Low-Fiber/Low-Residue Diet

by Scheinberg D

What is a Low-Fiber/Low Residue Diet? | Why Follow a Low Fiber/Low Residue Diet? | Low-Fiber Low Residue Basics | Eating Guide for a Low-Fiber/Low Residue Diet | Suggestions

What is a Low-Fiber/Low Residue Diet?

A low-fiber/low-residue diet limits how much fiber and residue-providing food is eaten. Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate in plants. The body cannot process it. Residue is the undigested part of food that makes up stool. Eating less lowers how much food passes through the large intestine.

Why Follow a Low Fiber/Low Residue Diet?

This diet may help ease gastrointestinal pain. It can help give the digestive system a rest. It may also help those with ulcerative colitis or Crohn disease. It may be used after surgery or with radiation therapy to the belly.

Low-Fiber Low Residue Basics

Fiber is in plant-based foods such as fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes. Some foods with fiber can still be eaten. But high-fiber foods need to be limited. The doctor or dietitian will advise how many grams to have each day.

To lower residue, foods with fiber, milk and milk products, and caffeine are limited. The limit is two cups of milk or milk products per day. Those who are lactose intolerant will need to stay away from milk.

This diet limits certain healthful foods. It may not meet all of a person's nutritional needs. The doctor or dietitian may advise vitamins.

Eating Guide for a Low-Fiber/Low Residue Diet

Food Group	Eat This...	Do Not Eat This...
Grains	Refined breads, crackers, cereals, pancakes, and waffles with less than 0.5 grams fiber per serving Pasta like macaroni, noodles, and spaghetti White rice	Whole-grain breads and crackers like whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye, and cornbread Whole-grain pancakes and waffles Whole-grain cereals like bran, oatmeal, and granola Breads and cereals with seeds, nuts, or dried fruits Whole-grain pasta Brown rice
Veggies	Well-cooked and canned veggies without skin or seeds Lettuce Veggie juice without pulp or seeds	Raw veggies Cooked peas, winter squash, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, baked beans, and corn Veggie sauces like tomato sauce Veggie skins like potato skin
Fruits	Canned or cooked fruit with skin (except canned pineapple) Applesauce Ripe bananas Ripe cantaloupe and honeydew melon Fruit juices without pulp	Raw fruit Dried fruit Prune juice Canned pineapple
Milk	Milk Yogurt Cheese, cottage cheese Ice cream Soy, almond, and rice milk Lactose-free milk Note: Limit milk and milk products to no more than two cups per day.	Milk products with fruit, seeds, or nuts More than two cups of milk or milk products per day Milk and milk products if you are lactose intolerant Milk products with dried fruit, seeds, or nuts

Meats and Beans	Well-cooked or tender beef, lamb, ham, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, and organ meats Eggs Smooth nut butters	Tough meats Meat with seeds like salami Dried beans or peas Seeds and nuts
Oils	Oil Mayonnaise Salad dressings without seeds	Salad dressings with seeds
Fats and Sweets	Butter, margarine Plain cakes, cookies, and pies made with allowed fruits and no nuts Ice cream and frozen yogurt (within two cup limit) Plain sherbet and fruit ice Plain hard candy	Candy, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods made with whole grains, seeds, nuts, coconut, or dried fruit
Other	Strained soups Plain gravy Jelly, honey, syrup Plain candy Salt, pepper, and herbs Ketchup Carbonated drinks	Marmalade, jam, or preserves Popcorn Pickles Coconut Coffee Tea

Suggestions

Here are some diet tips:

Read food labels:
- Look for items made with refined flour.
- Do not choose whole grain items.
- Do not choose foods with the word “whole” at the top of the item list (like whole-wheat flour).
Take off the skins of fruits and veggies before you cook them.
Limit fatty foods. They can increase residue.
Work with a dietitian to make a meal plan.

RESOURCES

American Society for Nutrition http://www.nutrition.org

Eat Right—Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics http://www.eatright.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada https://crohnsandcolitis.ca

Dietitians of Canada http://www.dietitians.ca

References

Irritable bowel syndrome: dietary management. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: https://www.ebscohost.com/nursing/products/nursing-reference-center. Accessed April 7, 2022.

Low residue diet. GI Society—Canadian Society of Intestinal Research website. Available at: https://badgut.org/information-centre/health-nutrition/low-residue-diet. Accessed April 7, 2022.

Low-fiber/low-residue diet. University of Michigan website. Available at: https://medicine.umich.edu/sites/default/files/content/downloads/LowFiberLowResidueDiet.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2022

Revision Information

Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review BoardDianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
Update Date: 04/07/2022

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

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