Low Fibre Diet

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What is a Low Fibre Diet?

Low fibre diet limits the intake of fibre which is the indigestible part of vegetables, fruits, beans and grains. Thus, this reduces the amount of undigested materials that passes through your large intestine. Low fibre foods are easy to digest, help to slow down your bowel movements and and reduce the stool bulk.

A low fibre diet may be recommended in the following situations:
  • Before and/or after elective surgery on your bowel.
  • To help the bowel rest during recovery from acute stages of diverticulitis, cuitis, intestinal obstruction or flares of inflammatory bowel diseases.
  • In some circumstances, it may be required long term to reduce blockage when there is a chronic stricture or an obstruction in the intestines (from non cancerous/cancer causes)

Low fibre foods often do not provide all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. As your digestive system returns to normal function, fibre can be slowly reintroduced into your diet.

Foods RecommendedFoods to Avoid
Vegetables
  • Vegetable juice, strained
  • Cooked vegetables with no skin and seeds:
    • Carrot, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato
    • Bitter gourd, bottle gourd, hairy gourd, winter melon
    • Cucumber, zucchini
    • Lettuce, long cabbage, round cabbage
    • Tomato puree / paste, with no seeds/ skin
  • Vegetable sauces
  • Salad/ raw vegetables
  • All stalks, skins and seeds
  • Green leafy vegetables e.g. chye sim, kai lan
  • Capsicum, chili, corn, peas, lady’s fingers
  • Mushrooms, fungus
  • Beetroot, lotus root, ginger, garlic, bamboo shoots
  • Pickles, preserved vegetables e.g. kimchi
Fruits
  • Fruit juice, strained
  • Fruits without skin and seeds:
    • Avacado, apple, pear
    • Banana, durian, peach, mango
    • Watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew
  • Coconut flesh, dessicated coconut
  • All fruits with skin, seeds
  • Berries e.g: strawberries, blueberries
  • Orange, mandarin, grapefruit,
  • Pineapple, dragonfruit, kiwi
  • All dried/ preserved fruits e.g. dried apricots, prunes, wolfberries
Rice & Alternatives
  • White rice/ porridge/ bread
  • Refined pasta and noodles e.g. beehoon, egg noodles
  • Idli, naan, thosai
  • Plain biscuits
  • Plain refined cereals e.g. cornflakes, rice bubbles
  • Brown rice/ porridge
  • Wholemeal pasta and noodles
  • Wholemeal/ wholegrain bread and biscuits, high fibre white bread
  • Bread / biscuits/ cereals containing dried fruits or nuts
  • Chapati, vadai
  • Bran, oats, muesli, granola, quinoa, millets
Meat & Alternatives
  • Fish, meats, poultry and seafood, well cooked and tender
  • Eggs
  • Tofu / taukwa
  • Yoghurt (plain/ with low fibre fruits)
  • Plain cheese
  • Tough/ deep fried fish, meats, poultry and seafood
  • Processed, cured meat e.g. sausage, lap cheong, salami
  • Beans & lentils
  • Nuts & seeds
Snacks & Desserts
  • Plain cake, plain jelly / soya bean curd
  • Dessert soups, strained
  • Sorbet, ice pops, ice cream with no nuts and fruits
  • Lollies, toffee, caramels, plain chocolate
  • Desserts containing fruits/ nuts e.g. fruit tart / fruit jelly
  • Dessert soups e.g. red / green bean soups, barley soup
  • Chocolate with nuts and fruits
  • Popcorn, potato/ vegetables/ fruits chips
Miscellaneous
  • Butter, margarine
  • Smooth jam with no seeds / pulp, Smooth peanut
  • Seasoning sauces e.g. soya sauce, oyster sauce etc
  • Salt, pepper
  • Plain tomato ketchup / chilli sauce / mustard
  • Jam with fruit bits & seeds
  • Crunchy peanut butter
  • Chilli sauce / mustard with seeds
  • Coconut milk / coconut cream
  • Dried herbs, garnish e.g. parsley, spring onions etc
Fluids
  • Water, coffee, tea
  • Milk, milk shakes, smoothies, yoghurt drinks, soy milk
  • Malted drinks e.g. Milo / Horlicks
  • Smoothies with seeds

*Keep in mind that this diet may cause fewer bowel movements and smaller stools. You may need to drink extra fluids to help prevent constipation. Drink plenty of fluid, including oral nutritional supplements, milk, soymilk and juices as mentioned above unless advised otherwise.

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