Best Diet For 48 Hours Before Colonoscopy

Most physicians will give you a strict diet regimen to follow before your colonoscopy. This usually involves avoiding high-fiber foods for several days before your procedure and an all-liquid diet the day before. The bowel preparation and restricted diet can cause anxiety in people awaiting the procedure who worry about the discomfort of the bowel cleanse and the limited diet preceding the cleanse.

The best diet a couple days before your colonoscopy involves eating a “low-residue” diet that limits high-fiber foods that cause undigested food or residue to stay in the colon for a prolonged period. Low-residue are foods that are easy to digest and do not have any skin, seeds, or whole grains.

The best diet a couple days before your colonoscopy involves eating a “low-residue” diet that limits high-fiber foods that cause undigested food or residue to stay in the colon for a prolonged period. Low-residue are foods that are easy to digest and do not have any skin, seeds, or whole grains. If you are anxious about your procedure, especially the bowel preparation itself, don’t worry! You have plenty of dietary options that will ease the process, cause you less discomfort, and help your physician have a clean slate to visualize your colon. 

Disclaimer: Your physician will give you specific directions about how to prepare for the bowel cleanse, including matching the foods and medications you need to avoid according to your personal medical history. This article is meant to inform you about what an ideal diet before a colonoscopy would look like and not as a specific diet regimen for you to follow. These dietary directions can only be provided by the physician who is performing your colonoscopy.  

What To Eat (and What to Avoid) Before Your Colonoscopy

The main purpose of the bowel preparation before your colonoscopy is to completely empty and cleanse the entire colon. Eating low-fiber foods for several days before your colonoscopy can make the process easier for you while ensuring there are no fiber residues left in the colon. You also will be asked to avoid several types of food and anything that contains red or purple food coloring (natural or artificial). 

What to Avoid

Several days before your colonoscopy your physician will ask you to avoid high-fiber foods and restrict your diet to proteins and foods that are easily digestible, well-cooked, tender, and peeled. In addition, there may be other restrictions to your diet which often include avoiding the following:

• Popcorn
• Coconut
• Corn
• Prunes or prune juice
• Raw or dried fruit
• Whole grains, including brown or wild rice, buckwheat, and cornbread
• Dry beans, peas, lentils, and tofu
• Tough, fibrous meat with gristle
• All berries, figs, dates, and raisins
• Any food that contains seeds or nuts
• Pickles, olives, horseradish, and relish
• Jam, marmalade, or preserves (especially with seeds)
• No red or purple (food dye) colored drinks or foods

Low-fiber Foods You Can Eat

Condiments

Mustard

Mayonnaise

Olive oil

Maple syrup

Honey

White rice vinegar

Jam or jelly (not red or purple and no seeds)

Sugar (white, brown, or raw)

Butter or margarine (non-hydrogenated oils)

Breads and Starches

Pretzels

Plain crackers

White bread, biscuit or roll

Potato roll

Skinless baked or cooked potato

White rice or noodles

White or refined flour pastas 

Cooked cereals like creamy rice

Crispy rice cereal or cornflakes

Meat

Ground, well-cooked and tender beef, lamb, ham, veal, pork, and fish

Skinless chicken

Skinless turkey

Milk and Milk Products

Sherbert

Low-fat cheeses

Custard

Smooth nonfat or low-fat yogurt (no seeds, berries, rinds, or nuts)

Fruit

Canned fruit (no pineapple)

Applesauce

Ripe bananas

Ripe melons

Vegetables

Canned or cooked vegetables without seeds

Green beans

Potatoes 

Carrots

Fruits

Strained fruit juice (no prune juice)

Canned, pureed, and soft fruit (except pineapple)

Ripe banana

Ripe melons

Sweets 

Gelatin

Hard candy

Plain cake or cookies

Plain pudding or custard

Sherbet

Popsicles

Low-fat ice cream

Other 

Eggs

Smooth nut butters

Canned tuna

Chicken noodle soup without vegetables

What Happens If You Eat Not Recommended Foods Before Your Colonoscopy

An inadequate bowel preparation can cause a number of problems, including the need for a repeat colonoscopy and possible complications during the procedure itself. High-fiber, high-fat, and complex protein foods take time to digest and may reside in the colon for several days if not adequately processed. These residual fibers are difficult to flush out of the system, even with the laxatives you are given the day before the procedure. Inadequate bowel preparation can have the following consequences:

• Increases difficulty and level of complexity of colonoscopy
• Extends time of the  procedure
• Inhibits the ability of your gastroenterologist to visualize the colon
• Patients will need to repeat procedure 
• Shortens the interval time between the next screening colonoscopy 
• Reduces the ability of gastroenterologist to identify polyps and abnormalities

Sample Meal Plan 48 Hours Before Your Colonoscopy

Breakfast

Bagel and cream cheese, banana with honey

Scrambled eggs, white toast, and jam

Greek yogurt with honey and bananas topping

Half cantaloupe filled with greek yogurt and topped with honey

Pancakes (not whole-grain) with maple syrup

Lunch

Chicken tenders (no skin), green beans, and potato roll

Turkey sandwich on white bread with provolone and pretzels

Tuna with olive oil and lemon juice on sourdough bread with vanilla wafers

Smooth peanut butter and honey sandwich, cottage cheese, and canned peaches

Dinner 

Cedar plank wild salmon (not farmed), cooked carrots, and Israeli couscous

Orecchiette with garlic and tender-cooked asparagus tips with olive oil and lemon

Grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes (no skins), and tender green beans

Spaghetti with mushrooms, olive oil and garlic, lettuce salad with dressing (no seeds), plain ice cream