It is important to prepare for your colonoscopy in the right way so that your doctor has a clear vision of your colon when he performs the exam. Part of this preparation includes the follow -up of a clear liquid diet before your colonoscopy by standing for foods such as broth, sports drinks and ice cream.
Following a clear liquid diet before a colonoscopy means that you should only have solid and pulp -free foods and that you can see through, like a light broth.
What is a clear liquid diet?
Consuming a clear liquid diet – as well as prescribed laxatives – for the day or two before your colonoscopy, helps clean your intestines so that your doctor has a clear vision of your colon, according to Harvard Health Publishing. This diet also provides energy, electrolytes and hydration to compensate for laxatives, according to the Mayo clinic.
So, what is a clear liquid? It is any food or transparent drink, instead of cloudy or opaque. These liquids should not contain solids, such as pulp in juices. Clear broths for colonoscopies must also be solid: for example, soups without noodles or vegetables.
You will generally take it out of a low fiber of whole grain fiber, nuts and raw products in the few days before your colonoscopy to take one step in ahead by emptying your gastrointestinal tract, according to the colorectal Cancer Alliance.
How to say if your liquid is clear enough? It should be transparent at room temperature, according to Medlineplus.
The purpose of a clear liquid diet
Preparation for colonoscopy is not the only time your doctor may recommend that you follow a clear liquid diet.
According to the Mayo Clinic, here are some of the other reasons that you can temporarily stick to the erased liquids:
- To prepare other procedures and surgeries that require an empty digestive system, such as imaging tests and surgeries of your gastrointestinal tract
- Recover from certain surgeries, such as gastrointestinal surgery
- To help relieve digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Erase liquids to try
Although a clear liquid diet limits what you can eat before a colonoscopy, you don’t just have to stick to the water and the light broth. Here are some other liquids and snacks adapted to colonoscopy, according to Harvard Health Publishing:
- Juice without pulp like white grapes or apple juice
- Electrolytic sports drinks
- Clear sodas like the soule
- Tea or coffee (without milk or cream)
- Fruit ice cream or ice cream
- Clear hard candies like lemon drops
- Gelatin or jel-o
- Soups and transparent broths such as vegetables, beef and chicken broth or broth
- Clear nutrition or protein drinks such as ensuring clear health, by UVA
Here is a typical day to eat with a clear liquid diet:
- Breakfast: Natural tea or coffee with clear nutrition or protein drink
- Snack: Vegetable, beef or chicken broth with an electrolyte sports drink
- Lunch: Clear nutrition or protein drink
- Snack: Gelatin or jel-o
- Dinner: Vegetables, beef or chicken broth
Warning
It is important to note that the clear liquid diet for colonoscopies is intended for short -term use only. Although it offers carbohydrates for fuel, it is very low in protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals, so you should not stay there for more than a few days unless your doctor recommends it, according to the Mayo clinic. And this type of diet should never be used for weight loss.
Options as well as possible in a clear diet
The tastiest food options depend on your preferences. For example, the best -to -taste broth for a clear liquid diet can vary depending on whether you prefer the flavor of chicken, beef or vegetables.
The same goes for the best JELL-O flavor, the variety of fruit juices and more. Our advice? Choose the clear liquids that are best suited to your taste buds. Just make sure to avoid red, blue and purple liquids (more about it later).
Liquids to avoid
