Therapies Department- LUHFT
What is a Low Residue Diet?
A Low Residue diet involves avoiding certain foods high in insoluble fibre. These foods can leave a ‘residue’ within the bowel causing issues such as irritation or obstruct narrowed parts of the bowel.
There are two types of fibre including soluble and insoluble fibre.
- Soluble fibre aims to keep the stool soft and easy to pass.
- Insoluble fibre (typically foods with skins, pips, peels and seeds) aims to absorb water and adds bulk to the stool, leaving a residue.
Most foods contain a mixture of both types of fibre. We want to encourage as much soluble fibre as we can while eliminating insoluble fibre. If you are struggling with diarrhoea you may be advised to limit both types of fibre. Otherwise, we would encourage you to have a diet rich in soluble fibre to support the prevention of constipation and to encourage you to consume a wide range of nutrients. Please note it is important to still aim for a varied diet including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day to ensure you are getting adequate vitamins and minerals. See the recommended table below to guide you on appropriate options.
Why do I need to follow a Low Residue diet?
Your doctor or dietitian may ask you to follow this diet for several reasons:
- During flare ups of intestinal disorders such as Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis or Diverticular Disease.
- As a temporary measure following colostomy or ileostomy surgery.
- As part of the washout procedure for a colonoscopy or other pre-operative preparations.
- When there is stricture within the bowel, if you have bowel adhesions or narrowing of the colon.
- After duodenal stent placement.
- During periods of diarrhoea related to another cause.
How long will I need to follow a Low Residue diet for?
This will depend on the reason why you need to follow the diet. It could vary from a few days prior to surgery or up to several weeks or longer. Your doctor or dietitian can tell you how long to follow this diet.
What should I eat whilst following a Low Residue diet?
See the table below for guidance.
|
Food Group |
Recommended |
Avoid |
|
Breads/Starches |
Breads, starches and cereals made from white (refined) flour or Semolina/Cornflour.
For example: White bread White rolls White bagels White wraps Plain naan bread, plain chapatti, poppadoms White Pittas White rice Crumpets White pasta Plain noodles Cous Cous Gnocchi Tapioca
Plain muffins Pancakes Waffles Plain scones and pastries Cream crackers Crisp breads Rice cakes |
Any bread/starch product made from wholegrain/wholemeal flour, bran, rye, nuts, seeds or dried fruits, including wholemeal, granary or malt bread.
For example: Wholemeal/wholegrain breads/barms/wraps/bagels/pittas White versions with added fibre e.g. “best of both” Breads/Starches with added nuts, fruit or seeds. Whole wheat pasta Brown rice or wild rice.
Fruit muffins, scones, teacakes and pastries Ryvita Wholemeal crackers Rye crispbread Flapjacks |
|
Food Group |
Recommended |
Avoid |
|
Cereals |
Rice Krispies Cornflakes Frosties Sugar Puffs Coco Pops Ready Brek Porridge |
All Bran Bran flakes Wheat biscuits Shredded wheat Fruit and Fibre Muesli Granola and cereals with added fruit or nuts. |
|
Fruit
Please note: you can have any fruit, from both the recommended and avoid column, in a smoothie/juice as long as it is smooth without skin, pips, seeds or pulp. |
The following without skins, pips, peels and seeds:
Apples Ripe pears Plums Nectarines Peaches Apricots Melon Bananas
Tinned fruit Fruit juices without pulp |
Fruits with stalks, skins, seeds, stones and pips:
Berries Grapes Kiwi fruit Figs Oranges Rhubarb Pineapple Prunes Coconut Pomegranate Dragonfruit Passion fruit Mango
Dried fruit including raisins, sultanas and prunes. |
|
Food Group |
Recommended |
Avoid |
|
Vegetables Please note: you can have any vegetable, from both the recommended and avoid column, in a smoothie/juice as long as it is smooth without skin, pips, seeds or pulp. Strained vegetable juices with no pulp are also allowed. |
The following tender, well-cooked vegetables with no skin, seeds or stalks:
Carrot Swede Turnip Butternut squash Parsnip Beetroot Courgette (peeled and deseeded) Potatoes and sweet potatoes with no skin. Skinned and deseeded tomatoes Cauliflower and broccoli florets (no stalks) Avocado Aubergine and courgette (both deskinned) Sieved tomato sauces including passata and tomato puree. Well-pureed hummus, lentil soup sieved to remove skins. |
All vegetable stalks, skins, seeds and peel. Examples include:
Those with skins, seeds or stalks. Sweet corn Broad beans Runner beans Mange tout Sugar snap peas Spinach Mushrooms Peas Peppers Celery Lettuce/Salad leaves Brussels sprouts Cabbage Onions Radishes Artichokes Cauliflower Broccoli Leeks
Skins of jacket potatoes.
Beans, pulses, lentils, chickpeas and pearl barley.
Soup with pieces e.g. minestrone. Vegetable juices with pulp. |
|
Meat/Poultry/Fish/Alternatives |
All meat and fish products are allowed.
Tofu Meat alternatives Soya mince
Smooth patés |
Well-cooked/tough meat Bones and gristle should be avoided. |
|
Food Group |
Recommended |
Avoid |
|
Milk and Dairy Products |
All types of milk cows, goats, sheep's, soya, rice, oat and cream.
Yoghurts with no fruit or pips. All cheese and cream cheese. Butter and margarine. Custard |
Yoghurts containing nuts, cereal, seeds or fruit.
Cheeses that contain nuts, dried fruit or seeds. |
|
Sweet Treats |
Plain and Milk chocolate (without dried fruit and nuts) Boiled sweets
Cakes made with white flour (without dried fruit or nuts)
Plain biscuits e.g. Rich tea
Jelly (without fruit) Toffee, Jelly sweets, Marshmallows and Smooth nougat
Ice-cream Milk puddings Yogurt coated rice cakes |
Cakes made with wholemeal or wholegrain flour or with dried fruit and nuts. Wholemeal and wholegrain biscuits e.g. Digestives Biscuits containing dried fruit e.g. fig rolls
Cereal bars containing dried fruit and nuts
Jelly made with fresh berries Chocolate with nuts and dried fruit |
|
Savoury Treats |
Crisps Plain bread sticks Cheese straws Mini cheddars or TUC® sandwich biscuits Smooth dips e.g. smooth guacamole |
Nuts Popcorn Bombay Mix Dips that contain whole tomatoes, cucumbers, onions e.g. salsa, tzatziki Hash browns made with onion |
|
Food Group |
Recommended |
Avoid |
|
Condiments |
Seasoning and spices Honey Smooth nut butters. Lemon curd, marmalade and jam without seeds or rind. Tomato ketchup, tomato puree, passata, mayonnaise and salad cream. Cooking oils Gravy, marmite and Bovril |
Jam and marmalade with seeds or rind Coleslaw, relishes and horseradish Pickles and chutneys Crunchy nut butters. |
Example meal plan:
Breakfast:
- Readybrek or porridge served with peeled sliced apple, honey and smooth peanut butter.
- Eggs on white toast with smashed avocado.
- Grilled cooked breakfast (excluding tomatoes and mushrooms).
- Yoghurt served with tinned peaches and sliced banana.
Lunch:
- Carrot and parsnip soup served with a white barm and butter.
- White wrap with chicken, hummus, beetroot and cheese of choice.
- Jacket potato (without skin) with tuna/egg mayonnaise.
Main Meal:
- Tender meat/fish/alternative with white pasta tossed in passata, sprinkled with cheese of choice and garlic bread.
- Roasted tender meat/fish/alternative with root vegetables
( carrots/parsnips/butternut squash), mashed potato and gravy.
- Creamy fish/chicken/alternative pie with mixed vegetables (in recommended section) and mashed potato.
Suitable Snacks:
- Peeled fruit as detailed above.
- Yoghurt as detailed above.
- Rice cakes with sliced banana and smooth peanut butter.
- Cheese as detailed above with cream crackers.
- Crisps and corn snacks.
- Smoothie (with yoghurt and fruit of choice as long as it passes through a sieve).
See the low residue recipe diet sheet for further information.
Re-introducing fibre back into your diet:
If you have had symptoms of a flare up of bowel disease, diarrhoea or you have a stoma you should wait until your symptoms settle.
Please discuss re-introducing fibre back into your diet with your dietitian, stoma nurse or inflammatory bowel disease specialist nurse.
The reintroduction of dietary fibre should then be done gradually, as you may only be able to tolerate a certain amount of fibre in your diet. The aim is to identify a level of fibre that you can take comfortably.
You will be advised to add in one higher fibre food into your diet and seeing how this affects you after a day or two. If you have no symptoms or problems, you will be encouraged to try adding other higher fibre foods one at a time.
If you have symptoms of pain or diarrhoea this can indicate that you cannot tolerate this food and may need to avoid it altogether. With the re-introduction of fibre you may need to increase your fluid intake.
See the re-introducing fibre diet sheet for further information.
Do I require any nutritional supplementation?
If you will be following a low residue diet for a long period of time your dietitian may recommend a multivitamin supplement. If you have a small appetite your dietitian may recommend that you include a nutritional supplement product.
These are available on prescription from your General Practioner (GP) which your dietitian will arrange
.
Name of supplement: ……………………………………………………………………..
Quantity per day: …………………………………………………………………………..
Feedback
Your feedback is important to us and helps us influence care in the future.
Following your discharge from hospital or attendance at your outpatient appointment you will receive a text asking if you would recommend our service to others. Please take the time to text back, you will not be charged for the text and can opt out at any point. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.
Further information
If you need any further information please contact Dietitians
Aintree Hospital
Tel: 0151 529 3473
Dietitians
Royal Liverpool Hospital Tel: 0151 706 2120
Author: Therapies
Review date: November 2026
PI 3003 V1