What’s a Clear Liquid Diet?
Consuming a clear liquid diet — along with prescribed laxatives — for the day or two before your colonoscopy helps clean out your intestines so your doctor has an unobstructed view of your colon, according to Harvard Health Publishing. This diet also provides some energy, electrolytes and hydration to compensate for the laxatives, per the Mayo Clinic.
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What then is a clear liquid? Any clear food or drink as opposed to one that is murky or opaque These liquids should not contain solids, like pulp in juices. Additionally, solid-free clear broths should be used for colonoscopies, such as soups without noodles or vegetables.
To start the process of emptying out your GI tract in the days leading up to your colonoscopy, you will usually also follow a low-fiber diet devoid of whole grains, nuts, and raw produce (Colorectal Cancer Alliance).
How do you tell if your liquid is clear enough? It should be see-through at room temperature, according to MedlinePlus.
The Purpose of a Clear Liquid Diet
It’s not just during colonoscopy preparation that your doctor may advise you to adhere to a clear liquid diet.
Here are some additional reasons you might temporarily stick to clear liquids, per the Mayo Clinic:
- to get ready for additional operations and surgeries, such as gastrointestinal tract surgeries and imaging tests, that call for an empty digestive system
- To recover from certain surgeries, like gastrointestinal surgery
- To help relieve digestive issues like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
1. Liquids That Aren’t Clear
According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, common items to stay away from include:
- Milk and other dairy products
- Coffee or tea with milk added
- Juice with pulp, like orange or prune juice
- Ice pops made with chunks of real fruit
- Soups with vegetables, noodles, rice or cream
- Anything pureed that is cloudy or creamy
- Though they might seem like clear liquids, stock, miso soup, and bone broth frequently contain tiny vegetable or fat particles that cloud the liquid, so you might want to err on the side of caution and avoid using them right before your colonoscopy.
- Alcohol (including beverages that appear clear)