List of Foods That Are Easy to Digest for Adults

Choose yogurt with live cultures to aid in digestion.

Digestion is the process of breaking down foods to supply the body with nourishment and energy. Foods mix with digestive juices and move through the digestive tract, completing in the small intestine. Foods such as fats or proteins may not digest easily. However some foods are easier to digest for adults and pass through the digestive system quickly, such as yogurt, bland carbohydrates and plain chicken. Ripe and stewed fruits also digest easily.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a great source of calcium for adults who may have problems digesting. Many people have problems digesting dairy products due to the lactose (sugar). However, yogurt contains lactase, the enzyme required to break down lactose for correct digestion. Yogurt is created with a bacterial starter culture and pasteurized milk. The bacteria react with the sugar and create lactic acid, which gives yogurt a tangy taste and creamy texture. Yogurt is easy to digest due to the live bacteria cultures, which aids in the digestion process. However, some yogurts are heat-treated to enhance shelf life. This process kills the essential bacteria and no longer renders the yogurt helpful to digestion, so choose yogurt that is labeled "live culture." Yogurt containing live cultures should be refrigerated and eaten prior to the expiration date.

Bland Carbohydrates

Bland carbohydrates are easily digestible foods from refined grains. According to the Mayo Clinic, those recovering from gastroenteritis -- an inflammation of the stomach and intestines that causes nausea and vomiting -- should ease back into eating with easily digestible bland foods, such as unsalted plain soda crackers, dry white toast and plain white rice. Plain hot oatmeal, cream of wheat and plain noodles are also easily digested.

Plain Chicken

Plain chicken boiled or broiled and served skinless is easy to digest and provides essential nutrients such as iron and B vitamins. Fat is not easily digested, so avoid fried and breaded chicken. The Mayo Clinic suggests also avoiding spices or highly seasoned foods when recovering from gastroenteritis or stomach ailments.

Ripe and Stewed Fruits

Fruits with low levels of acidity are easy to digest. Ripe bananas, plums and pears contain little acidity and therefore are easy for adults to digest. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, digestible carbohydrates include starch and sugar, which is easily broken in molecules by enzymes in saliva. Fruits supply essential vitamins and minerals required for your immune system. Stewed fruits such as peaches, pears and apples are fundamentally processed foods with the fiber broken down, which makes digestion easier.

References

• National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Your Digestive System and How it Works
• Canadian Living; The Health Benefits of Yogurt; Jaclyn Newman
• The Mayo Clinic: First Aid for Gastroenteritis