Low Fibre Diet

This leaflet will give you information about a low fibre diet and advice on what you should or shouldn’t eat while following the diet.

Why do I need a low fibre diet?

You may need to follow a low fibre diet for one of the following reasons:

• You have a narrowing of the small bowel (sometimes called a stricture) which means fibre containing foods may not pass through very well and therefore could cause a blockage.

• You have an inflammation of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract caused by a disease or by radiotherapy which means that fibre containing foods may irritate the bowel and lead to diarrhoea (very loose watery bowel motions (poo)).

• As a way to prepare your bowel before certain medical tests or procedures.

• It may help to relieve symptoms of diarrhoea.

In the above instances food is not the cause of the problems but avoiding higher fibre foods may make you feel more comfortable.

There is always some trial and error, and you may find that you can cope with small amounts of fibre which will help to make your meals more varied and interesting.

A low fibre diet is usually used as a short term measure only, so keep asking your doctor or dietitian (a healthcare professional who specialises in giving people advice about the food they should eat) if you still need to follow this diet.

Breads/Cereal products

Foods allowed; White flour, Cornflour, White bread, White pasta White rice, Yorkshire pudding, Pastry, White crispbread/crackers

Foods to avoid; Brown/wholemeal flour, Bran, Brown/wholemeal/granary bread, Brown/wholemeal pasta, Brown rice, Soya flour and products, Soya bran, Oatmeal, Rye bread, Rye crispbread

Breakfast Cereals

Foods allowed; Frosties, Rice Crispies, Cornflakes, Sugar Puffs, Coco Pops, Special K

Foods to avoid; Weetabix, Porridge, Shreddies, All Bran, Bran Flakes, Shredded Wheat, Ready Brek, Fruit n Fibre, Cheerios

Biscuits, Cakes and Desserts

Foods allowed; Chocolate biscuits, Ginger nuts, Shortbread, Rich teas, Pastry, Yorkshire puddings, Pudding and cakes made with white flour with seedless jam

Foods to avoid; Digestives, Flapjacks, Oat based biscuits, Wholemeal crackers, Wholemeal pastry, Wholemeal/fruit scones Puddings and cakes made with wholemeal flour or with dried fruit/nuts/jams or marmalades containing seeds

Meat and Fish

Foods allowed; Lean meat and fish, Quorn, Tofu

Foods to avoid; Tough stringy meat, gristle, Bones and skin of fish, Meat and fish products in breadcrumbs/wholemeal batter/ oatmeal or with vegetables

Fats and Oils

Foods allowed; Butter, Margarine, Cooking oils, Cream

Foods to avoid; none

Milk, Dairy and Eggs

Foods allowed; All kinds of milk, Smooth yoghurt, Cheese, Cheese spread, Eggs, Ice cream

Foods to avoid; Fruit or nut yoghurts, Cheese which contains fruit/nuts/ vegetables, Cottage cheese with fruit/veg, Egg dishes containing veg

Fruit

Foods allowed; Tinned fruit e.g. mandarins, pears, peaches, grapefruit, apricots, Peeled and cored soft fruits, Smooth fruit juice

Foods to avoid; Citrus fruit membranes, Berries and fruits with seeds e.g. kiwi, strawberry, tomato, passion fruit, Prunes, figs, Fresh apricots, Mango, avocado, gooseberries, Tough skins and stalks e.g. pineapple stalk, Dried fruit

Vegetables

Foods allowed; Soft easily mashed vegetables, Potatoes (without the skins), Crisps

Foods to avoid; Beans (including baked beans), Split peas and lentils, Peas (including chick peas), Seeds and pips, Sweetcorn, Parsnip, Asparagus, celery, leeks, Raw salad veg, Tough stalks e.g. broccoli, cauliflower

Miscellaneous

Foods allowed; Clear strained soups (not liquidised), Boiled/jelly sweets, Chocolate, Gravy, Tea, coffee, soft drinks, fizzy drinks, herb and fruit tea, squash, Malted drinks e.g. Horlicks, Ovaltine, Bovril, Oxo, Herbs and spices, Tomato sauce, brown sauce, mayonnaise

Foods to avoid; Soups with any veg, barley or lentils, Preserves with pips, seeds, peel, fruit pieces, Sweets or chocolate containing nuts, dried fruit, peel, Nuts, Flapjacks, Marzipan, almond paste, Mincemeat

Will I miss out on important nutrients on this diet?

A low fibre diet is not normally used for a long enough time period to cause long term nutritional deficiencies. If you are on this diet for an extended period your doctor or dietitian may recommend a multivitamin.

Can I eat fruit and vegetables?

All fruit, vegetables and salad items contain fibre especially those which have skins, seeds and pips.

Some people find that they can tolerate well-boiled or pureed vegetables and fruit but some people cannot. It may be helpful to try fruit and vegetables one at a time to find out which ones your body can tolerate.

Remember to check labels of ready made/bought soups, sauces and convenience/ready made meals for added vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.

While you are limited to having certain fruit and vegetables you should try drinking fruit squash or a small glass of fresh fruit juice (smooth/without bits) to help maintain a balanced diet.

How long will I need to follow a low fibre diet?

The length of time you will need to follow the low fibre diet will depend on the reason you need the diet.

For example, if you are having radiotherapy you will need to continue with the diet for around 2 weeks or until your diarrhoea has resolved before you re-introduce more fibre into your diet.

Your nurse, dietitian or doctor should be able to give more detail on this.

How do I follow this diet if I am vegetarian or have other food intolerances?

If you do not eat meat or fish or have other food intolerances please ask to be referred for individual advice from a dietitian. You should also ask your doctor if you need to be referred to a dietitian if you are not eating well or are losing weight before or after starting a low fibre diet.

Sample Menu

• Breakfast
  • Fruit Juice (smooth)
  • Cornflakes with milk
  • White toast with butter or margarine

• Mid-morning
  • Rich tea biscuit/crispbread
  • Tea/coffee/squash

• Lunch
  • Clear soup (avoiding vegetables on foods to avoid list) with white bread
  • Well cooked tender meat or fish
  • Egg sandwich on white bread/white pitta
  • Tea/coffee/squash

• Mid-afternoon
  • Plain scone/smooth yoghurt/fromage frais
  • Tea/coffee/squash/smooth fruit juice

• Tea
  • Meat/fish/egg dish
  • Potatoes (no skins)/chips/white rice/white pasta
  • Sponge pudding (no nuts/seeded jam)
  • Tea/coffee/squash

• Supper
  • Cheese on white toast
  • Bowl of cereal (e.g. cornflakes/rice crispies)
  • Tea/coffee/hot milky drink

Contact numbers

If you need further help or advice please contact:

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust 

Specialist Services Admin Hub

Telephone: 01429 522471

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm (excluding Bank Holidays)

References

1. Food Standards Agency (2014) McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods, Seventh Summary Edition. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry.

Information used in the development of this leaflet:

Gandy,J. (2019). The Manual of Dietetic Practice (6th Ed). Wiley Blackwell Ltd.

Comments, concerns, compliments or complaints

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