Aim of the leaflet
You have been advised to follow a low fibre diet. This leaflet will help you to identify foods and drinks that contain small amounts of fibre and avoid those which are high.
A low fibre diet will reduce the activity of your bowel by reducing stomach discomfort and bloating. It will also help to prevent your bowels becoming blocked if you are at risk of an obstruction.
Fibre is the part of food that is not broken down and digested. It passes through the gut and then forms your bowel movement.
Important points
- This diet is normally used as a temporary measure only. If you have to continue a low fibre diet for a long period speak to your dietitian
- Foods high in fibre are wholegrain, wholemeal, bran, oats, nuts, seeds, skins and stalks of certain fruit and vegetables
- Avoid foods labelled “high fibre”
- Avoid spicy foods as these can irritate the bowels
Meat, fish & alternatives
Suitable foods
- All meat and fish
- Quorn sausage (max 1) Quorn chicken style pieces < 50g
- Quorn chicken/bacon slices < 30g
- Eggs
- Tofu
Foods to avoid
- Meat/fish with breadcrumbs or wholemeal pastry All pulses g. baked/broad/kidney beans, lentils
Dairy Products
Suitable foods
- Milk – all types Cheese
- Smooth yoghurts
Foods to avoid
- Cheese with nuts or pieces of fruit
- Yoghurts containing large pieces of fruit, fibre, nuts or seeds
Fats and Oils
- All allowed
Starchy Carbohydrates
Suitable foods
- Cornflakes (without nuts) Rice puff cereals
- White bread and toast White naan (plain) Chapatti (made with white flour)
- Poppadoms White pitta
- Crumpets, plain scones White rice
- Noodles White pasta
- Plain crackers, crispbreads
- All potatoes (peeled) Chips
Foods to avoid
- Wholegrain cereals e.g. wheat, bran, porridge, muesli or those containing added fruit/nuts
- Wholemeal, brown, granary, bran and soya flours or white breads containing high fibre
- Couscous Brown/cold rice
- Wholemeal/cold pasta
- Rye and wholegrain crackers/crispbreads Jacket potato skins
Fruit : peel and remove seeds, pips and stalks
Suitable foods
- Apple
- Apricot
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Lychees
- Mango
- Melon
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Pear
- Plums
- Tinned fruit cocktail
Foods to avoid
- Dried fruit (Prunes, Raisins, Sultanas)
- Banana chips
- Beansprouts
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Coconut
- Cranberries
- Currants
- Dates Figs
- Gooseberries
- Loganberries
- Orange
- Pineapple
- Raspberries
- Redcurrants
- Satsuma
- Strawberries
- Tangerines
Vegetables : peel and remove seeds, pips and stalks
Suitable foods
- Aubergine
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Courgette
- Cucumbe
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Marrow
- Mushrooms (tinned)
- Onion (cooked)
- Pepper
- Radish
- Swede
- Sweet potato
- Tomato
- Turnip
Foods to avoid
- Asparagus
- Beans (Green/French/Runner)
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms (fresh)
- Onion (raw)
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Squash
- Sweetcorn
Miscellaneous
Suitable
- Sauces: Barbecue (BBQ), gravy, bread, cheese, brown, tartare, tomato (sieved to remove skin/seeds) ketchup, white (béchamel)
- Dressings: French/blue cheese/ thousand island (smooth)/mayonnaise/salad cream
- Smooth marmalade/jam, lemon curd, syrup
- Marmite Bovril
- Stock cubes
- Smooth soup for example cream of chicken/tomato
- Corn snacks, potato crisps, pretzels
To avoid
- Onion sauce, pickles, chutney, garlic
- Jam, marmalade containing seeds or peel Peanut butter
- All other soups
- Nuts, seeds, Bombay mix, spicy potato crisps
Puddings & snacks
Suitable foods
- Jelly
- Blancmange
- Instant desserts
- Ice lollies
- Sorbet
- Meringue
- Mousse
- Custard
- Rice pudding
- Ice cream
- Sweet pastries
- Muffins
- Scone (plain)
- Pancakes
- Tapioca
- Plain cake/biscuits for example. rich tea, malted milk and shortbread Chocolate, toffee, fudge
Foods to avoid
- No added fruit/nuts Popcorn
- Mince pies
- Wholemeal cakes for example. flapjack or biscuits e.g. Digestives/Oat based or those containing fruit, nuts or marzipan
- Chocolate, toffee and fudge with added fruit/nuts
- Scone with currants
Drinks
Suitable drinks
- Fruit juice (any without bits) Fruit Squash
- Tea/Coffee
- Carbonated Drinks (e.g. Lemonade/Cola) Alcoholic Drinks
- Hot Chocolate Milk
- Water
- Nutritional supplements (without added fibre) for example; over the counter – Complan or Build up soup/shake or those prescribed. Your dietitian can advise on supplements available on prescription.
Drinks to avoid
- Fruit juice with added fibre/skin/pith
- Malted drinks
- Nutritional supplements with added fibre
Ideas for low fibre meal plan
Breakfast:
- Rice Puff Cereals/Cornflakes
- Cooked Breakfast: egg, sausage, bacon, tomatoes (no skin/seeds) and white toast
- Croissant, Crumpets, White Toast
- Fruit with yoghurt (smooth)
Lunch:
- Sandwiches (made with white bread) with suitable filling
- Soup (smooth) with white bread
- Salad: Lettuce, tomato (no skin/seeds), cucumber with egg/cheese/meat/prawn/tuna with dressing and new potatoes/white bread
- Baked potato (no skin) with suitable filling
Dinner:
- Meat pie/sausages with mashed potato, carrot and parsnips
- Roast dinner with suitable vegetables/sauces and potatoes
- Chicken, bacon and cheese melt with suitable salad and new potatoes
- Omelette (cheese/ham), new potatoes and suitable salad
- Fish fingers with chips and suitable salad
- Macaroni (white pasta) cheese with tomato (no skin/seeds) & suitable salad
- Beefburger in a white bun (no seeds) with suitable salad and chips
- Salmon/Quorn with rice and suitable sauces
Snacks:
- Plain biscuits, tea or coffee, milky drink, crisps, cheese and crackers, yoghurt (smooth) and suitable fruit.
Contact details
Nutrition and Dietetic Department Lincoln County Hospital
Greetwell Road
Lincoln
LN2 5QY
Telephone: 01522 573418
Telephone: 01507 600100 ex 1312
Nutrition and Dietetic Department Pilgrim Hospital
Sibsey Road
Boston
PE21 9QS
Telephone: 01205 446450
Nutrition and Dietetic Department Grantham and District Hospital
101 Manthorpe Road
Grantham
NG31 8DG
Telephone: 01476 464339