Low Residue Diet

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A low residue diet is characterised by being very low in dietary fibre and fairly low fat content. All other nutrition needs to be considered so there is no risk of deficiency. A low residue diet is not a long term diet and should only be viewed as a dietary treatment. It is used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis or other inflammatory bowel diseases during relapse in order to rest the bowel and try to bring on remission, prior to bowel surgery or any condition where it’s necessary for the intestines to be rested and to do minimal work.

A low residue diet does carry the risk of potential problems including, vitamin and mineral deficiency, constipation, bloating and abdominal pain. Only follow this dietary regimen under direction of your doctor or clinical dieitian, and only use it for a short period; it is not a long term diet.

The following is a list of foods which should be avoided and their acceptable equivalents:

Foods Allowed	Foods to Avoid
Cereals, Bread and Biscuits
Rice Krispies, Cornflakes	Wholegrain cereals e.g. All-Bran, Bran Flakes, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, Shreddies, muesli, porridge Cereals with added fruit and/or nuts
Sago, tapioca, semolina
Polished white rice	Brown rice
Cornflour, arrowroot, custard powder, blancmange
White bread	Wholemeal, wholewheat, granary, brown bread
Rice cakes (plain)	High fibre white bread
Products made with white flour:	Products made with bran, brown wholemeal and soya flour
Pastry	Wholemeal pastry and crumbles
Plain biscuits (sweet and savoury) e.g. Rich Tea,wafers, Cream Crackers, Custard Creams	Oatcakes, Ryvita, wholewheat crispbreads Biscuits containing fruit and/or nuts
Sponge cake or sponge pudding	Fruit cake, flapjacks, coconut cake, marzipan and other cakes containing fruit and/or nuts
Meat
All kinds of lean meat including offal and poultry
Fish
Milk - all types Cheese - all types Eggs
Yoghurt - natural or fruit flavoured	Yoghurt – with added fruit and/or nuts
Ice-cream	Ice-cream – with added fruit and/or nuts
Cream - single, double (in moderation)
Fats and Oils
Butter, margarine, low fat spread, cooking oils (in Fried foods moderation)	Fried foods
Fruit and Vegetables
Apples/pears – eating or cooking (no skin, core or pips)	All other fruit Dried fruits e.g. sultanas, raisons, currants, banana chips
Fruit salad/cocktail (canned) Grapes (peeled, no pips) Mandarins (canned) Melon e.g. Cantaloupe Peaches (fresh no skin, canned)
Cauliflower/broccoli florets (no stalks)	All other vegetables including peas, beans and lentils
Cucumber (no skin or pips) Lettuce (no stalks) Marrow, courgettes (flesh only)
Potato (no skin)	Potato skins e.g. jacket
Thick-cut oven chips	All other chips Crisps
Tomato (no skin or seeds) Tomato juice/tomato puree Carrots, swede, turnip (peeled) Carrot juice
Mushy peas (canned)	All other peas including processed, fresh or frozen
Tofu	soya beans
Sweets, Jam and Nuts
Sugar, syrup, honey, lemon curd
Seedless/shred less jams and marmalade	Ordinary jam and marmalade with peel, pips and seeds
Boiled sweets, mints, toffee, fudge	Toffee and fudge containing fruit and/or nuts
	All types of nuts, peanut butter
Drinks
Clear soups	Soups with added vegetables
Canned or dried soups with no added vegetables	e.g. spring vegetable, Scotch broth
Sauces not based on fruit or vegetables	All fruit and vegetable-based sauces
Gravy, Oxo, Marmite	Pickles, chutney

The following meal plan is an example of a low residue diet plan which can be used incorporating the above allowed foods. Vary food choices where you can, using permitted foods only. If your appetite is poor or your illness has caused you unwanted weight loss, then you may need to increase the portions. It’s important to drink plenty of water through the day. Check with your doctor or dietitian before following a low residue diet.

Breakfast	Cornflakes or Rice Krispies with milk + sugar White bread or toast with butter / margarine and seedless marmalade, honey or Marmite Fruit juice Mug tea/coffee
Mid-morning	2-3 Rich Tea biscuits Peeled apple Drink water
Lunch	Clear soup Sandwich: 2-4 slices white bread with butter/margarine + lean ham / chicken / tuna / cheese Yoghurt Fruit juice
Mid-afternoon	2-3 Rich Tea biscuits Peeled apple Drink water
Evening Meal	Chicken breast or white fish or lean meat White basmati rice or white pasta or peeled potatoes or mashed potato Small portion of cauliflower/broccoli florets (no stalks) Milk pudding, ice-cream or blancmange Fruit juice
Evening	3-4 plain rice cakes + smooth natural peanut butter Yoghurt Drink water

Plans for people with illness or medical conditions in no way should override advice provided specifically for you by your doctor, clinical dietitian or other clinician. We advise that you seek the advice of a suitably qualified physician before commencing any exercise regime, following any dietary or nutritional regimen or beginning the use of any dietary supplements, legal or otherwise. The information provided on the Website is intended as information only and does not constitute advice. Therefore, it must not be relied on to assist in making or refraining from making a decision, or to assist in deciding on a course of action.