A restricted or a low fiber diet may be prescribed for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when there is danger of a blockage in the intestine (such as after surgery) or during a flare-up. A low fiber diet might need to be followed for several weeks and it includes more foods than the clear or full liquid diets.
A low fiber diet should only be followed under the supervision of a physician.
When following a fiber restricted diet, the following items should be considered:
- Use refined grain products in place of whole grain products.
- Avoid vegetables or fruits with skins, hulls, or seeds.
- All vegetables should be cooked (with the exception of lettuce) and without seeds.
- All fruits should be canned with the exception of ripe bananas, watermelon, and honeydew melon (with seeds removed).
- All whole nuts, seeds, and legumes should be avoided.
Milk:
Foods Allowed
Buttermilk, evaporated milk, skim, low fat and whole milk, powdered milk, plain yogurt
Foods Omitted
Fruited yogurt with seeds or nuts
Buttermilk, evaporated milk, skim, low fat and whole milk, powdered milk, plain yogurt
Foods Omitted
Fruited yogurt with seeds or nuts
Meat & Meat Alternatives:
Foods Allowed
Beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fish, eggs, cheese, veal, smooth peanut butter
Foods Omitted
Tough meats with gristle, crunchy peanut butter
Beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fish, eggs, cheese, veal, smooth peanut butter
Foods Omitted
Tough meats with gristle, crunchy peanut butter
Breads, Cereals & Grains:
Foods Allowed
Breads, rolls, bagels, muffins, crackers and cereals made from refined white flour; cooked noodles; and white pasta and rice
Foods Omitted
Breads, rolls, bagels, muffins, crackers and cereals made from whole grains; breads, crackers, cereals, and rolls with seeds or nuts; whole grain pasta, brown rice, popcorn
Breads, rolls, bagels, muffins, crackers and cereals made from refined white flour; cooked noodles; and white pasta and rice
Foods Omitted
Breads, rolls, bagels, muffins, crackers and cereals made from whole grains; breads, crackers, cereals, and rolls with seeds or nuts; whole grain pasta, brown rice, popcorn
Vegetables:
Foods Allowed
Vegetable juices without pulp; cooked vegetables without seeds; carrots, asparagus, waxed and green beans, eggplant, acorn squash, regular and sweet potatoes without the skin, turnips; tomato past and tomato sauce without seeds; lettuce
Foods Omitted
All raw vegetables except lettuce; corn, dried beans and peas, green peas, lentils, lima beans, potato skins
Vegetable juices without pulp; cooked vegetables without seeds; carrots, asparagus, waxed and green beans, eggplant, acorn squash, regular and sweet potatoes without the skin, turnips; tomato past and tomato sauce without seeds; lettuce
Foods Omitted
All raw vegetables except lettuce; corn, dried beans and peas, green peas, lentils, lima beans, potato skins
Fruits:
Foods Allowed
Juices without pulp (excluding prune) canned fruit, ripe bananas; watermelon & honeydew with seeds removed
Foods Omitted
Most raw fruits should be avoided such as dates, figs, prunes, apples, berries with seeds, peaches, grapes, pears, rhubarb, fresh grapefruit and orange slices, prune juice
Juices without pulp (excluding prune) canned fruit, ripe bananas; watermelon & honeydew with seeds removed
Foods Omitted
Most raw fruits should be avoided such as dates, figs, prunes, apples, berries with seeds, peaches, grapes, pears, rhubarb, fresh grapefruit and orange slices, prune juice
Fats:
Foods Allowed
Butter, margarine, cream, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, oil
Foods Omitted
Avoid all nuts, coconut, seeds
Butter, margarine, cream, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, oil
Foods Omitted
Avoid all nuts, coconut, seeds
Desserts:
Foods Allowed
Plain ice cream, sherbet, fruit ice, custard, plain pudding, hard candy, jelly beans; cakes, pies and cookies made from refined flour and with no fresh fruit or nuts
Foods Omitted
Desserts with fresh fruit, nuts or coconut
Plain ice cream, sherbet, fruit ice, custard, plain pudding, hard candy, jelly beans; cakes, pies and cookies made from refined flour and with no fresh fruit or nuts
Foods Omitted
Desserts with fresh fruit, nuts or coconut
Sample Menu:
Breakfast
- Grapefruit juice (4 oz)
- Banana (1/2)
- Rice Krispies (3/4 c)
- English muffin (1/2)
- Peanut butter, creamy (1 Tbsp)
- Low fat (2%) milk (8 oz)
- Coffee (1c)
Lunch
- Hamburger on bun (1) lean ground beef (3 oz), bun (1), ketchup (1 Tbsp.), mayonnaise (1 tsp.)
- Applesauce (1/2 c)
- Chocolate chip cookies, no nuts (2)
- Low fat/2% milk (8 oz)
Dinner
- Roast turkey breast (3 oz)
- Gravy (1 Tbsp)
- Mashed sweet potatoes (1/2 c)
- Green beans (1/2 c)
- Dinner roll (1)
- Margarine (2 tsp)
- Peach halves (1/2 c)
- Tea with lemon juice (1 c)
Snack
- Sparkling water with lime juice (12 oz)
- Shortbread cookies (3)
Sources:
Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology. "Soft and Mechanical Soft Diet." Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology 2008. 27 Feb 2013.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "Low-Fiber, Low-Residue Diet." Northwestern Memorial Hospital Patient Education Sept 2007. 27 Feb 2013.
