Nutrition Nutrition Low Fiber Diet Your doctor or registered dietitian may recommend a fiber-restricted diet if your gastrointestinal (GI) tract cannot digest fiber in foods. This type of diet is often used after GI surgery before patients return to their regular diet. A fiber-restricted diet also may be needed when treatment, such as radiation, damages the bowel or when the GI tract becomes irritated. A fiber-restricted diet limits the amount of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and grains that you can eat. It also limits to two cups per day the amount of milk and milk products, such as cream, yogurt, and cheese, that you can eat. Milk does not contain fiber, but it leaves a residue in the GI tract that can irritate the bowel and cause diarrhea and cramping. The diet also is helpful for the many cancer patients who have a hard time digesting the milk sugar, lactose. A fiber-restricted diet can be changed easily, depending on how you feel after eating certain foods. Use the diet in this booklet as a guide and discuss any changes with your doctor or registered dietitian. There may be times when a low-residue diet, which is more limited than a fiber-restricted diet, is needed. On the low-residue diet, you may be able to eat most strained vegetables and fruit juices, such as white potatoes without skin, and tomato juice. All other forms of vegetables and fruits may be excluded from the diet. The low-residue diet also limits the amount of fat and dairy products you can eat. Your doctor or registered dietitian will let you know if you need to follow a low residue diet. Your registered dietitian may gradually increase fiber and milk products in your diet according to how well you handle them. FIBER RESTRICTED DIET Suggested Meal Plan Breakfast 1/2 cup strained fruit juice * 1 egg 1 slice white toast 3 tsp. butter or margarine Jelly Snack 1 cup milk ** 1 serving allowed cereal Sugar Lunch 1/2 cup soup *** 2 oz. meat, fish, or poultry 1/2 cup allowed vegetable 2 slices white bread or roll 1 serving allowed dessert Snack 2 slices white toast 2 tsp. butter or margarine Jelly or honey Dinner 5 oz. meat, fish, or poultry 1 cup milk ** 3 tsp. butter or margarine 1 baked potato, without skin 1 serving allowed dessert 1/2 cup vegetable juice Snack 1/2 cup strained fruit juice 3 plain cookies * 2 servings of fruit / juices allowed per day. ** 2 servings of milk allowed per day. *** Count as 1/2 cup milk if made with milk. Above courtesy of N.I.H.