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What to and what not to eat when following a low fibre diet

Food type

Foods to choose

Foods to avoid

Fruits

  • Any canned fruit which does not contain pips such as mandarins, peaches, pears, grapefruit

  • Smooth fruit juices

  • Stewed fruit e.g. apples, pears, plums (all without skins). Avoid stewing fruit with seeds e.g. raspberries

  • Properly ripened Fruit

 

  • Dried fruits, such as prunes, berries, raisins, figs

  • Fruits with seeds, tough skins, or membranes

  • Unripe fruit 

Vegetables

  • Small portions of boiled, well cooked vegetables (without skins, pips or stalks) 

  •  Vegetable juice without pulp  

  • Skinless and seedless tomato sauce e.g. passata or tomato puree

  • Raw or undercooked vegetables 

  • Salads 

  • Vegetables with skins e.g.

  • Pulses 

Milk and dairy products

  • Most dairy is fine, just take note of what foods to avoid

 

 

  • Cottage cheese containing vegetable pieces

  • Yoghurts with fruit/berries/muesli

  • Cheese with seeds, nuts, or fruit

  • Ice cream containing nuts

  • High fat foods containing lots of cream or cheese may not be tolerated

 

 

Cereals

  • Plain rice

  • Corn-based cereals

  • High sugar cereals are ok on a low fibre diet, provided you do not have another medical condition that means they are to be avoided

  • Wholegrain cereals

  • Bran or wheat-based cereals

  • You may not tolerate porridge but may find that similar finely milled/instant oat cereals are ok.

  • Any cereal containing fruit or nuts

Meat, fish and Alternatives

  • Beef

  • Lamb

  • Chicken

  • Fish (no bones)

  • Pork

  • Eggs

  • Tofu

Ensure that any meat products are lean, tender and soft

 

  • Tough meats with gristle and smoked or cured deli meats

  • Fish bones

 

Very fatty/oily meats may not be well tolerated so monitor your tolerance

 

Bread, rice and pasta

  • White bread

  • White rice

  • White pasta

  • Cornflour

  • Sago

  • Tapioca & semolina

  • Couscous

  • Polenta

  • Tortillas & tacos

In general any baked goods made from refined flours (white flour) will be fine 

 

  • Baked goods made with brown or wholemeal flour

  • Brown rice

  • Brown pasta

  • Any bread or flour products containing seeds, nuts, dried fruit

  • Pearl barley

  • Quinoa

 

Miscellaneous

  • Seedless, rindless varieties of jam & marmalade

  • Bovril

  • Marmite

  • Chocolate spread

  • Sugar, honey and syrup.

  • Most bottled sauces

  • Crisps

  • Plain crackers

  • Pretzels

  • Gelatine

  • Jams with seeds or peel

  • Chutneys

  • Pickles

  • Relish

  • Sauerkraut

  • Horseradish

  • Savoury snacks containing nuts

  • Wholemeal crackers

 

Nuts

 

 

  • Small amount of smooth nut butter if tolerated

  • Avoid all whole nuts or nut pieces

Beverages

  • Hot chocolate

  • Ovaltine 

  • Horlicks

  • Decaf drinks 

  • Flavoured water/squash

  • Milkshakes

  • Juice with pulp or seeds

  • Prune juice 

  • Caffeine

Desserts and snacks

  • Biscuits and cakes made with white flour

  • Plain puddings, custard, jelly, semolina, rice pudding

  • Ice cream and ice pops

  • Boiled sweets

  • Chocolate/toffee/fudge (without fruit/nuts)

  • Biscuits or cakes made with brown or wholemeal flour 

  • Desserts, puddings, biscuits/cookies or pies containing dried fruit, coconut, fruit peel or nuts e.g mince pies, fruit crumble etc

  • Chocolate/toffee/fudge with dried fruit, coconut, or nuts

Last reviewed 05 September 2024