Patient education: Clear liquid diet (The Basics)

Why do I need a clear liquid diet? — Clear liquids move out of the stomach more quickly than solid food or other types of liquids. The stomach or intestines might need to be empty before a surgery, procedure, or test. Reasons for this include:

●To lower the risk of "aspiration" – This is when food or liquid from the stomach gets into the lungs. If this happens, it can be serious.

●To let the doctor see the inside of the stomach or intestines – This might be needed if you are having an imaging test, like an endoscopy. It will be easier for the doctor to see if you don't have food in your system.

●To make it easier for the doctor to do surgery on the stomach or intestines

You might also need to be on a clear liquid diet for a short time after surgery, or if you have had nausea or vomiting. Clear liquids help settle your stomach.

It is very important to follow this diet exactly. If you do not, the doctor might need to move your procedure or test to another time.

What can I eat and drink on a clear liquid diet? — "Clear" liquids might not be completely clear in color, but they must not contain any solid bits. The fluids and foods on a clear liquid diet are transparent, meaning that you can see through them.

Examples of clear liquids include:

●Water and ice

●Clear juices without pulp, like apple and grape juice

●Coffee and tea without milk or cream

●Sports drinks

●Bubbly drinks like seltzer and clear soft drinks

●Clear broth and consommé

●Frozen ice pops with no pulp or fruit bits

●Gelatin without anything added, like bits of fruit

What food and drinks should I avoid on a clear liquid diet? — It is important to avoid foods and drinks that have any solid parts, even very tiny pieces like fruit pulp or seeds.

Examples of things to avoid include:

●Juices with pulp, like orange juice

●Milk and dairy products. Do not put milk or creamer in coffee or tea.

●Soups with cream or any solid ingredients

●Any solid foods, or foods with solid bits in them

Even though many types of alcohol are clear, avoid drinking them before your procedure or test. Alcohol moves out of your stomach more slowly than other clear liquids.

What else should I know? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to start the clear liquid diet. They will also tell you when to stop eating and drinking completely before your procedure or test.

In addition:

●If you have diabetes, talk with your doctor or nurse about which clear liquids to eat and drink. It's important to be careful about the amount of sugar in your diet.

●You should not be on this diet for more than a few days. That's because a clear liquid diet does not give you all of the nutrients your body needs. If you need to be on it for more than 5 days, talk to your doctor or nurse. They might tell you to drink specific liquids with extra protein and calories.

●Depending on the procedure or test you will have, you might need to avoid certain colors of liquids, like red or purple. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if this is the case.

More on this topic

Patient education: Fasting before surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: Colonoscopy (The Basics)
Patient education: Full liquid diet (The Basics)

Patient education: Colonoscopy (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Flexible sigmoidoscopy (Beyond the Basics)