Written by Dr. Olga Bednarek
Category: Diets
Published: February 2, 2017
Fibre
Fibre is a substance found in vegetables, fruit and grains. It affects the movement of your digestive tract and also how you digest other foods. Fibre can make your bowel movements more regular and softer. The daily recommended amount of fibre is 20-35 grams. If the foods you eat are not providing enough fibre (look at nutrition labels on food packages), consider adding bran to foods you eat or using fibre supplements.
Source: UpToDate – Patient education: High-fiber diet (The Basics)
High Fibre Diet
The health effects of a high fibre diet may vary depending on the person and on the type of fibre eaten. Foods that are good sources of fibre include fruits (especially prunes), beans, and vegetables. Unprocessed wheat bran is a source which can be added to other foods (1 tablespoon = ~1.6 grams of fibre). Other supplements (for example, psyllium) are also available; these frequently come as powders that you can mix with water or other liquids.
Sources: UpToDate – Patient education: High-fiber diet (The Basics)
UpToDate – Patient education: High-fiber diet (Beyond the Basics)
Low-Residue Diet
Low-residue diets will slow down the movement of your digestive tract and reduce the amount of stool in your intestines. This is desirable after some major surgeries of your digestive tract, or if you suffer from recurrent bowel obstructions(1, 2). The terms low-residue diet and low-fibre diet are interchangeable. The suggested amount of fibre in a low-residue diet is a maximum of 10 grams of fibre/day (3).
If your doctor recommends a low-residue diet, foods you should avoid are those that are tough, stringy, and have skins or seeds. Some examples include:
- whole-grains and bran
- nuts
- corn
- sprouts
- popcorn
- coconut
Vegetables should be well cooked and all food needs to be well chewed (2, 4). For more detailed listings and examples of other foods that can be eaten or that should be avoided, take a look at the following resources:
http://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/documents/Patient%20Education/LowResidueDietFoods-trh.pdf
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/152473/gastro_obstruct.pdf
Sources: