How To Follow a Low-Fiber Diet

Fiber is a vital part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. It helps keep your cholesterol and blood sugar in check, and it helps you feel fuller for longer. But in some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend a low-fiber diet, which consists of foods that are easy for your body to digest and absorb.

Who needs to follow a low-fiber diet?

A low-fiber diet may be recommended for the following conditions:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Diverticulitis
• Bowel obstructions
• Bowel surgery, like a colectomy or ostomy

“Being on a low-fiber diet can ease your IBD symptoms because your gut isn’t working as hard to break down food,” explains registered dietitian Kendra Weekley, RD, LD. “If you have strictures (a narrowing of the bowel) or anal fistulas (an abnormal passageway in your anus) from IBD, you want food to can be broken down into small particles so it doesn’t get stuck in your digestive system.”

And you may need to follow a low-fiber diet for a colonoscopy to help make sure your colon is clear for examination.

Diet details

Let’s take a look at what foods are low in fiber that you can enjoy, and what foods you should avoid.

Low-fiber foods

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber.

“Typically, when we talk about a low-fiber diet, we’re focusing on reducing insoluble fiber,” clarifies Weekley. “This type of fiber adds bulk to the stool, which can aid in motility, more complete and easier-to-pass movements.”

A good rule of thumb if you’re following a low-fiber diet? Opt for foods that have less than 1 or 2 grams of fiber per serving.

Low-fiber choices include:

• Soft fruits (such as canned fruits, and soft fruits with no skin or seeds, like bananas, melons and mangoes)
• Cooked vegetables (such as canned vegetables and cooked vegetables, like green beans, squash and carrots)
• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Dairy products (such as milk, cheese and yogurt)
• Smooth peanut butter
• White pasta
• White rice
• Baked items made with refined wheat or rye flour (like bread, crackers, bagels and biscuits)
• Cream of wheat
• Butter, margarine and oils

“The goal of a low-fiber diet is to keep everything soft and easy to digest,” says Weekley.

Foods to avoid

Weekley suggests avoiding the following foods if you’re on a low-fiber diet:

• Dried fruit or fruit with seeds and peels
• Raw, uncooked vegetables or vegetables with seeds and skins
• Whole grains (such as quinoa, bulgur and barley)
• Whole nuts
• Whole seeds
• Brown or wild rice
• Lentils
• Beans
• Crunchy or chunky peanut butter
• Popcorn
• High-fiber cereal (like granola, bran flakes and shredded wheat)

How to follow a low-fiber diet

If you and your healthcare provider decide you should follow a low-fiber diet, keep these tips in mind.

• Try meal prep. You may find that you’re feeling anxious about what foods you can and can’t eat, especially if you’re stressed or on the go. Weekley says prepping meals in advance (think smoothies and soups) is a great way to give yourself the space to think about what you want to eat and what ingredients you want to include.
• Don’t forget your fruits and vegetables. At first blush, you may think you can only eat white bread, chicken and rice. But Weekley emphasizes that it’s OK to have canned, frozen or steamed fruits and vegetables.
• Stay hydrated. You may experience constipation while on a low-fiber diet. Drinking water and staying hydrated are key.
• Keep it small. Try eating smaller portions, especially if you’re feeling bloated. Small, frequent meals can be easier on your gut — it doesn’t have to work as hard to digest your meal. Another pro tip? You can still make a complete meal, but split it in two. For example, if you have a whole bagel, eat half of it in the morning, and then have the other half a few hours later.
• Ease back into eating fiber. In most situations, a low-fiber diet is temporary. As you start adding fiber back into your meals, remember to go slow and add a little bit more each time. Otherwise, you may experience bloating and cramping.

It can be overwhelming to have to avoid so many types of food. Weekley’s suggestion? Work with a registered dietitian.

“A dietitian can help you figure out how to get a variety of foods in your diet,” she reassures. “And then, they can help you come off a low-fiber diet safely when it’s time.”