Low fibre diet
Read our guide below about to help you understand how to restrict your fibre intake for a medical reason.
You can also download a PDF version of this patient information by following the link on the right.
Who needs to follow a low fibre diet?
You may need to follow a low fibre diet if you have:
- bowel adhesions or narrowing of the colon
- during an active flare-up of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis
- diarrhoea
- excessive wind and bloating
- abdominal pain or cramping
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- a high output ileostomy/colostomy.
You may also need to follow a low fibre diet:
- before and/or after surgery
- after the insertion of a colonic stent
You will be advised exactly how to do this with the guidance and support of your dietitian.
What is fibre?
Dietary fibre (also known as roughage) is the part of food that can not be easily digested.
Our small intestine does not digest fibre. It moves into our colon or large intestine where some of it will breaks down. Fibre also helps our stools form a ‘bulk’ and makes them solid.
Different types of fibre
There are two main types of fibre – soluble and insoluble fibre.
Soluble fibre
It’s easily digested in our large intestines/colon and dissolves with water to form a gel.
Examples include:
- porridge oats
- the flesh of fruits, for example apples, pears and bananas
- root vegetables.
Insoluble fibre
It passes through our body without breaking down or absorbing. For example:
- the skins, pips and seeds of fruit and vegetables
- fibrous fruits and vegetables, for example, rhubarb, celery
- raw or undercooked vegetables
- vegetables that humans can not digest, for example, mushrooms, sweetcorn, lettuce and other salad leaves.
Tomatoes have the 2 different stypes of fibre. The fleshy part of the tomato has soluble fibre. This will dissolve in the large intestine and helps to add bulk to stools.
The seeds and skin of a tomato contain insoluble fibre. Your gut can not digest them.
What is a low fibre diet?
It helps you to reduce the volume and frequency of your stool. It also lengthens the time food passes through your gut.
How long will I need to follow this diet?
We usually only it for a short period of time. Your dietitian will follow your progress and advise you on the next stage of your treatment.
What foods do I need to avoid and what can I eat?
These include:
- the pips, skins and seeds of fruits and vegetables
- wholegrains
- pulses
- beans.
You must limit how many fruit and vegetables you eat. You must aim to have no more than 1 portion of fruit and 1 portion of vegetables each day. A portion is roughly 80 grams, or the equivalent of a handful.
You’ll find a full list of foods to avoid and which ones you can eat by food type below. Always choose from the ‘foods allowed’ lists.
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Apples (peeled) | Blackberries |
Apricots (fresh, peeled) | Blackcurrants |
Bananas | Blueberries |
Mango | Cherries |
Melon | Clementines |
Nectarines (peeled) | Coconut |
Papaya | Cranberries (fresh and dried) |
Pears (peeled) | Dates |
Peaches (peeled) | Dried apricots |
Plums (peeled) | Figs |
Watermelon (no pips) | Grapefruit |
Other | Grapes |
Fruit juice (no bits) | Kiwi |
Puréed, stewed or cooked fruit (without skins, pips or stones) | Mandarins |
Tinned fruit | Oranges |
Fruit sauces and coulis with pips removed (for example sieved), raspberry coulis, apple sauce | Passion fruit |
Pomegranate | |
Prunes | |
Raisins | |
Raspberries | |
Redcurrants | |
Rhubarb | |
Satsumas | |
Strawberries | |
Sultanas | |
Other | |
Fruit juice with bits |
Limit to 1 portion each day. All vegetables must be well cooked.
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Aubergine (peeled and deseeded) | Asparagus |
Avocado | Baby corn |
Broccoli (no stalks) | Bean sprouts |
Butternut squash | Beetroot |
Cabbage (white or green) | Bok choi |
Carrots | Broad beans |
Cauliflower (no stalks) | Brussel sprouts |
Celeriac | Beans (French, green, runner) |
Chilli purée | Celery |
Courgette (peeled) | Chicory |
Cucumber (peeled and deseeded) | Chilli (fresh) |
Daikon (Asian radish) | Coleslaw |
Garlic purée | Edamame |
Gem squash | Fennel |
Ginger purée | Garlic (whole, raw or undercooked) |
Horseradish purée | Gherkins |
Lemongrass purée | Ginger |
Marrow (peeled) | Globe artichokes |
Onion (well-cooked) | Jerusalem artichokes |
Parsnips | Kohlrabi |
Patty pan (peeled) | Leeks |
Peppers (peeled and deseeded) | Lemongrass |
Pumpkin | Lettuce |
Shallots (well-cooked) | Mangetout |
Spinach (well cooked) | Mushrooms |
Swede | Okra |
Tomato passata | Olives |
Tomatoes (peeled and deseeded) | Onions (whole, raw or undercooked) |
Turnips | Pak choi |
Smooth vegetable soups (made with allowed vegetables) | Peas |
Pickled onions | |
Radish | |
Rocket | |
Salad leaves | |
Shallots (whole, raw or undercooked) | |
Soya beans | |
Spinach (raw) | |
Spring greens | |
Spring onions | |
Sugar snap peas | |
Sweetcorn | |
Tomatoes (whole, with skins and pips) | |
Watercress | |
Other | |
All skins, pips and seeds | |
Tough stalks of vegetables for example cauliflower, broccoli | |
Raw vegetables | |
Soup with whole vegetables, for example, minestrone |
Foods allowed (breakfast cereals) | Foods to avoid (breakfast cereals) |
Coco Pops® | Cereals containing dried fruit, seeds or nuts |
Cheerios® | All Bran® |
Cornflakes® | Bran Flakes® |
Frosties® | Crunchy Nut Cornflakes® |
Porridge (plain) | Fruit n Fibre® |
Ready Brek® | Granola |
Rice Krispies® | Muesli |
Special K® (without berries) | Oats (raw) |
Breads (white only) | Porridge with berries |
Bagels (plain) | Special K with berries |
Brioche | Sultana Bran® |
Cheese scones | Wholemeal, wholegrain and bran cereals |
Crackers (without seeds and grains) | Weetabix® |
Crispbreads | Breads (wholemeal, wholegrain, granary, rye, seeded) |
Croissants | Bagels |
Crumpets (plain) | Crackers (wholegrain) |
Melba toast | Crispbreads (wholegrain or seeded) |
Muffins (plain, without berries) | Granary bread, rolls, baguettes, pitta bread, wraps |
Oat cakes | Malted bread (Soreen®) |
Rice cakes | Muffins (with berries or made with wholegrain flour) |
Scotch pancakes (plain) | Multigrain bread |
White bread, rolls, baguettes | Rye bread |
White pitta bread | Seeded bread |
White tortilla wraps | Wholegrain bread, rolls, baguettes, pitta bread, wraps |
Flour | Flour |
Chickpea flour | Bran |
Cornflour | Granary flour |
Cornmeal | Wholemeal flour |
Rice flour | Wholegrain flour |
Potato flour | |
White flour | |
Cassava (Garri) flour | |
Yam flour |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Buckwheat | Barley |
Hash browns (plain) | Brown pasta |
Jacket potato (no skins) | Brown rice |
Millet | Hash browns (made with onion) |
Noodles (egg, rice, vermicelli, udon) | Pastry (made with wholemeal flour) |
Pastry (made with white flour) | Pearl barley |
Plantain (peeled) | Skins of jacket potatoes |
Potatoes peeled white or sweet (boiled, mashed, fried or roasted) | Spelt |
Rice pudding | Wholemeal couscous |
Tapioca, sago, semolina | Wholemeal pasta |
Waffles | Wholemeal rice |
White couscous | Whole wheat couscous |
White pasta | Wild rice |
White rice (long grain, basmati) | |
Yams (peeled) | |
Yorkshire pudding (made with white flour) |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
All types of fish, meat and meat products (fresh, frozen, tinned) | Coarse paté made with onions |
Eggs | Convenience items which contain whole grains and vegetables for example, onions, peppers |
Quorn products | Skin and bones of fish |
Smooth paté or liver sausage | |
Soya mince | |
Tofu |
You must limit these to 25g per day
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Ground nuts | All beans (black, borlotti, cannellini, kidney, soya, baked beans, broad beans) |
Ground seeds | All pulses (lentils, yellow split peas) |
Marzipan | All seeds, for example, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, chia |
Smooth peanut butter and other nut butters | All whole nuts |
Smooth hummus | Chickpeas |
Crunchy nut butters | |
Hummus with whole chickpeas |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Butter, margarine, spread | Cheese (with nuts, seeds or dried fruits) |
Buttermilk | Ice cream and sorbet (with nuts, seeds, pips or whole fruit) |
Cheese (without dried fruit and nuts) | Yoghurt (with nuts, seeds, or whole fruit) |
Cream, crème fraîche | |
Custard | |
Milk (almond, cow’s, goat’s, oat, rice, sheep’s, soya) | |
Yoghurt (natural, smooth) | |
Ice cream and sorbet (no nuts and seeds) |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Boiled or jelly sweets | Biscuits containing dried fruit (fig rolls, Garibaldi®) |
Biscuits (rich tea, custard creams, malted milk, bourbon creams, Nice®, ginger nuts, shortbread) | Cakes made with dried fruit and nuts |
Cakes made with white flour (without dried fruit or nuts) | Cereal bars containing dried fruit and nuts |
Chocolate (without dried fruit and nuts) | Chocolate with nuts, seeds and dried fruit |
Jelly or milk jelly (without fruit) | Flapjacks |
Marshmallows | Fruit scones |
Pancakes | Hot cross buns |
Scones (plain) | Jelly made with fruit |
Toffee, fudge | Tea cakes |
Wholegrain biscuits (Hobnobs®, digestives) |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Cheese biscuits (mini cheddars, Ritz®, TUC® sandwich biscuits) | Bombay Mix |
Cheese scones | Dips that contain whole tomatoes, cucumbers, onions (salsa, tzatziki) |
Cheese straws | Nuts |
Crisps, tortilla chips | Popcorn |
Plain bread sticks | |
Smooth dips (taramasalata, smooth guacamole) |
Foods allowed | Foods to avoid |
Barbecue sauce | Chutney (with fruit) |
Bovril® | Jam with seeds |
Brown sauce | Marmalade with peel |
Dried herbs | Pickles and relishes |
Ginger, garlic, lemongrass, chilli, horseradish purée | Salad dressing made with wholegrain mustard |
Golden syrup | Stalks and leaves of fresh herbs |
Gravy (no onions) | Wholegrain mustard |
Honey | |
Lemon curd |
Maple syrup | |
Marmite® | |
Mayonnaise | |
Nutella®, hazelnut spread | |
Powdered spices | |
Salad cream | |
Salt and pepper | |
Seedless jam or marmalade | |
Smooth nut butters (almond, hazelnut, peanut) | |
Smooth chutneys |
Smooth mustard | |
Soy sauce | |
Tabasco® sauce | |
Tomato ketchup | |
Treacle | |
Worcester sauce | |
Vegemite® | |
What kind of meals can I eat?
You can eat things like:
- avocado on white toast
- eggs (omelette, scrambled, poached or boiled with white toast)
- cereal, for example, corn flakes, Rice Krispies®
- Ready Brek® or plain porridge
- natural yoghurt and fruit (from the allowed list – 1 portion per day)
- smooth yoghurt, fromage frais, Petit Filou®, Skyr® yoghurt, Coconut collaborative® natural yoghurt
- glass of fruit juice (no bits)
- milkshake (made with one portion of ‘allowed’ fruit only)
You can have:
- lancashire hotpot
- cottage pie / shepherd’s pie
- corned beef hash
- stews and casseroles
- grilled, roasted, sauteéd meat, fish or tofu
- minced meats, for example, chilli con carne (no beans) or bolognese
- macaroni cheese
- poached / grilled fish (no bones)
- fish pie, fish mornay
- tinned fish (tuna, salmon – no bones) with mayonnaise or sauce
- meat or fish curry (no onions or peppers or vegetables from the ‘avoid’ lists)
Serve any of the above with:
- mashed potatoes
- mashed sweet potatoes
- peeled boiled potatoes
- polenta
- white couscous
- quinoa
- white rice
- white pasta.
Always limit vegetables to one portion per day and choose from the ‘allowed’ lists
These include:
- eggs – scrambled, poached, fried or boiled
- omelette with cheese
- quiche (no onions or products from the avoid lists)
- soufflés, for example, cheese, salmon
You could also have white toast, crumpets, muffins or pitta bread with:
- tinned salmon or tuna with mayonnaise
- smooth houmous
- avocado
- cheese
- boneless sardines or kippers
- eggs
Sandwiches made with white bread, baps, bagels with:
- cold meats, for example, chicken, turkey
- corned beef
- paté and pastes ie. salmon, beef, chicken
- smoked salmon and cream cheese
- tinned tuna or salmon
- egg mayonnaise
- smooth hummus
- Marmite® or Bovril®
- smooth nut butters
- cheese or cream cheese.
Soup options include:
- chicken, oxtail, carrot and coriander, butternut squash
- wontons in clear soup or broth
Avoid soups with lots of vegetables or soups that contain beans or lentils
You could add a small portion of noodles or pasta to a smooth soup or broth.
Jacket potatoes (no skin) could include:
- cheese and butter
- tuna mayonnaise
- egg mayonnaise
- tikka or curry sauce
- coronation chicken
White crackers or breadstick options include:
- dips for example, sour cream, taramasalata, guacamole
- tuna, salmon or egg mayonnaise
- smooth hummus
You could also try avocado with flaked crab meat or prawns in a cocktail sauce.
Options include:
- milk puddings for example plain or chocolate custard, rice pudding, semolina, tapioca
- Sponge pudding or cake with cream, smooth ice cream or custard, for example Madeleines, Battenberg, Madeira, Angel Slices, caramel cake bars, mini chocolate rolls, lemon slices
- Blancmange, mousse, fruit fool, trifle (no pips), milk jelly, Angel Delight®, instant whip
- tinned or stewed fruit with added cream, yoghurt, crème fraiche, custard or ice cream (one portion of fruit per day)
- fruit crumble (no oats or dried fruit) with added cream, yoghurt, ice cream or custard (one portion of fruit per day)
- smooth yoghurt, fromage frais, egg custard, crème caramel
- smooth ice cream, sorbet, frozen yoghurt, Mini Milk®, Mini Magnum®
Options include:
- 1 piece of fruit (only one portion from the allowed fruit per day)
- plain biscuits for example rich tea, Nice®, malted milk, custard creams
- yoghurt or fromage frais
- spoonful of smooth nut butter, for example almond butter, peanut butter
- a portion of cheese
- a glass of milk.
It’s important to drink plenty of fluid each day to prevent dehydration. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of fluid a day.
This can include water, squash, juice, milk, tea and coffee. Always try to choose unsweetened drinks.
How and when should I reintroduce fibre to my diet?
This should be done slowly and with the advice of the dietitian looking after you. They’ll tell you when it’s safe to start eating more fibre.
When you’re allowed to relax your diet, start by introducing one food at a time.
About our patient information pages and leaflets
This patient advice is intended as general information only. We aim to make the information as up to date and accurate as possible, but please note that it is subject to change.
Always check specific advice on any concerns you may have with your doctor.
With acknowledgement to The Royal Surrey County NHS Foundation Trust Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for permission to reproduce this information.
Reducing associated healthcare infections
Find out how you can help to reduce healthcare associated infections when visiting hospital
Contact us
01296 315775