When to eat low fibre foods
Sometimes a diet of low fibre foods is needed. An average daily intake of lower than 10 grams of fibre per day is recommended when you have acute bowel problems, such as abdominal pain, delayed gastric emptying, diarrhea, strictures, obstructions, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease. A stricture is when the intestine narrows, making it difficult for food to pass through, while an obstruction means that the intestine is blocked. When that happens, dietary fibre may irritate the bowel causing pain, as it is a bulky undigestible material. Dietary fibre can also slow gastric emptying. For people who have this problem, or those who feel full quickly, an ingestion of low fibre foods is recommended.
White bread is one of these low fibre foods
In the case of diarrhea, high fibre foods increase bowel movements, also improving diarrhea by absorbing some intestinal fluid. Most times, when having diarrhea, raw fruits and vegetables should be avoided, sticking the diet to white breads avoiding whole grains. For then, foods with an average amount of fibre such as oatmeal can slowly be readded to the diet.
Oatmeal can slowly be readded to a low fibre diet
When there are bowel strictures, obstructions, or diverticulitis, an ingestion of low fibre foods can help you control the problem. High fibre foods can cause a narrowing in the bowel to become blocked, also it can also happen that food particles get stuck in the diverticuli, increasing inflammation. Therefore, maintaining a diet rich in low fibre foods helps fighting back these situations.
When someone suffers from chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, a normal diet is usually used, while a low fibre foods diet is needed during a flare-up. Low fibre foods during a flare may reduce abdominal pain, improving dietary tolerance. Once again, raw fruits, vegetables and whole grains should not be ingested during this time.
Milk and dairy products (without seeds or nuts) are low fibre foods
Keep in mind that a diet of low fibre foods should only be used during a short time to help treat abdominal conditions that are acute, painful or uncomfortable. Once the condition passes, fibre foods should be gradually added back to the diet, so the digestive system can adapt to the dietary fibre.
Here’s a list of other low fibre foods you can eat while in a low fibre diet:
- Enriched white bread
- White rice
- Plain pasta, noodles or macaroni
- Cereals with no more than 1 gram of dietary fiber per serving
- Most canned or cooked fruits without skins, seeds or membranes
- Raw fruit without skin or membranes
- Fruit and vegetable juice with little or no pulp
- Canned or well-cooked vegetables without seeds, hulls or skins, such as carrots, string beans and peppers
- Tender meat, poultry and fish
- Eggs
- Smooth (creamy) peanut butter — up to 2 tablespoons a day
- Milk
- Yogurt or cheese without seeds or nuts
- Fats, oils and dressings without seeds
- Desserts with no seeds or nuts