What to Eat After a Colonoscopy (Food List + Recipes)

A colonoscopy is a procedure performed by your healthcare provider to examine the inside of your large intestine, which is made up of your colon and rectum. 

During the medical procedure, a long, thin instrument called a colonoscope is passed into your colon. The colonoscope is a flexible tube that carries a camera and is also able to remove tissue from inside the intestine (although you won’t feel it due to the anesthesia that you will likely have before the test).

The purpose of the test is to look for any issues that may be causing bowel problems such as pain in the abdomen, bleeding, or persistent diarrhea. 

The test can be used to diagnose all sorts of conditions of the digestive tract, from ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease to colorectal polyps and colon cancer. 

The procedure may also be offered as a routine screening test for colorectal cancer or colon health once you reach the age of 50. See my list of the best lab tests for women.

A colonoscopy is usually performed while you are awake, but you are sedated to keep you relaxed. Although you might feel the tiny camera going in – and experience a little bloating when air is pumped into the intestine to help your doctor see your colon walls more clearly – you shouldn’t feel any pain.

Before your colonoscopy, your healthcare provider will give you instructions on how to clear out your colon (known as a bowel prep which will result in a bowel movement). This prep is very important, as your doctor needs to see the walls of your colon clearly and even small amounts of residue could make it hard to spot any abnormalities. 

Part of the process of emptying your colon and digestive system will involve eating only certain foods. Be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendation for what to eat before a colonoscopy.

You may also like my article with the best nourishing soft foods to eat after oral surgery.

Foods you can generally eat before a colonoscopy include:

• white bread, rice, or pasta
• cookies made with white flour (avoid any with nuts, seeds, or dried fruit)
• low fiber cereals
• plain meat (avoid sauces)
• cooked or canned vegetables with no skin or seeds (but avoid corn, tomatoes, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peas, squash, lima beans, and onions)
• smooth nut butters
• butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and vegetable oils
• clear soups, or strained milk-based soups
• custard, ice cream, plain pudding, sorbet, or sherbert
• Jell-O (with no added fruit – avoid any containing purple or red dye)
• drinks such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soda, fruit drinks or fruit juice (without pulp)

Your doctor will probably recommend that you don’t eat any solid foods at all the day before the colonoscopy. You are allowed to drink, but only certain types of drinks – usually clear liquids – are suitable. 

Once the colonoscopy is over, you need to make sure you replenish your stores of electrolytes and fluids, as the procedure is quite dehydrating.  

Along with having plenty of fluids, your doctor will probably recommend that you have some fluid-based foods, and may suggest a soft, low-residue diet. This will include dairy and foods low in fiber because they are easy to digest and therefore gentle on your colon. 

Try to keep meals light and frequent, rather than eating a lot in one go.

Good foods and drinks to choose from after a colonoscopy include:

• water
• electrolyte drinks or sports drinks
• herbal tea
• bone broth
• fruit or vegetable juices
• yogurt or other dairy products
• scrambled eggs
• soup
• white fish
• pudding
• applesauce
• graham crackers

See my recipes for Instant Pot Vegetable Broth, Crockpot Applesauce, or my list of anti-inflammatory vegetable juices. I also have a whole index of healthy soups and stews that you can choose from.

Essentially, for at least the first day after the procedure, you’ll want to focus on light meals with bland foods that are easy on your system.