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 dietitian, 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.
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.