Low fibre diet for a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or Colonoscopy

Low fibre diet before undergoing a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or Colonoscopy

This information describes a low fibre diet for patients who need to take bowel preparations prior to Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or Colonoscopy

What is a low fibre diet?

A low fibre diet is made up of foods that are easily digested and absorbed, leaving a minimal residue of matter in the bowel.

PLEASE BEGIN A LOW FIBRE DIET 3 DAYS BEFORE STARTING THE PRESCRIBED BOWEL CLEANSING MEDICATION!
(You will receive a prescription for this if you have not received one already.)

The following information can be used as a guide to a low fibre diet:

TYPE OF FOOD	FOOD PERMITTED	FOOD TO AVOID
Bread and cereals	Cornflakes           White Bread Rice Krispies       Bagels Special K             White Pitta Bread                  Naan, plain, Chapatti Pancakes Poppadoms        Corn /White Flour	Wholemeal, Granary, Rye, Fruit/Nut Breads, Fruit Muffins Fruit Scones Wholegrain Cereals including All Bran, Weetabix, Porridge Oats and  Muesli
Main meals	White Rice         Clear Soup Pasta                  Steamed Fish Noodles              Tender Meat Eggs                    Chicken Tofu	Sausages, Salami Battered Fish Pies Brown Rice
Fruit and vegetables	Mashed Potato Well Cooked and Sieved Vegetables (no peel) Pureed Pumpkin or Pureed Carrot Tinned Fruit Fresh Fruit – no Skin or Seeds	All Fruit and Vegetable Skins,- Stalks, Seeds Peel and Stones All Dried Fruit/ undercooked Vegetables Beetroot, Sweetcorn, Cabbage, Peppers, Tomato, Cucumber, Pulses – Beans, Peas, Lentils
Desserts	Plain Crackers    Rice Crackers Custard               Milk Pudding Jelly                     Plain Yoghurt Ice cream            Plain Cakes Meringues           Boiled Sweets Sweet Biscuits such as Rich Tea	Ice Cream containing Fruit/Nuts Dried Coconut Cakes, Puddings or Pies containing Wholemeal Flour, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Coconut
Extras	Honey              Golden syrup Lemon Curd     Marmite/ Vegemite Clear Jams       Butter Cream              Cheese Salt, Pepper, Vinegar Stock Cubes     Sugar	Chocolate, Toffee Popcorn Crisps Marmalade with peel
Drinks	Tea                     Lemonade Coffee                Soft drinks/cordial Milk Strained fruit /vegetable juice	No red or purple coloured Drinks ie Blackcurrant Smoothies
‘Clear fluids’ to drink once bowel preparation has commenced	Coffee or Tea (small amount of skimmed milk) Diet Soft Drinks: with artificial sweetener Clear Soups Clear Fruit Juice ie: Apple/White Grape Water – Orange or Lemon Squash may be added	See above

Suggested meal plan

Breakfast	Cornflakes, Rice Krispies or special K White Bread or white toast with butter or margarine, seedless Jam, or cheese. Boiled/poached/scrambled Egg and white toast Smooth fruit juice
Mid-morning snack	Peeled Fruit/ Tinned Fruit with Plain Yoghurt
Lunch	Jacket Potato (no skin) with tuna Egg/Cheese/Meat –Sandwich (white bread) yoghurt/jelly/vanilla ice cream
Mid-afternoon	Biscuits e.g. Rich Tea/Shortbread/Jaffa Cake
Evening meal	Meat/poultry/fish/ egg Mashed potatoes/ white rice/pasta Vegetables suggested from list above Plain yoghurt/milk pudding/plain sponge/custard

Please choose some foods from the suggested meal plan above or
choose from the guide table.

Please remember to keep portion sizes small and light.

It is very important to remember that after starting drinking your bowel preparation

YOU MUST NOT EAT ANY MORE UNTIL AFTER YOUR PROCEDURE IN ENDOSCOPY

Contacts

If you have any questions about the information given above please call one of the following teams:

• Medicines Helpline (9am-4pm) 01296 838220
• Stoke Mandeville Hospital Endoscopy Unit (9am-5pm) 01296 315220
• Wycombe Endoscopy Hospital Unit (9am-5pm) 01494 425710

Further information

See also information from our Nutrition and Dietetics team with further information about low fibre diets.