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Information About Nonfiber Diets

Experts in the fields of medicine, nutrition and weight loss usually stress the importance of fiber in the diet. The reasoning is that fiber speeds through the digestive system and helps eliminate fats and harmful waste. Theoretically, fiber keeps all body systems -- the heart and blood vessels, immune system, lungs, digestive system, sensory organs and brain -- operating efficiently. However, the medical community seems split on the benefits of a nonfiber diet.

  1. Nonfiber Diets

    • Medically prescribed nonfiber diets seek to eliminate as much fiber as possible from a person's diet, and are usually recommended to treat colon disorders such as chronic diverticulitis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Nonfiber diets are also sometimes ordered for ileostomy or colostomy patients and patients with narrow esophageal or intestinal lumens. Some hospitals and doctors consider a nonfiber diet appropriate for all patients just before and just after abdominal surgery.

    Food Groups

    • A nonfiber or low-fiber diet contains all the food groups recommended for a balanced diet including breads, milk, meat, vegetables and fruits, but restrictions exist within most of the groups. Breads and crackers and other products must not contain whole grains; cereals must be soft or highly processed. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not included in the diet, nor is dried fruit acceptable, but canned and cooked products are generally tolerated. Some foods, such as corn, nuts and gas-producing vegetables, are not ever included.

    Those For Fiber

    • While one part of the medical field touts the low-fiber or nonfiber diet, another, more-vocal group is equally enthusiastic about adding fiber to diets. Many gastroenterologists -- doctors devoted to treating diseases and disorders of the digestive tract -- espouse this profiber view and insist that their patients who suffer from constipation, diverticulitis, colitis and other digestive problems add unrefined grains, raw vegetables, uncooked fruit and dried fruit to their diets.

    Those Against Fiber

    • Some in the medical field believe a high-fiber diet not only does not benefit the human body but it may also harm the body. While some studies report the health benefits of a high-fiber diet, other studies seem to turn up evidence refuting the benefits. Some doctors proclaim fiber's disease-preventing powers; however, other doctors dispute such powers. This negative view of the benefits of high fiber extend to the weight loss field, where dieters' experiences indicate no strong link exists to prove that an increase in fiber consumption leads to weight loss.

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