Aclear liquid dietconsists of liquids such as water, clearbroth, and apple juice.
A clear liquid diet is often prescribed before certain medical tests or procedures.
It can also be used before or after surgery on the gastrointestinal tract.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
What Are Clear Liquids?
Clear liquids are see-through.
They do not have any solids or pulp in them.
Liquids that are not see-through (opaque) are not allowed on a clear liquid diet.
These liquids take more work to digest.
They also leave behind some solid pieces of food parts, like fiber, in yourlarge intestine.
This is called a residue.
If you have residue in your intestines, it can affect the results of a test or procedure.
What is the difference between a liquid diet and a clear liquid diet?
On a liquid diet or full liquid diet, you could have thicker liquids like shakes and creamed soups.
Purpose
A clear liquid diet helps clear out the digestive system.
This prevents undigested food from affecting the results of certain medical tests.
For example, after a tonsillectomy, it might hurt to swallow or chew food.
Your provider might recommend a day or two on a clear liquid diet as you heal.
There might be some clear liquids that you will need to avoid.
Here are a couple of examples:
What soups can you eat on a clear liquid diet?
The instructions for the prep say that you cannot have any blue, red, or purple liquids.
That means that you could choose white cranberry or white grape juice.
You could not have red cranberry or purple grape juice.
ensure you check the labels carefully.
This will keep you hydrated and not too hungry.
Keep in mind thatcaffeinecould make you feel jittery or affect your sleep.
It is only meant to be used for a few days at most.
People withdysphagiahave a hard time swallowing thin liquids.
Can you lose weight on a clear liquid diet?
A clear liquid diet is not safe to use for weight loss.
It is only meant to be used for a few days at most.
It can also give the digestive system a chance to rest after an illness.
Some flavored gelatins and ice pops are also considered clear liquids.
However, you might be asked to avoid certain colors if you are having a test like a colonoscopy.
Red-colored drinks or gelatin can look like blood in the digestive tract.
However, it does not provide enough calories and nutrition for long-term use.
It is also not intended to be used to lose weight.
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