What Is a Low-Roughage Diet?
According to Mayo Clinic, a low-roughage diet is another term prescribed to a low-fiber diet. It indicates a nutritional regimen limited in foods that can clog digestion and create food bulk. This type of diet is generally recommended for people who have obstructed digestive tracts, perhaps the result of a bowel tumor or inflammatory disease. A low-fiber diet limits foods with more than 1 gram of fiber per serving.
Mayo Clinic lists foods to be avoided on a low-fiber diet to include whole wheat pastas and breads, whole grain breads and cereals, brown and wild rice, oats, barley, quinoa, raw fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts, popcorn, dried beans and lentils, coconut, dried fruits and prune juice. Some safer alternatives are white breads and pastas, white rice, crackers, canned and cooked fruits without the peels and seeds included, vegetable and fruit juices with almost zero pulp, eggs, tofu, meats that have been well-tenderized and creamy peanut butter.
Mayo Clinic adds that cooking methods can also affect how easily the body is able to digest certain food items. For instance, roasting, broiling or grilling foods tends to dry them out and makes them more solid. The best cooking methods for a low-fiber diet include simmering, poaching, stewing, steaming and braising, as these all assist in softening the food.
