are smaller, you can safely consume more in one sitting without worries.
With that said, keep in mind that the more avocados you eat, the more fiber you’ll intake. While fiber is good for your health, too much of this nutrient can worsen your diarrhea. So, be sure to practice moderation.
How should you eat avocado when you have diarrhea?
Avocados are most commonly eaten in salads. But that might not be the best choice for people who suffer from diarrhea.
Salads tend to contain plenty of ingredients that are rich in fiber, which can worsen your diarrhea by triggering a laxative effect.
Instead, try eating avocados as a side dish for dinners. That way, you won’t consume too much fiber when you have diarrhea.
Of course, salads are incredibly healthy for you, but you might want to wait until you’re fully recovered to indulge in them.
Another way you can incorporate avocados into a stomach-friendly, diarrhea-preventing diet is to slice them on top of plain white bread. This type of bread isn’t too rich in fiber but incredibly easy for your stomach to digest.
So, by adding some potassium-rich avocado on top of plain bread, you can definitely shorten the time you have diarrhea.
Is avocado oil good for diarrhea?
Most types of oil, including avocado oil, aren’t harmful to your digestive system. In fact, avocado oil comes with a wide variety of health benefits. In small quantities, it can also be beneficial for the health of your digestive tract.
On the other hand, consuming too much avocado oil can lead to some health problems like gastrointestinal irritation. That’s why it’s important to practice moderation with all the foods you eat.
Conclusion
Generally, avocados make for a wonderful food for when you’re suffering from diarrhea. They contain a large dose of potassium and fiber, which are two nutrients that help treat diarrhea and improve your overall health.
So, as long as you consume avocados in moderation, this fruit can certainly help you recover from diarrhea much faster.
Sources: Nutrition Data, PMC, National Library of Medicine, and Research Gate