What to Eat and Drink When you Have Salmonella

What to Eat and Drink When you Have Salmonella
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Salmonella is one of the most common food-borne infections and usually occurs due to consumption of contaminated food or water. The symptoms appear 48 hours after being in contact with salmonella bacteria and usually are abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fever and muscle aches. In addition to receiving timely medical treatment, it is extremely important to modify your diet during those days to promote recovery and especially avoid dehydration. In the following OneHowTo article we show you what you should eat and drink when you have salmonella.

What to eat and drink when you have salmonella

In the acute stage of salmonella, symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea occur and therefore it is essential to increase fluid intake to prevent dehydration and replace all the minerals that the body has lost. Also during the following days you should follow a bland diet including light foods so you don't aggravate the stomach. The drinks and foods you can consume while you have salmonella are:

  • Water, sports drinks and oral serum (drink small sips at first so you don't start vomiting).
  • Digestive infusions such as chamomile, linden, thyme or yarrow.
  • Rice water.
  • Fat free chicken broth.
  • Lean meats like chicken and turkey cooked without the skin, boiled or grilled.
  • White fish like grouper or hake grilled or boiled.
  • Soft foods like white rice, potatoes or cooked carrots.
  • Fruits like apples, bananas, pears or peaches that help improve intestinal transit. It is recommended that you eat them skinless.
  • Unsweetened yogurt.
  • Toast.

After eating the bland diet on the required days and once the patient feels better, they can slowly add other common food ingredients. Avoiding of course too much fat or spicy foods as they could damage the stomach again.

What is NOT advisable to eat if you have salmonella

Also during the days when the patient has symptoms of salmonella, it is important to avoid eating foods like:

  • Raw green leafy vegetables and fruits that are rich in fibre, as they might aggravate diarrhoea.
  • Hot or spicy foods and sauces.
  • Nuts: pistachios, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc.
  • Milk and fatty cheeses.
  • Cured meats
  • Pastries and sweets
  • Soft drinks or stimulants such as coffee, tea, soda, etc.
  • Alcoholic beverages.

Recommendations

Do not forget the importance of cooking foods lightly and avoiding fat and seasonings, as these will worsen the symptoms that may occur and further weaken the digestive system. Therefore, the best option is to prepare all ingredients by boiling or grilling them. It is also important not to eat large amounts of food since it hinders the digestion process.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What to Eat and Drink When you Have Salmonella, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.