Patient Education Materials

Low-Residue/Low-Fiber Diet

A low-residue/low-fiber diet is for people who need to rest their intestinal tract. Chemotherapy treatments, radiation treatments, and surgery can cause trouble with digestion, especially for foods that are high in fiber. A low-residue/low-fiber diet limits the amount of food waste that has to move through the large intestine. This diet may help control diarrhea and abdominal cramping and make eating more enjoyable.

Points to keep in mind

• Avoid any food made with seeds, nuts, or raw or dried fruit.
• Avoid whole-grain breads and cereals. Purchase products made from refined flour.
• Do not eat raw fruits or vegetables. Remove skins before cooking.
• Limit milk and milk products to 2 cups a day. Use lactose-reduced milk or lactase enzymes if you are lactose intolerant.
• Limit fats since these can increase stool bulk.
• Avoid tough, fibrous meats with gristle.

Types of Foods	Foods to Choose	Foods to Avoid
Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta   6- 11 servings each day   Serving size: 1 slice bread 1 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta	enriched white bread, rolls, biscuits, and muffins waffles, French taost, and pancakes white rice, noodles, pasta, and cooked potatoes (no skin) plain crackers cooked cereals: farina, cream of wheat, and grits cold cereals: Puffed Rice, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, and Special K	breads or rolls with nuts, seeds, or fruit whole wheat, pumpernickel bread, and cornread potatoes with sin, brown or wild rice, and kasha (buckwheat) whole grain cereals, bran creals, granola-type creals, and cereals with nuts, seeds, coconut, or dried fruit
Fruit   2-4 servings each day   Serving size: 1 cup milk or yogurt 1 1/2 ounces cheese	strained fruit juice canned or cooked fruits without skins or seeds ripe banana soft cantaloupe and honeydew melon	prunes and prune juice raw or dried fruit all berries and raisins
Milk and Dairy Products   2 servings each day   Serving size:   1 cup milk or yogurt 1 1/2 ounces cheese	milk, plain or flavored yogurt, custard, and ice cream cheese and cottage cheese	yogurt with nuts or seeds
Vegetables   3-5 servings each day   Servings size: 1/2 cup cooked vegetables	strained vegetable juice well-cooked fresh or canned vegetables such as asparagus tips, beets, green beans, carrots, acorn squash (without seeds), pureed spinach, and tomato sauce lettuce, if tolerated.	raw or partially cooked (steamed) vegetables vegetables with seeds sauerkraut cooked peas, winter squash, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, baked beans and corn
Meats, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Peas, and Eggs   2-3 servings or a total of 6 ounces daily   Serving size: 2-3 ounces, cooked Count 1 egg, 1/2 cup cooked beans, or 2 tablespoons peanut butter as 1 ounce of meat	ground, well-cooked, tender beef, lamb, ham, veal, pork, fish, poultry, and organ meats eggs	tough, fibrous meats with gristle dry beans, peas, and lentils peanut butter
Fats, Snacks, Sweets, Condiments and Beverages	margarine, butter, oils, mayonnaise, sour cream, and salad dressing plain gravies sugar, clear jelly, honey, and syrup spices, cooked herbs, bouillon, broth, and soups made with allowed ingredients coffee, tea, and carbonated drinks plain cakes and cookies gelatin, plain puddings, custard, ice cream, sherbet, Popsicles hard candy pretzels	nuts, seeds, and coconut jam, marmalade, and preserves pickles, olives, relish, and horseradish all desserts contianing nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cocnut, or made from whole grains or bran candy made with nuts or seeds popcorn

 Sample Menu