What Should I Eat After a Colonoscopy?

Right after a colonoscopy, the doctors suggest that you should eat very little or not at all for few hours. It is important what you eat after a colonoscopy procedure. There are restrictions that you should eat some foods and should avoid the foods that irritate your body. So, let’s see what should you eat after a colonoscopy. 

What Is Colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy is an endoscopic screening procedure that is used to detect any abnormalities present in the large intestine or colon. In a colonoscopy, a flexible instrument is inserted in the body via the anus to examine the colon. 

In order to perform the colonoscopy, it is important to eat a restricted diet prior to the procedure so that your colon stays empty for the procedure.  

It is also important what you eat after a colonoscopy. It is recommended to eat those foods that are easy to digest and easy on the digestive system giving it time to start working again. 

So, let’s see what foods should be eaten after a colonoscopy.  

What Should I Eat After A Colonoscopy?

You should eat soft, low residue, and low fiber foods that are easy to digest along with the fluids to avoid dehydration. You should eat:

1- Liquids 

• Water
• Drinks with electrolytes
• Soups
• Broths
• Tea
• Fruit juice
• Vegetable juice

2- Soft Foods

• Mashed Potatoes
• Bland Vegetables
• Scrambled Eggs
• Apple Sauce
• Pudding 
• Popsicles 
• Gelatin
• Crackers
• White Bread
• Yogurt 
• Jell-O
• Apple butter
• Canned fruit
• Saltine crackers

3- Lean Protein

• White Fish
• Skinless Chicken
• Tofu
• Smooth nutty butter

There are many foods you should avoid after a colonoscopy. So. let’s discuss them.

What To Avoid After A Colonoscopy?

After the colonoscopy, you might get diarrhea or experience gas or discomfort. To aid healing, you should avoid non-lean protein, high-fat foods, and full-fat dairy as fats take more time to get digested and can cause digestive issues. Also, avoid high-fiber foods including some vegetables, whole grains, and nuts as fiber is hardly digested by the body and produces gas that worsens the symptoms. 

1- Non-Lean Protein

• Beef
• Mutton
• Chicken with skin

2- Fatty Foods

• Fried foods
• Butter
• Cheese
• Bacon 
• Fatty meats

3- Acidic Fruits

• Limes
• Grapes
• Plums
• Oranges
• Berries
• Pomegranates

4- Full-fat Dairy

• Full-fat milk
• Cheese
• Ice cream

5- Whole Grains

• Brown rice
• Whole grain bread
• Whole grain crackers
• Whole grain cereal and pasta

6- Raw Food

• Raw fruits
• Raw vegetables
• Nuts

7- Alcohol

Conclusion 

After you get a colonoscopy done, you should eat soft, low-residue, low-fiber foods that are easily digestible by the body like soft foods such as bland vegetables, scrambled eggs, etc., and lean protein. Drink enough water and liquids after a colonoscopy to avoid dehydration. You should avoid spicy, fatty foods, and high-fiber foods like whole grains, some vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, etc, and alcohol after a colonoscopy.