Foods to eat before colonoscopy

People preparing for colonoscopy should eat liquid foods and foods low in fiber to help reduce indigestible foods and keep the colon clean to clearly observe lesions.

Colonoscopy is performed by inserting a flexible endoscope through the anus to examine the inner lining of the large intestine and rectum. The endoscopy method helps detect lesions inside the colon, especially early stage cancer. The procedure is performed when the colon is clean, helping the doctor easily insert the endoscope and clearly observe the lesions inside.

Doctor, PhD Vu Truong Khanh (Head of Gastroenterology Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi) shared that the emptyer the intestines are, the easier it is to check and observe. Therefore, before a colonoscopy, patients need to follow a diet as prescribed by their doctor.

Low fiber foods

Before a colonoscopy, you should eat low-fiber foods to help reduce the amount of indigestible food passing through your digestive tract. The large intestine contains less indigestible food, allowing your doctor to examine it more closely during the colonoscopy. Low-fiber foods should be eaten 2-3 days before the procedure, such as white bread, pasta, rice, peeled potatoes, well-cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, and well-cooked, soft poultry or fish.

You should avoid foods that hinder bowel cleansing such as foods containing seeds, whole grain bread, pasta, oatmeal, cereals, beans, brown rice, meat with cartilage, and foods high in fat.

You can eat soft rice 2-3 days before colonoscopy. Photo: Freepik — You can eat soft rice 2-3 days before colonoscopy. Photo: *Freepik*

Liquid diet

A liquid diet is recommended to be enjoyed one day before the endoscopy. They are easy to digest and leave little residue in the colon, helping to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in the days before and after the procedure. Some suggested liquids are water, apple or white grape juice, porridge, coffee or tea (no milk)... Liquids to avoid before the endoscopy are colored drinks, milk, smoothies, dairy products, orange juice, grapefruit, prunes...

Dr. Khanh noted that one day before the procedure, you should avoid hard foods, avoid drinking alcohol, and keep your body hydrated. 2-4 hours before the procedure, you should not drink or eat anything. Depending on the condition, the doctor will give advice and necessary instructions.

For patients who have a gastrointestinal examination and are indicated for colonoscopy, doctors will advise and guide in detail the steps to prepare for the colonoscopy. Patients following the dietary instructions is an important step to help the colonoscopy succeed. Diet and colon cleansing not only improve the accuracy of the colonoscopy but also reduce the risk of complications during and after the procedure. People with normal colonoscopy results will only need another colonoscopy after 5-10 years.

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