If you're reading this, it's likely you or someone you care for needs a low-fiber diet. This dietary restriction might be due to a risk of bowel blockage, recovery from digestive tract surgery, cancer treatment-related diarrhea, difficulties digesting your normal diet, or flare-ups in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
A low-fiber diet can be boring and bland, and is usually only needed temporarily until the gut is rested or a blockage is alleviated. Some individuals might require a low-fiber diet for a longer duration. These recipes aim to make the necessary dietary restrictions more bearable, suitable for both the patient and their family, by using flavors and ingredient combinations to get the best out of the limited repertoire of foods.
Always refer to professional guidance before preparing these recipes for yourself or anyone with low-fiber needs.
Understanding the Low-Fiber Diet
The low-fiber diet is an eating plan designed to reduce the amount of undigested food passing through the body. This involves limiting daily fiber intake to a maximum of 12 grams, avoiding foods with more than 2 grams of fiber per serving. The diet can promote the movement of solid food through the digestive tract, lessening the risk of bowel obstructions, especially when certain cancer treatments irritate the digestive tract or make it difficult to pass stool.
When following a low-fiber diet, it’s essential to stay hydrated to help maintain regularity. Limit beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup to 12 ounces per day. Raw and even certain cooked vegetables can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, so choose well-cooked vegetables and soft-textured fruits like melon and bananas. Avoid vegetables known to cause gas, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. If experiencing diarrhea, limit fats and oils to less than 8 teaspoons a day. Individuals who are lactose intolerant should take extra care when choosing dairy products, as they can worsen diarrhea.
Read also: High-Fiber Diet for Better Health
To stay healthy on a low-fiber diet, include a wide variety of foods, incorporating well-cooked vegetables and canned or raw fruits that are soft in texture. Small portions of fruits and vegetables can be enjoyed in smoothies, shakes, or soups combined with other nonfibrous ingredients.
Low-Fiber Dinner Recipes
Smoked Fish Pâté
This recipe is simple and tasty.
Ingredients:
- Smoked fish (haddock, gurnard, hake, or coley work well in the UK)
- Eggs
- Cream
- Soft lettuce (like salade mache)
- Lemon wedge
Instructions:
- Blend the smoked fish in a food processor.
- Add one-third of the beaten egg mixture and one-third of the cream, blending until smooth.
- Put the mixture into ramekins.
- Place the ramekins into a roasting tray and pour boiling water into the tray, coming up about two-thirds of the way.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 200C/400F for 30 minutes.
- To serve, turn upside down on a plate and garnish with soft lettuce and a lemon wedge.
Miso Glazed Fish
This glaze is also superb on baked aubergine/eggplant.
Ingredients:
- Firm white fish (haddock, gurnard, hake, or coley)
- Miso (fermented rice or barley plus soybeans)
- Brown sugar
- Other glaze ingredients
Instructions:
- Mix together the glaze ingredients until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.
- Brush most of the glaze on both sides of the fish and leave to marinate for half an hour.
- Preheat your grill/broiler and place the fish on a baking tray.
- Pop under the heat until the tops are starting to brown and the glaze caramelizes - watch it to make sure it doesn’t burn - about three minutes.
- Take the fish from the grill/broiler, brush with the remaining glaze.
- Either turn the heat to 180C/375C, or lightly cover the fish with foil (not touching the fish) and put on a lower rack, and cook until the fish is cooked through but still moist - about five minutes.
Baked Aubergine/Eggplant with Miso Glaze
Ingredients:
- Aubergine/Eggplant
- Miso glaze (as prepared above)
- Oil
Instructions:
- Slice an aubergine in half lengthways and slash a diamond pattern into the flesh (not cutting the skin).
- Oil and bake in a medium-hot oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread over the miso glaze.
- Place under a hot grill/broiler until bubbly.
Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
A quick, delicious, and low-fiber meal for the whole family. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- Fresh or frozen shrimp
- Oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Courgette/Zucchini
- De-seeded tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Parsley
- Dill
- Feta cheese
- Rice
- Lemon wedges
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large, oven-proof skillet (a cast-iron one is ideal) over a low-medium heat.
- Add the onions and sauté gently for three minutes, then add in the garlic and courgette/zucchini and sauté for a further three minutes, until everything is quite soft.
- Add the de-seeded tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill and a good splash of water and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add in the shrimp and allow them to cook through.
- Fish out the parsley and dill.
- Sprinkle over the crumbled feta cheese and pop under a hot grill/broiler until the feta melts. If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet just allow the heat of the dish to warm the feta; it will be nearly as good.
- Serve with rice and lemon wedges.
Low-Fiber Dessert Recipe
Baked Pears
A quick and extremely yummy pudding for the whole family.
Read also: Guide to Keto Fiber
Ingredients:
- Pears
Instructions:
- Drain the pears and lay in a pie dish or other ovenproof dish.
- Bake in a 200C/400F oven for 25-30 minutes.
Bread and Cheese Bake
This is a great dish for anyone who just wants a bit of comfort food - with a healthy streak.
Ingredients:
- Bread cubes
- Milk
- Crème fraiche
- Condensed Cream of Chicken soup
- Garlic powder
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Lettuce leaves
Instructions:
- Spray or paint a one-liter baking dish (approximately 27×18) with a little oil.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the milk, crème fraiche, soup, garlic powder and the eggs.
- Pour this mixture over the bread cubes.
- Gently press the mixture into the bread and allow to soak up for about five minutes (or don’t press it and leave, covered, overnight in the refrigerator).
- Sprinkle over the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving warm with a a very small bowl of lettuce leaves. Need more calories? Use full-fat dairy.
Low-Fiber Main Dish Recipes
Chicken or Turkey Stew with Mild Indian Spices
This recipe utilizes the aromatic properties of mild but highly-scented spices used in Indian cookery. The coconut milk adds further flavor without the fiber of coconut itself. Any leftovers can be thickened with cornflour and wrapped up in buttered phyllo pastry to bake into delicious strudel for a quick lunch the next day.
Ingredients:
- Coconut milk
- Mild Indian spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, mace, allspice, vanilla)
- Chicken or turkey
- Potato
- Onion
- Vegetable or chicken stock
- Cornflour/cornstarch (optional)
- White rice
Instructions:
- Put the coconut milk and all of the spices into a saucepan wide enough to snugly fit the chicken or turkey.
- Add the chicken and bring to a simmer; loosely cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Boiling, or fast simmering, toughens chicken.
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the heady milk for a further 15 minutes.
- Strain the milk from the chicken and spices, and pour the strained milk into another pan.
- Shred or chop the chicken and set aside.
- To the strained milk add the chopped potato and halved onion.
- Pour in enough vegetable or chicken stock to cover the vegetables and bring to the boil, then simmer until the onions and potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes.
- Discard the onion and add in the chopped chicken and reheat gently.
- If you would like a thicker stew, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour/cornstarch with a little water and add this to the stew, stirring to thicken.
- Serve with white rice.
"Pasta with Courgette Ribbons and Olive Oil Crumbs"
Ingredients:
- Pasta
- Olive oil
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic powder
- Courgette/Zucchini
- Herbs (for cooking pasta)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Make this simple dish even nicer by lifting the pasta out of the cooking water with tongs, rather than sliding it in a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the topping by heating the oil in a sauté pan and stir-frying the breadcrumbs and garlic powder until lightly colored.
- Now take the courgette and peel into thin ribbons.
- Slice these ribbons lengthways into three strips and drop into another pan of boiling water, cooking for 1 minute.
- Drain and refresh with cold water.
- Lift the pasta from the water, discard the herbs and add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and courgettes.
- Gently toss through before serving topped with the olive oil crumbs.
Pimiento Cheese Spread Sandwiches
This type of sandwich spread is common in the US ‘deep south’. It’s certainly not for slimmers but if you need to keep the weight on, or if you are looking for something to liven up a prescribed low-fibre or easy-to-swallow diet, this tasty spread smeared on white bread might just fit the bill.
Ingredients:
- Cheddar cheese
- Pimientos
- Mayonnaise
Instructions:
- Whizz everything up in a food processor and allow to ‘come together’ for 20 minutes before eating.
- Much tastier than the ingredients might suggest!
- Spread on white bread.
General Tips for Following a Low-Fiber Diet
- Hydration: Drink plenty of fluids to avoid constipation.
- Cooking Methods: Utilize kitchen tools such as an immersion blender, food processor, or juicer for creative ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables safely.
- Spice Usage: People on low-fiber diets are often advised to avoid spices; this isn’t strictly necessary. Many spices are not ‘spicy’: cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, mace, allspice, vanilla - to name just a few. Spices enhance the aroma and flavor of foods and these very traits are often necessary to make low-fiber diets more varied tasting.
Read also: Gut Health on Carnivore Diet