Self-Care Instructions

Health Encyclopedia

Clear liquid diet

Description

A clear liquid diet is made up of only clear fluids and foods that are clear fluids when they are at room temperature. This includes things such as:

Clear broth
Tea
Cranberry juice
Jell-O
Popsicles

Alternative Names

Surgery - clear liquid diet; Medical test - clear liquid diet

Why You May Need This Diet

You may need to be on a clear liquid diet right before a medical test or procedure, or before certain kinds of surgery. It is important to follow the diet exactly to avoid problems with your procedure or surgery or your test results.

You also may need to be on a clear liquid diet for a little while after you have had surgery on your stomach or intestine. You may also be instructed to follow this diet if you:

Have acute pancreatitis
Are throwing up
Are sick to your stomach

What You Can Eat and Drink

You can eat or drink only the things you can see through. These include:

Plain water
Fruit juices without pulp, such as grape juice, filtered apple juice, and cranberry juice
Soup broth (bouillon or consommé)
Clear sodas, such as ginger ale and Sprite
Gelatin
Popsicles that do not have bits of fruit, fruit pulp, or yogurt in them
Tea or coffee with no cream or milk added
Sports drinks that don't have color

These foods and liquids are not OK:

Juice with nectar or pulp, such as prune juice
Milk and yogurt

Try having a mix of 3 to 5 of these choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is OK to add sugar and lemon to your tea.

Your doctor might ask you to avoid liquids that have red coloring for some tests, such as a colonoscopy.

Do not follow this diet without the supervision of your doctor. Healthy people should not be on this diet longer than 3 to 4 days.

This diet is safe for people with diabetes, but only for a short time when they are followed closely by their doctor.

References

Pham AK, McClave SA. Nutritional management. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.

Robeau JL, Hwa KJ, Eisenberg D. Nutritional support in colorectal surgery. In: Fazio VW, Church JM, Delaney CP, Kiran RP, eds. Current Therapy in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 83.

Review Date:7/30/2022
Reviewed By:Stefania Manetti, RD/N, CDCES, RYT200, My Vita Sana LLC - Nourish and heal through food, San Jose, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.