BRAT versus CRAM diet
Diets and dieting are not only for aesthetic and health purposes that people who want to be sexier and healthier take to heart. There are forms of diets that are used to affect cure for gastro-intestinal disorders. Such examples are the BRAT and CRAM diets.
BRAT and CRAM diets are especially designed food intakes for persons suffering from diarrhea. Children, in particular, receive these diet types to prevent fluid loss during episodes of diarrhea. These are also used as dietary treatment for gastroenteritis and incidence of food poisoning.
BRAT is short for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. This is given 24 hours, once the patient has stopped vomiting and is able to eat. Of course, the diet only plays a complementary role to an oral rehydration solution to prevent dehydration or too much loss of fluid.
BRAT diet foods are helpful because they are bland and low-dietary fiber foods which provide energy that the body needs to continue functioning without irritating the gastro-intestinal tract.
How does BRAT diet works? The answer lies in the component parts of BRAT and the function they serve. Bananas provide potassium which is a mineral that helps control the fluid balance in the body. Boiled rice and toast are low-fiber carbohydrate foods that doesn’t irritate the bowel—the last thing that a diarrhea patient needs. The appleasauce, meanwhile, flushes the toxins out of the digestive system.
If BRAT diet is not readily available, other alternatives are: vegetable or fruit juices, pasta, cooked cereals and crackers. Doctors warn that prune juice should not be given because this causes constipation.
There have been no clinical studies to prove of BRAT’s effectiveness. It is merely a traditional tool for dietary management in cases of stomach disorders.
The CRAM Diet, on the other hand, is more recommended by pediatricians because it contains more protein and fat than BRAT. CRAM is the acronym for Cereals, Rice And Milk. Its effectivity as a stop-gap eating plan for upset stomachs has been validated by research in Asian and South American hospitals
But like BRAT diet, the CRAM diet should also be done together with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) like intake of caffeine-free soda or juice and food-based fluids such as gruels and broth.
If symptoms persists, mothers who has children suffering from gastro-intestinal
disorders like diarrhea and gastroenteritis are advised to contact their
pediatrician. Symptoms to watch out for are lack of urination, listessness,
dry mouth and rapid heart beat.