News

February 21, 2021

Low Insoluble Fibre Diet

• A lower insoluble fibre diet may be needed if you have narrowed portions of your bowel (from adhesions or strictures), are recovering from ostomy surgery, or have frequent loose bowel movements
• Insoluble fibre is commonly found in whole grains, bran, legumes, nuts, seeds, peels/skins, and stringy and/or tough vegetables and fruits
• If symptoms persist despite sticking to the recommended foods, cooking and blending/pureeing foods may help

 

Food Group Foods Recommended Foods to Limit
Vegetables
  • Well cooked and with seeds and skins/peels removed:
    Beets, broccoli florets, carrots, cauliflower florets, eggplant, garlic, jicama, potatoes (white and sweet), parsnip, pumpkin, rutabaga, squash (except spaghetti), turnip, wax beans (green and yellow), zucchini.
  • All vegetable juices
  • Small amounts of cooked diced onion, shallots
  • Other: cucumber, tomatoes, tomato sauce, roasted red pepper (all without skins and seeds)
  • Artichoke, arugula, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, beet greens, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celeriac, celery, collard greens, corn, fennel, fiddleheads, green onion, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, peas, peppers, radish, snap peas, snow peas, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress

*If consuming the above, they should be juiced or blended/pureed until very smooth
Fruits
  • Without seeds, skins/peels and membranes
    apple, apricots, avocado, banana, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, mango, melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, persimmon, plums
  • All fruit juices
  • Blackberries, blueberries, cherries, coconut meat, cranberries, dragon fruit, figs, grapes, kiwifruit, olives, passion fruit, pineapple, pomegranate, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries

*If consuming the above, they should be juiced or blended/pureed and then strained to remove any seeds or larger particles.

  • All dried fruit
Milk and Alternatives All milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese, and non-diary alternatives not containing nuts, seeds or restricted fruits All milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese, and non-diary alternatives containing nuts, seeds or restricted fruits
Grain Products
  • Breads, pastas, crackers and other baked goods made with the following flours: almond (blanched), arrowroot, corn, chickpea/garbanzo/gram, millet, oat, rice, semolina, sorghum, tapioca, white, white spelt
    Avoid if have added dried fruit, nuts or seeds
  • Cereals: if made with the refined flours listed above
    Examples: Cheerios®, Corn Flakes®, Crispix®, Rice Krispies®
  • Hot cereal: cream of wheat, farina, instant oatmeal
  • Rice: converted, parboiled, white
  • Other allowed grains: barley, fine cornmeal, cooked rolled oats, couscous
  • Breads, pastas, crackers, cereals and other baked goods made with: amaranth, bran, buckwheat, cracked wheat/bulgar, pumpernickel, rye, teff, whole grains, whole spelt, whole wheat or that contain dried fruit, nuts or seeds
  • Hot cereal: steel cut oatmeal
  • Rice: brown, wild
  • Other grains to limit: buckwheat, quinoa, wheat berries, whole amaranth, whole millet, whole spelt
Meat and Alternatives
  • Meat, poultry, fish, seafood
    Avoid fatty/tough cuts and skins if have adhesions or strictures
  • Eggs
  • Tofu
  • Smooth hummus
  • Refried beans
  • Legume based pastas
  • Smooth nut and seed butters (peanut, almond, pumpkin, sunflower, tahini, hazelnut)
  • Sausages or other processed meats with casings or skins
  • Jerky
  • Whole legumes (beans, peas, lentils, edamame, tempeh)
  • Whole nuts and seeds
  • Chunky nut or seed butter spreads
Fats and Oils
  • Butter, oils, margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressing (without seeds)
  • Salad dressing with seeds
Desserts and Snack Foods
  • Puddings, custards, ice cream, Jell-O, cheesecake, mousse, candies, marshmallows, chocolate with no nuts, seeds or dried fruit added
  • Baked goods made with allowed flours and no added nuts, seeds or dried fruit
  • Jellies, seedless jam, sugar and other sweeteners
  • Potato chips, cheesies, pretzels, saltine crackers, white rice cakes
  • Desserts with nuts, seeds, dried fruit or restricted fruits
  • Jam with seeds or peels, marmalade
  • Popcorn, corn chips, corn nuts
Other
  • Ground spices
  • Condiments: ketchup, mustard, vinegar, mayonnaise
  • Relish, olives, pickles, chutney, whole spices
Sources: Hamilton Health Sciences Patient Education-Low Fibre Diet; Niagra Health System-Low Residue Diet
Gina Almasan, RD