To do the colonoscopy, the preparation should begin 3 days before with a food composed of liquid foods, such as soup of barley and seedless vegetables, with chicken or fish, crushed in the blender and cooked, at lunch and dinner.
What to Eat Before Colonoscopy
It is important to start reducing the consumption of fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and beans to help clean the intestines and ensure a good visualization of the intestine from the inside and facilitate the examination even before starting to take the liquid itself for cleaning the bowel which is prescribed by the doctor when the examination is marked.
In addition, 2 days before the day of the examination, only light and easily digestible foods can be eaten, leaving little residue in the intestine such as toast, jelly, gelatine, white bread, crackers, salt and corn, coconut water and teas and the day before the examination, the food should be liquid until 3h before the examination and then no more eats or drinks.
If you have questions about the procedure itself, understand the details of how the colonoscopy is done.
Colonoscopy preparation menu
The following menu is an example of a 3-day diet with no residue for a good test preparation.
| Meal | Day 3 | Day 2 | Day 1 |
| Breakfast | Natural skim yogurt + white bread | Apple peeled apple juice + 4 toast with jam | Pear juice + 5 biscuits salt water |
| Morning snack | Gelatine | Sour orange juice | Coconut water |
| Lunch dinner | Grilled chicken fillet with mashed potatoes | Fish cooked with white rice or Soup with noodles, carrots, skinless tomatoes and no seeds and chicken | Beaten and fried potato soup, chuchu and beef or fish broth |
| Afternoon snack | Pineapple juice coado + 4 biscuits Maria | Lemon balm tea + 4 water and salt biscuits | Gelatine |
It is important to ask for written guidelines detailing the care you should take prior to colonoscopy at the clinic where you will be taking the test so that you do not have to repeat the procedure because the cleaning has not been done correctly.
After the test, the bowel takes about 3 to 5 days to work again.
What Not to Eat Before Colonoscopy
The following is a list of foods to avoid in the 3 days prior to colonoscopy:
- Red meat and pickled meat, such as canned meat and sausage;
- Raw and leafy vegetables such as lettuce, kale and broccoli;
- Whole or shelled fruit;
- Milk and dairy products;
- Beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, corn and peas;
- Whole grain cereals and raw seeds such as flax, chia, oats;
- Whole foods such as rice and bread;
- Oilseeds such as peanuts, walnuts and nuts;
- Popcorn;
- Greasy foods that linger in the intestine, such as lasagne, pizza, feijoada, sausage and fried foods;
- Red or purple colored liquids, such as grape juice and watermelon;
- Alcoholic beverages.
Besides the list of forbidden foods, you should also avoid papaya, passion fruit, orange, tangerine, melon.
Important recommendations before taking the exam
Some important care for preparing for the exam:
- Do not eat food within 4 hours before beginning the laxative preparation for the exam;
- In addition to the laxative preparation, only transparent liquids such as coconut water, teas and clear, coarse juices can be ingested.
What to Eat After You Have a Colonoscopy
After the test, the bowel takes about 3 to 5 days to work again and it is common to feel abdominal discomfort and bloating in the belly. To improve these symptoms, foods that form gas within 24 hours of the test should be avoided, such as beans, lentils, peas, cabbage, broccoli, cabbage, eggs, sweets, soft drinks, and seafood. See a complete list of Foods that cause Gases.
