Purpose: The bland or soft diet is designed to decrease peristalsis and avoid irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Use: It is appropriate for people with peptic ulcer disease, chronic gastritis, reflux esophagitis or dyspepsia. It may also be used in the treatment of hiatal hernia.

The soft/ bland diet consists of foods that are easily digestible, mildly seasoned and tender. Fried foods, highly seasoned foods and most raw gas-forming fruits and vegetables are eliminated. Drinks containing Xanthine and alcohol should also be avoided.

Food Recommended	Foods to Avoid
MILK & DAIRY (2-3 servings each day)	MILK & DAIRY
All milk and milk products	None
Plain mild cheeses
Cottage cheese
VEGETABLES 3-5 servings each day	VEGETABLES
Mild flavored vegetable juices	Raw vegetables, dried peas and beans, corn
Cooked, frozen or canned vegetables as tolerated (asparagus tips, beets, carrots, green or waxed beans, mushrooms, pumpkin, green peas, white or sweet potato, spinach, summer or winter squashes)	Gas forming vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, cucumber, green pepper, corn, rutabagas, turnips and sauerkraut
Lettuce in small amounts
Salads made from allowed foods
FRUIT (2-4 servings each day)	FRUIT
All fruit juices	All other fresh and dried fruit
Cooked or canned fruit without skins, seeds, or tough fibers	Berries and figs
Avocados and bananas
Grapefruit and orange sections without membrane
BREADS AND GRAINS (6-11 servings each day)	BREADS AND GRAINS
White, refined wheat, seedless rye breads. Plain white rolls, white melba toast, matzo, English muffin, bagel, pita bread, tortilla	Seeds in or on breads, and crackers
Saltine, graham, soda or plain crackers	Bread or bread products with nuts or dried fruit
Cooked, refined cereals such as cream or wheat, oatmeal, farina, cream of rice. Dry corn and rice cereals such as puffed rice or corn flakes	Potato chips, fried potatoes, wild rice
Potatoes
Enriched rice, barley, noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, and other pastas
Couscous
MEAT & MEAT SUBSTITUTES (2-3 servings each day)	MEAT & MEAT SUBSTITUTES
All lean, tender meats, poultry, fish and shellfish	Highly seasoned, cured, or smoked meats, poultry, or fish. Corned beef, luncheon meats, frankfurters, sausages, sardines, anchovies, strongly flavored cheeses and chunky peanut butter are to be avoided.
Eggs, crisp bacon
Smooth nut butters
Soybean curd (Tofu) and other meat substitutes
Soups
Mildly seasoned meat stock, broth bouillon, or cream soups made with allowed foods
FATS & SNACKS (use sparingly)	FATS & SNACKS
Butter or fortified margarine	Highly seasoned salad dressings with seeds or pickle relish
Mild salad dressing such as mayonnaise, French or vinegar and oil All fats and oils	All sweets and deserts containing nuts, coconut or fruit not allowed
Sugar, syrup, honey, jelly seedless jam, hard candies, plain chocolate candies, molasses, marshmallows	Fried pastries such as doughnuts
Cakes, cookies, pies, pudding, custard, ice cream sherbet, and Jell-O made with allowed foods
MISCELLANEOUS	MISCELLANEOUS
All beverages as tolerated	Caffeine-containing beverages (coffee, tea, colas, orange soda, Dr Pepper)
Herb teas, fruit drinks	Alcoholic beverages
Iodized salt, flavorings	Strongly flavored seasonings and condiments such as garlic, barbecue sauce, chili sauce, chili pepper, horseradish, pepper, chili, powder and other highly spiced foods
Seedless jams, taffy, sugar, honey, jelly	Pickles, seed spices, olives, popcorn, nuts and coconut
Marshmallows, molasses	Aspirin and aspirin-containing medicines
Mildly flavored gravies and sauces
Pepper, herbs, spices, ketchup, mustard and vinegar in moderation

A low fiber or low residue diet limits the consumption of dietary fiber, oftentimes by placing restrictions on foods found to have high amounts, including certain fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole-grain products. This diet reduces stool size and frequency, particularly helping those suffering from flare-ups caused by Inflammatory Bowel Disease as it relieves the intestines from working as hard.

Low Fiber-Low Residue Diet (4-10 Grams Fiber)

Dietary fiber is the undigestible part of plants that maintains the structure of the plant. Dietary fiber includes cellulose, hemicel­lulose, polysaccharides, pectins, gums, mucilages, and lignins. Although they are chemically unrelated, they all resist digestion by the human body. It is this resistance that makes these fibers important in both the nor­mal functioning and in disorders of the large intestine or colon.

In certain medical conditions, it is important to restrict fiber. These include acute or subacute diverticulitis and the acute phas­es of certain inflammatory condi­tions of the bowel-ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. After some types of intestinal surgery, a low fiber, low residue diet may be used as a transition to a regular diet. A low-fiber diet may also be used for a period of time after a colostomy or ileostomy is performed.

Nutrition Facts

Depending upon individual food selection, the Low Fiber, Low Residue Diet is adequate in all nutrients (National Research Council’s Recommended Dietary Allowance). If the diet must be strict and followed over a long period of time, the intake of fruits and vegetables may not be adequate, and/or on a low residue diet, there may not be enough calcium included. In these cases, a multivitamin supplement or liquid nutritional supplement may be needed.

Special Considerations

If a low fiber or low residue diet results in abdominal cramps or discomfort, notify the dietitian or physician immediately.

A lactose-free diet means eating foods that do not contain lactose- a sugar that is found in most milk products. Some people cannot properly break down lactose or makes lactose that does not work properly. Some can eat small amounts of lactose without having symptoms, while others have to avoid it completely. 

Low Lactose Diet- Generally eliminates only milk and cow products. However, some can tolerate milk in small amounts (2 oz) throughout the day or as part of a meal. Some can tolerate small amounts of yogurt. These patients can experiment to find a level of lactose they can tolerate. It is generally better tolerated with a meal than by itself. Some people can build up their tolerance by gradually introducing lactose-contained foods.

Lactose-Free Diet– All lactose products must be eliminated, including foods that are prepared with milk, both at home and in commercially packaged foods. These people may be able to use 100% lactose-free milk or soy milk. Labels should always be read carefully.

Lactose Digestive Aids and Products- Many people can drink milk in which the lactose has been partially or completely broken down. 

Following a diet high in fiber has a wide range of benefits, including improving bowel Fiber is an ingredient in many common foods such as fruits, grains, and vegetables that our body cannot break down. Adding more fiber to your diet helps ensure that food is moving quickly through your digestive tract and consuming the proper amount of fiber daily along with adequate fluid intake enables your digestive tract to function properly. We recommend consuming 25-35 grams of fiber per day to help improve bowel and colon health. The proper amount of fiber has been shown to have many benefits, including decreasing cholesterol, improving glucose control, and may reduce your risk of high diverticulosis, colon cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Many fiber-containing foods also have good sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

INSOLUBLE FIBER SOURCES

Cellulose	Hemicellulose	Lignin	Bran
Apples	Apples	Bran	Bran
Beets	Bananas	Brazil nuts	Whole grains
Bran	Beans	Carrots
Brazil nuts	Beets	Cereals
Broccoli	Bran	Eggplant
Cabbage	Brussel sprouts	Fruits with edible seeds
Carrots	Cabbage	Green beans
Celery	Cereals	Mature vegetables
Cucumber skins	Corn	Peaches
Green beans	Leafy greens	Pears
Lima Beans	Pears	Peas
Pears	Peppers	Potatoes
Peas	Whole grains	Radishes
Peppers		Radishes
Vegetables		Strawberries
Wax Beans		Tomatoes
Whole grains		Tomatoes
Whole wheat flour		Whole grains

SOLUBLE FIBER SOURCES

Gums	Pectin	Mucilage
Barley	Apples	Psyllium
Dried Beans	Bananas
Guar gum	Beets
Legumes	Cabbage
Oatbran	Carrots
	Citrus
	Okra
	Peas

We recommend rotating the food and fiber types. In general, whole grain products have more fiber than refined grains. Gradually increase your fiber intake until your bowel movement are optimum for you (consult your physician for information and guidance). There are also many dietary supplements available for fiber if you are not able to get a properly balanced diet, but gas and bloating may worsen with intake.