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To do the colonoscopy, the preparation must start 3 days before, starting with a semi-liquid diet that progressively evolves to a liquid diet. This change in diet reduces the amount of fiber ingested, causing the stool to decrease in volume.
The purpose of this diet is to clean the intestine, avoiding the accumulation of feces and food residues, allowing, during the examination, to be able to correctly observe the intestinal walls and identify possible changes.
During the preparation for the exam, the laxatives recommended by the doctor or the laboratory where the exam will be performed should also be used, as they will speed up the process of cleaning the intestine. Learn more about colonoscopy and how it is done.
What to eat before colonoscopy
The colonoscopy diet should be started 3 days before the exam and should be divided into 2 phases:
1. Semi-liquid diet
The semi-liquid diet must start 3 days before colonoscopy and must be easy to digest. Therefore, it should include vegetables and fruits that are shelled, pitted and cooked, or in the form of apple, pear, pumpkin, or carrot, for example.
You can also eat boiled or mashed potatoes, white bread, white rice, biscuits, coffee and gelatin (as long as it is not red or purple.
In addition, lean meats such as chicken, turkey or skinless fish can be consumed, and all visible fat must be removed. Ideally, the meat should be ground or shredded to make digestion easier.
2. Liquid diet
On the day before the colonoscopy, a liquid diet should be started, including soups or broths without fat and strained juices diluted in water, to reduce the amount of fiber present.
You can also drink water, liquid gelatin (other than red or purple) and chamomile or lemon balm tea.
Foods to Avoid
The following is a list of foods to avoid in the 3 days prior to colonoscopy:
- Red meat and canned meat, such as tinned meat and sausage;
- Raw and leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and broccoli;
- Whole fruits, with peel and stone;
- Milk and dairy products;
- Beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, corn and peas;
- Whole grains and raw seeds such as flaxseed, chia, oats;
- Whole foods, such as rice and bread;
- Oilseeds like peanuts, walnuts and chestnuts;
- Popcorn;
- Fatty foods that linger in the gut, such as lasagna, pizza, feijoada, sausage and fried foods;
- Red or purple colored liquids, such as grape juice and watermelon;
- Alcoholic beverages.
In addition to this list, it is also recommended to avoid eating papaya, passion fruit, orange, tangerine or melon, as they are very rich in fiber, which favors the formation of feces and waste in the intestine.
Colonoscopy preparation menu
The following menu is an example of a 3-day diet with no residue for a good preparation for the exam.
Meal | Day 3 | Day 2 | Day 1 |
Breakfast | 200 ml strained juice + 2 slices of toasted bread | Strained apple juice without skin + 4 toast with jam | Strained pear juice + 5 crackers |
Morning snack | Strained pineapple juice + 4 maria biscuits | Strained orange juice | Coconut water |
Lunch dinner | Grilled chicken fillet with mashed potato | Boiled fish with white rice or Soup with noodles, carrots, skinless and seedless tomatoes and chicken | Beaten and strained potato soup, chayote and broth or fish |
Afternoon snack | 1 apple gelatin | Lemongrass tea + 4 crackers | Gelatine |
It is important to ask for written guidance with details about the care you should take before colonoscopy at the clinic where you are going to perform the exam, so as not to have to repeat the procedure because the cleaning has not been done correctly.
Other important precautions before the exam are to avoid food in the 4 hours before starting to use the laxative and only use transparent liquids, such as filtered water, teas or coconut water, to dilute the laxative.
After the exam, the intestine takes about 3 to 5 days to return to work.
What to eat after colonoscopy
After the examination, the intestine takes about 3 to 5 days to return to function and it is common to experience abdominal discomfort and swelling in the belly. To improve these symptoms, avoid foods that form gases in the 24 hours following the exam, such as beans, lentils, peas, cabbage, broccoli, cabbage, eggs, sweets, soft drinks and seafood. See a complete list of foods that cause gases.