Fibre in your diet
Last edited: 16/12/2022
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What is fibre?
Fibre is the structural part of plants which is not digested or broken down but passes through the gut, adding bulk to our diet.
Fibre in your diet
You may have been asked to follow either a high or a low fibre diet, depending on your medical condition. The information below should be used, along with advice from your dietitian, to help you make appropriate food choices depending on your symptoms and lifestyle.
Food group |
Foods which are lower in fibre – less than two grams of fibre per portion |
Foods which are higher in fibre – two grams or more of fibre per portion |
| Bread | White crackers, rice cakes, white bread, poppadums, white crumpets, small plain naan. | Wholemeal, granary and seeded breads, “50/50” or “best of both” breads. |
| Cereals | Cornflakes, Rice Krispies, Frosties. | Special K, Shredded Wheat, Shreddies, All Bran, muesli, fruit and fibre, granola, porridge, Weetabix. |
| Cakes and biscuits | Digestives, sponge cake, rich tea biscuits, shortbread, malted milk, jaffa cakes, chocolate chip cookies, malt loaf, apple pie. | Hobnobs, carrot cake, fruit cake, mince pies. |
| Pasta and rice | White rice, rice noodles. | White and whole wheat pasta, brown rice, other types of noodles. |
| Potatoes and potato products | Potatoes without skin. | Potatoes with skin, other potato products such as waffles, hash browns, chips and sweet potato. |
| Meat and fish products | All are lower in fibre unless they contain higher fibre foods listed here. | |
| Milk, dairy and eggs | All are lower in fibre unless they contain higher fibre foods listed here. | |
| Fruit | Cherries, tinned grapefruit, melon, apricot, apples, seedless grapes, lychees, peaches, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, plums, rhubarb, bananas, satsumas.
Fruits will be lower in fibre without their skins and seeds. |
Dried fruit, avocado, grapefruit, figs, blackcurrants, raspberries, pears, oranges, olives, gooseberries, coconut.
Fruits will be higher in fibre with their skins and seeds. |
| Vegetables and pulses | Lettuce, courgette, cucumber, cress and watercress, carrots, celery, beetroot, leeks, mushrooms, swede, onion, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, spring onion.
Vegetables will be lower in fibre without their skins and seeds. |
Broccoli, sweetcorn, peas and beans (all types), cauliflower, bean sprouts, brussel sprouts, cabbage, parsnips, lentils.
Vegetables will be higher in fibre with their skins and seeds. |
| Nuts | Cashews, pine nuts. | Almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachio nuts, walnuts, peanuts. |
| Miscellaneous | Soups (unless they contain pieces of higher fibre vegetables listed here), smooth jam, marmalade without peel, Marmite, Bovril, milk puddings, Quavers/Skips/Wotsits, chocolate (unless contains higher fibre foods listed here), boiled sweets, toffee. | Products containing any of the higher fibre foods listed above.
Pickles and chutneys. |
Contact us
Please contact the service though our Central Appointments Team:
0300 123 0861
kcht.centralisedappointmentteam@nhs.net
Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm
This information should only be followed on the advice of a healthcare professional.
Do you have feedback about our health services?
0800 030 4550
8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
Text: 07899 903499
kentchft.PALS@nhs.net
kentcht.nhs.uk/PALS
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Trinity House, 110-120 Upper Pemberton
Ashford
Kent
TN25 4AZ
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