Tips on Colonoscopy Prep Foods: Beyond Jell-O and Gatorade

By Laura Scaviola

3 min read

Ah, colonoscopy prep. The mere mention of it probably makes you want to run and hide. Trust me, I've been there more times than I care to count. But here's the thing: with some clever planning and food choices, you can make this necessary evil a lot less daunting. So, grab a clear liquid and let's dive into making your next prep as painless as possible.

The 48-hour head start

Here's something your average prep guide might not tell you, but I will: my success strategy begins two full days before the procedure. While everyone else is frantically starting the day before, I've learned to breeze through prep day thanks to these two game-changing moves.

1. Low-residue for a cleaner scope

The day before my prep (so that's two days before the scope), I kick off a low-residue diet. This means saying a temporary goodbye to high-fiber foods, seeds, nuts, and tough meats.

Through my own experience, starting low-residue early has several benefits:

Gives my digestive system a head start on clearing out
Makes my actual prep day much more comfortable (read: less cramping and difficult blow ups)
Can lead to a cleaner colon, which means better visibility for my doctor and a potentially shorter procedure time

2. Pre-hydrate and feel better: Along with my low-residue foods, I start upping fluid intake.

Staying well-hydrated before prep helps me to:

prevent dehydration during the intense prep day
make the prep solution easier to tolerate
Keep electrolytes balanced, helping to feel less crappy during prep

The day before: clear liquid diet

Think "clear liquid diet" sounds about as appetizing as eating air? Let's flip that script. While my stomach might be doing its best whale song impression, I've actually tried a surprising variety of tasty options. Consider this a VIP menu for the day before – where "clear" doesn't have to mean "boring."

Savory saviors

Bone broth: This is my secret weapon. It's packed with protein and minerals, and it actually tastes like food. I swear by chicken bone broth. Sugar only takes me so far, so the protein in bone broth helps my energy, too.
Miso soup: If I'm craving something savory, this is it! Just make sure any solid bits are strained out.

Non-sugary drinks

Coconut water: Nature's electrolyte drink. Just make sure it's the clear variety.
Coffee or tea: Yes, I do have these! Just skip the cream and milk. Ginger tea can also help with nausea.
Avoid the bubbles: It’s best to avoid carbonated drinks during prep since they can cause extra gas and bloating. However, if I'm really craving that zingy soda taste, here's a little hack: mix a small splash of flat ginger ale into lemon gelatin. It gives you that zippy finish without the uncomfortable bubbles.

Prep day pro tips

The day is finally here. You've already got the basics down – comfy clothes, bathroom nearby, and a clear schedule. Now let's level up your prep game with some genius hacks that I swear by.

Chilled prep solution: It's easier to drink when cold and a lot less gross.
Treat yoself: Here's a little trick. I drink clear liquids out of a fancy glass. I'm talking about that beautiful crystal you never use, or that quirky novelty glass you got as a gift. Sipping bone broth from a martini glass or electrolytes from a fancy champagne flute can inexplicably lift your spirits.
Margarita mix chaser: Some preps can taste a bit salty. I think of this as the salt and lime combo.
Skin protection: Apply diaper rash cream preventatively. Trust me on this one. Your bottom will write you a thank you note later.

Final thoughts

Look, I know colonoscopy prep isn't fun. But it's a small price to pay for keeping our guts healthy. And with these tips, you can make it through with your sanity (mostly) intact. Remember, a thorough prep means a more effective colonoscopy. You've got this!

Oh, and don’t forget to plan your post-scope reward meal!

What are your go-to colonoscopy prep foods? Share your tips in the comments below! Let's create a prep survival guide together!

Treatment results and side effects can vary from person to person. This treatment information is not meant to replace professional medical advice. Talk to your doctor about what to expect before starting and while taking any treatment.

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Lcturner1983 Member
I just finished another colonoscopy about two weeks ago. This was my 4th since being diagnosed in 2015. I am now having to get one every 1 - 2 years because I guess if after about 8 years after diagnoses that's how often you have to get it done? I was curious about the bone broth because my 2nd colonoscopy I had accidentally had chicken stock instead of chicken broth and it turned out to be ok thankfully, but the nurse said that was a no no because the stock has more body to it and can create some stool in the colon?
Laura Scaviola Member
<inline-mention username="Lcturner1983" user-id="9916480"/> 1-2 years is typical even if you're in remission. I'm going for my 2-year this january. 😀 Not only is it a great way to check in on the disease and make sure it truly is inactive, but since we're at an increased chance for colorectal cancer that will be a checklist item to look for too. As for the bone broth, definitely heed the advice of your practitioners. Some bone broths are definitely more robust and cloudy than others. They'll have more particles(?) than others. So the clearest kind is best! Regular broth works well too!
judystamper Member
Good tip about low residue foods before the "clear liquids" day. However, I find it helpful to have the low residue foods for a week prior to the colonoscopy. I find it very beneficial to make my own bone broth for my clear liquids day(s). I usually need 2-3 days for eating clear liquids. I buy beef soup bones and roast them in my oven for 2-3 hours. I add a little Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master to the bones. After the first several hours, I add an onion, a few celery stalks, a few whole carrots, and a potato. I season the veggies with a little salt and pepper and some garlic powder. Adding these veggies adds flavor to the broth. Then add water to all of this and roast some more. I roast all of this for hours until most if not all of the bone marrow has cooked out of the soup bones. I eat the veggies before I start the clear liquids during the final prep day(s). I chill the broth and scrape off the fat that has risen to the top. The resulting clear broth is very tasty and is quite nutritious. There are new preps available that are much more tolerable than those in past that I have suffered through. Still, many preps suggest using Gatorade as part of the prep mixture. For me, I don't like Gatorade and most of it contains corn syrup which is a food allergy for me. So I use Pedialyte which has more electrolytes than Gatorade. Keeping it chilled makes any prep solution much more palatable. A palatable prep makes the whole experience easier. As with anything that concerns IBD, knowing your body, and how long you need to prep for the colonoscopy is important. The directions for colonoscopy prep are written for the common experience. We are all different. Know your body. 
1. christine.laaksonen Community Admin
 <inline-mention username="judystamper" user-id="2248832"/>, thanks so much for sharing some of your prep tips and ideas! Homemade broth sounds delicious and we really appreciate you taking the time to share how you make it. I usually think of something like that being too much work, but you made it sound like it's not too bad! The Pedialyte is a good tip too. I can't stomach Gatorade either (although it's not an allergy), so the Pedialyte is an appreciate tip, as well as keeping a prep chilled. You're the second person I've heard that from and I am storing that tip away for my next colonoscopy! Ultimately, you are so right that knowing your own body and how long you need to prep is important. What a helpful reminder that the directions are for the average or common experience and not everyone is the same. Thanks so much for sharing! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
2. Richard Faust Community Admin
 Hi <inline-mention username="judystamper" user-id="2248832"/>. First, let me echo Christine. Second, If you are interested in potentially more people seeing your recipe you may want to share it in our Stories section (absolutely no pressure to do so) at <a href='https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/stories' target='_blank'>https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/stories</a>. There it will be stand alone and will come up in searches on the site. Best, Richard (Team Member)