This leaflet answers common questions about low fibre diets. If you would like further information, or have any worries, please do not hesitate to ask your nurse or doctor.

In all cases, a doctor or a nurse will explain the diet to you and answer any questions you may have.

What is a low fibre diet?

A low fibre diet focuses on restricting foods which are high in fibre to improve bowel symptoms. In most cases a low fibre diet is required only temporarily, although some individuals may need to follow it indefinitely.  Please seek guidance from your doctor or Dietitian.

What is fibre?

Fibre is the roughage found in fruits, vegetables, pulses, and wholegrains. There are different types of fibre, including:

  1. Insoluble fibre - this is not digested by the body, and adds bulk to the stool helping to ‘clean’ the bowel
  2. Soluble fibre – this is easier to digest, absorbs fluid and softens the stool

This leaflet focuses on reducing insoluble fibre.

Why do I need to follow a low fibre diet?

High fibre intake is recommended for the general population because fibre helps to keep the bowel healthy and clean. However, in some medical conditions which affect the bowel, fibre (especially insoluble fibre) can further aggravate symptoms.

Examples of conditions:

  • Inflammatory diarrhoea (caused by a flare of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis, or because of pelvic radiotherapy or graft versus-host disease)
  • Bowel obstruction or stricture
  • High output stoma
  • Slow gastrointestinal transit

It is important to maintain a balanced diet especially if you follow a low fibre diet for more than a few weeks. You may consider taking an A-Z multivitamin and mineral supplement daily during this period, to ensure you do not become deficient in micronutrients.

Foods allowed and foods to avoid if you are following a low fibre diet

Bread, cereal, and flour-based products

Allowed

  • White flour
  • White bread, white pitta, chapatti and naan bread, white English muffins or crumpets, white plain bagels, white tortillas, poppadum, Yorkshire pudding, dumplings, pancakes
  • Sponge cakes, white scones and plain croissants without fruit and nuts
  • Refined breakfast cereal, such as Cornflakes and Rice Krispies with no fruit/nuts
  • White rice, white pasta, noodles, tapioca, semolina
  • Biscuits made with white flour such as rich tea, custard creams, shortbread, plain crackers

Avoid

  • Wholemeal, brown, granary flour or wheat germ
  • Wholemeal, best of both, 50/50, granary or rye bread, wholemeal chapatti and pitta
  • Muffins, cakes, scones, and pastries containing fruit/nuts
  • Wholegrain cereals such as Weetabix, All Bran, porridge oats, muesli, Shredded Wheat, Sugar Puffs, Fruit n’ Fibre or any cereal containing fruit/nuts
  • Wholegrain or wild rice, wholegrain pasta and noodles, couscous, pearl barley, quinoa, bulgar wheat
  • Cooled/ reheated rice or pasta
  • Wholegrain or fruit/nut biscuits such as fig rolls, Garibaldi, digestives, Hobnobs, flapjacks, rye crispbreads

Fruit

Allowed

  • Flesh only (peeled, skinless, seedless, tinned or stewed) fruits such as peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, plums, fruit cocktail, mango, lychees, apricots, plums
  • Banana, melon (no pips)
  • Fruit juice without bits/ pulp

Avoid

  • Any fruit with skin, seeds, pips, or pith
  • Raw, unpeeled apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots
  • Berries
  • Dried fruit
  • Figs, prunes, dates
  • Pineapple, passion fruit, citrus fruits, coconut
  • Smoothies

Vegetables

Allowed

  • Peeled, well cooked vegetables without stalks or seeds, such as courgette, aubergine, carrot, parsnips, asparagus tips
  • Stalkless, well-cooked cauliflower or broccoli (may cause increased wind) and well cooked, peeled beetroot (may change colour of stoma output)
  • Skinless and seedless cucumber and tomato
  • Peeled, boiled/ mashed potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, swede, turnip
  • Passata and tomato puree, or sieved tinned tomato/ sauce
  • Strained vegetable juices

Avoid

  • Vegetables which are raw, stringy, with skin, stalks, or seeds (except those included in allowed list)
  • Artichoke, cabbage, kale, celery, fennel, okra, peppers, peas, green beans, spinach, sprouts, sweetcorn, leafy greens, mushrooms, yam, cassava
  • Skin on or cold potato such as wedges and potato salad

Milk and dairy

Allowed

  • Milk and milk alternatives, cream, sour cream, crème fraiche
  • Smooth yoghurt and fromage frais without nuts/fruit
  • Most cheeses, cottage cheese without fruit

Avoid

  • Dairy containing fruit, nuts, seeds, or cereals

Meat, legumes, and nuts

Allowed

  • Tender, soft meat and fish
  • Smooth paté
  • Tofu
  • Eggs

Avoid

  • Gristly/ tough meat
  • Meat/ fish in wholemeal breadcrumbs or pastry
  • Fish skin and bones
  • Coarse paté
  • Beans, lentils, and chickpeas
  • All nuts and seeds
  • Plant based protein powders (pea protein, flaxseed protein)

Drinks

Allowed

  • Strained fruit and vegetable juices
  • Milk, milk alternatives, water, soft drinks
  • Tea and coffee (in moderation)

Avoid

  • Fruit and vegetable juices with pulp or bits
  • Fruit and vegetable smoothies
  • Prune juice
  • Large volumes of fluid if advised to follow fluid allowance (seek advice from your doctor or Dietitian)

Miscellaneous

Allowed

  • Seedless jam and marmalade
  • Smooth nut butter
  • Pepper, salt, herbs, and spices in moderation (dried or finely chopped)
  • Stock, miso, Marmite
  • Smooth sauces
  • Smooth or sieved soup
  • All fats including butter, oil, margarine
  • Sugar, honey, golden syrup, custard, boiled sweets, mints, toffee, caramel, marshmallows, chocolate
  • Sorbet, ice cream, jelly, rice pudding, semolina, tapioca, mousse
  • Crisps

Avoid

  • Jam or marmalade with seeds or peel
  • Crunchy nut butter
  • Stalks of fresh herbs
  • Fruit chutney, pickle, relish
  • Wholegrain mustard
  • Chocolate with fruit/nuts
  • Bombay mix
  • Popcorn

Example meal plan

Breakfast ideas

  • Rice Krispies with milk and banana
  • White bagel with cottage cheese, marmite, or smooth peanut butter
  • Scrambled/ boiled/ poached egg on white toast with spread

Lunch ideas

  • Sandwich with white bread and cheese/ ham/ egg/ tuna mayo
  • Creamy soup and white bread
  • Pasta with meat or creamy sauce and low fibre vegetables
  • Baked potato (no skin) with spread and cheese/ tuna mayo (no sweetcorn)

Dinner ideas

  • White rice with meat in smooth sauce and small portion of low fibre vegetables
  • Cheese omelette with skinless potatoes and low fibre vegetables
  • Noodles stir fried with tofu or fish and low fibre vegetables

Snack/pudding Ideas

  • Plain biscuits, crumpet with cheese or marmite, tinned fruit
  • Treacle sponge and custard, jelly, smooth yogurt

Reintroduction of fibre

You may be advised to reintroduce higher fibre foods within several weeks. Introduce gradually and observe your symptoms (for example stoma output). This will help you to rule out foods that make your symptoms worse. Add foods one serving at a time, for example a handful of fruits or vegetables, 1 to 2 slices of bread, or a tablespoon of nuts or dried fruits

Week one

Add one serving per day of fruit or vegetables with skin on.

  • Days one to three: try boiled potato with skin or other cooked vegetables such as kale, cabbage, celery, or leeks. Continue to avoid sweetcorn or peas.
  • Days four to seven: try raw apple, pear, peach, plum, or cucumber with skin

Week two

Add one serving per day of wholegrain cereal, pasta, rice, or bread.

  • Days one to three: try porridge, Weetabix, or Shredded wheat
  • Days four to seven: try wholegrain bread, pasta, or rice

Week three

If symptom free, add one serving per day of dried fruit, nuts, beans, pulses, or raw vegetables.

  • Days one to two: try raw peppers or leafy greens, or a smoothie made with 1 fruit or vegetable

  • Days three to four: try fruit cake or cereal topped with dried fruit and nuts
  • Days five to seven: try baked beans, sweetcorn, or lentils

High energy and protein low fibre diets

You may have been advised to follow a high energy, high protein diet. This is because weight loss during hospital admission and recovery can increase the risk of complications and infections and slow down the healing process. You may find the strategies below helpful to increase your calorie and protein intake whilst restricting fibre:

  • Eat small frequent meals with two to three snacks or nourishing drinks between
  • Chew food slowly and thoroughly
  • Don’t drink fluids at the same time as your meal
  • Use fortified milk in drinks and cereal, by mixing four tablespoons (50g) of milk powder into a pint of whole milk
  • Choose nourishing drinks such as hot chocolate, milky coffee, malted drinks, lassi and milkshakes
  • Add cream to soups, puddings, milkshakes, sauces, or mashed potato
  • Add cheese to soups, mashed potato, or pasta dishes
  • Choose full fat dairy such as thick and creamy yogurts or ice cream
  • Add butter to low fibre vegetables such as cooked and peeled carrots, courgettes, or potatoes
  • Spread butter or alternative generously on toast, chapattis, or sandwiches
  • Add smooth nut butter to cereals, stews, or sauces
  • Add custard to puddings
  • Include proteins from a range of sources, for example tofu, fish, eggs, or meat
  • Add extra sauces and condiments to meals such as salad cream or mayonnaise

If you notice weight loss, speak to your dietitian about ways to increase your calorie and protein intake. You may be prescribed nutritional supplements if you are unable to achieve sufficient intake through your diet alone.