Colonoscopy Prep Diet: A Simple Guide To A Clean Colon

Colonoscopy prep diets may not include the most exciting flavors or food items, but they’re not hard to follow. The trick is to keep your stomach at least a third full, while still keeping your body away from foods that might interfere with bowel cleansing medications.

Here’s what you can eat and drink before a colonoscopy, for your colonoscopy diet!

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Colonoscopy Prep Diet: What To Eat Before Colonoscopy?

Preparing for a colonoscopy requires you to follow a colonoscopy prep diet that cleanses your bowels.

1) Clear Broth

Clear broth is a good source of nutrients and can help you avoid dehydration. Make sure to drink at least two liters (about eight cups) daily.

However, remember that broth should be clear, not cloudy. If it's cloudy, it may be contaminated with bacteria or mold spores.

Drinking clear broth will provide a lot of nutrients. (Image via Unsplash / NK Lee)

If you're taking a probiotic supplement, take it at least two hours before or after drinking broth. Probiotics are good bacteria that help with digestion and may be able to interfere with the absorption of nutrients from foods.

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2) Black Coffee

If you're looking to cut back on the amount of caffeine in your diet, then black coffee is a good choice. It's also a good source of water and helps you lose weight by making you feel more awake and alert.

The caffeine in coffee can increase your metabolism and boost fat burning. It's also been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, liver disease, and some cancers.

Colonoscopy prep diet: Coffee helps in increasing your metabolism. (Image via Unsplash / Nathan Dumlao)

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3) Fruit Juice and Gelatin

The day before your colonoscopy, you should drink fruit juice and gelatin. You may also drink sports drinks if you want.

The instructions on the package will tell you how much to drink and when to stop drinking it. However, you should not eat solid food after midnight before your procedure.

Fruit juice and smoothies. (Image via Unsplash / Kimzy Nanney)

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4) Sports Drinks With Electrolytes

Sports drinks are a great way to get your electrolytes. If you're not exercising, you probably don't need them, but if you are, they can help with hydration and muscle function.

Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, and chloride -- all minerals that play an important role in keeping our bodies functioning properly.

When we sweat during exercise or have diarrhea (which can cause us to lose more fluids than usual), we may become dehydrated if we don't replace those lost electrolytes with something like Gatorade.

Colonoscopy prep diet: Increasing your water intake can help clean your colon. (Image via Unsplash / Levi Xu)

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5) Water

The recommended water intake is about two liters per day, but this can vary depending on your age and activity level. If you're not used to drinking that much water, start slowly and gradually increase your intake over time. Also, avoid carbonated beverages because they can cause bloating and gas in the colon.

Drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages will make it more difficult for you to follow the prep diet guidelines as they can irritate the lining of the digestive tract (also known as "gut").

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Getting ready for a colonoscopy is just part of the process, and it’s crucial to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible. It's also important to know how to prepare your body for this exam from a dietary standpoint.

This colonoscopy prep diet will help you specifically with this need. As a medically-endorsed prep plan, it will help cleanse your digestive tract and get you ready for the exam in just two weeks' time.