What can I eat before a colonoscopy?
If you are asked to eat a low residue diet prior to your colonoscopy, here are some of the foods you can and cannot have. If in doubt, please check with your healthcare provider:
ALLOWED |
NOT ALLOWED |
---|---|
Bread and crackers |
|
Refined, white, wheat or seedless rye bread, rolls, melba toast, plain muffin, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, bread sauce, Yorkshire pudding, smooth biscuits (e.g. Rich Tea), water biscuits | Any breads or crackers which contain whole grain flour/ barley/ bran/ seeds/ nuts/coconut/dried fruit, cornbread, digestive biscuits; Ryvita, Vita Wheat, oat cakes, etc. |
Cereals |
|
Ready-to-eat cereals made from corn/ rice/oats e.g. puffed rice, corn flakes | Any whole grain or bran cereal; oatmeal; any cereal with seeds/nuts/coconut/dried fruit, shredded wheat, bran flakes, bran buds, muesli, granola |
Rice and Pasta |
|
White rice, refined pasta | Barley, brown/wild rice, whole wheat pasta |
Fruit and vegetables |
|
White or sweet potatoes (no skins) | Skins of potatoes |
Most canned or cooked fruits without seeds or skin Strained fruit juice Ripe bananas, avocado |
All fresh fruit except bananas Dried fruit and prune juice |
Most well-cooked vegetables (excluding the skins) Liquidised vegetable juices |
Raw vegetables and vegetables with seeds such as cucumber/whole tomatoes, winter squash, peas, sweet corn, mushrooms, celery. |
Dairy Products |
|
Milk, cream, cheese, cottage cheese, plain or flavoured yoghurt, butter/margarine | Cheeses containing seed/nuts. Yoghurts with berries or seeds. |
Meat, Fish, Poultry & Meat substitutes |
|
Boiled or steamed meat/fish Shellfish Eggs Smooth peanut butter Tofu |
Red meat, hot dogs or sausages; any meat prepared with whole grain ingredients, seeds or nuts; dried beans, chickpeas, peas; pulses (including lentils); chunky peanut butter |
Soups |
|
Strained milk or cream soups Broth soups such as chicken noodle/chicken rice, clear and pureed soups, consommé Marmite, Oxo, Bovril |
Soups containing lentils, beans, split peas, whole tomatoes or any other not allowed ingredients |
Desserts |
|
Custard Ice-cream Sorbet Soya milk Milk puddings Plain cakes/scones Seedless jam Chocolate Jelly (any colour except red/purple) |
Anything containing fruits/nuts, popcorn, chocolate and toffee with dried fruit and nuts. Cakes/ puddings/ pies containing wholemeal flour/ dried fruits/nuts/coconut and other fruits which are not allowed |
Beverages |
|
Apple juice/tomato juice Fizzy drinks, mineral water Weak tea/coffee Bovril or clear soups Hot chocolate |
Strong tea/coffee Drinks with red/purple dye Fruit juice with pulp or bits |
Miscellaneous |
|
Sugar/honey/golden syrup Tomato sauce Soy sauce Glucose in small amounts Boiled sweets (not the red or purple ones). Toffees |
Jam with skin, peel or pips. Herbs with stalks and leaves (remove before eating) Excess pepper, curry, chilli powder and mustard Pickles, relishes, horseradish |
Clear fluids before a colonoscopy
Expect to be asked to drink clear fluids for a day before your colonoscopy.