A recent study has demonstrated that consuming low residue foods before colonoscopy improves the quality of bowel preparation and reduces hunger and fatigue on the day of the procedure, when compared to patients on a clear liquid diet.
A low residue diet is often recommended for colonoscopy preparation. Residue refers to parts of food, such as fiber, that pass undigested through the bowel. The low residue diet involves avoiding high-fiber foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and beans.
Instead, it is recommended to consume low-fiber foods like chicken, turkey, lamb, lean pork, veal, fish and seafood, eggs and tofu. Cooked or canned fruits and vegetables without skins or seeds are also allowed on this diet.
Other low-residue foods include eggs, yogurt, cheese, bread, cottage cheese and macaroni and cheese. It is important to follow the specific instructions provided by your healthcare provider for colonoscopy preparation.
What is Low Residue Diet?
A low residue diet (LRD) is a dietary plan that restricts or eliminates certain foods known to cause gastrointestinal distress. It’s often used before having colonoscopy in order to help prevent bowel obstructions.
A study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting revealed that patients who consume a low residue diet before colonoscopy experience superior bowel preparation quality than those on clear liquid diet restrictions.
Furthermore, they experienced lower appetite and fatigue scores than their liquid-diet-restricted counterparts.
A Low Residue Diet to Prevent Colonoscopy
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a medical test your doctor uses to examine your large intestine (colon). This can help detect and treat colorectal cancer or other health issues in the colon.
Tests such as this should be performed by a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon with expertise in endoscopic procedures involving your digestive tract.
Doctors can remove polyps, small growths that may be cancerous, take tissue samples (biopsies), and perform minor interventions.
Your doctor can use the colonoscope to examine any foreign objects that might be in your bowel. They may even insert a stent into part of it to keep it open.
In addition to inspecting the inside of your bowel, your doctor can take a tissue sample and examine it under a microscope. They may also take a biopsy and send it for lab analysis in order to detect whether cancerous cells exist or not.
Preparation for a colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is the best way to detect polyps that could become cancer. Not only does it help detect them early on, but it may also help you prevent the disease and extend your life expectancy.
Before having a colonoscopy, it is recommended to follow a low residue diet to minimize the amount of undigested food that passes through your digestive system and causes stool. This helps avoid any obstructions to accessing your doctor’s examination area during the procedure and makes the procedure more efficient.
Many patients neglect to adhere to their doctor’s dietary instructions prior to a colonoscopy, leading to inadequate preparation and poor results.
This review sought to determine if making bowel preparation more appealing would increase patient compliance rates and lead to improved outcomes.
During the colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a test that uses a small tube to peer inside your large intestine (colon). Your doctor inspects for problems like polyps, cancer or other growths on this inside area.
If the doctor detects something abnormal during their exam, it may be removed or sent to a laboratory for testing. This scenario could apply if a biopsy was performed as well.
Preparing for a colonoscopy involves eating a low residue diet that restricts high-fiber foods that remain undigested in the body. This will make it simpler for bowel preparation to empty out waste from your colon.
Dieting can also help you pass a lot of stool in the days leading up to your colonoscopy appointment, with stools that range in color from clear to yellow.
Post-colonoscopy care
After having a colonoscopy, it’s essential to take good care of yourself. This includes drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding high-fiber foods that cause gas and eating foods that are easy to digest.
At your colonoscopy, a thin tube with a camera on the end is inserted into your rectum to detect polyps or other abnormalities in your colon. If polyps are found, they will be surgically removed for further evaluation and diagnosis.
According to a study published in JAMA Surgery, eating low residue foods prior to your colonoscopy can make you more comfortable and may even make the procedure smoother.
Researchers observed that patients who consumed small amounts of low-residue solid foods on the day before had improved results compared with those on a liquid cleansing diet.
This research suggests a low residue diet can make colonoscopy preparation easier and encourage more people to get tested. It also shows that this diet may alleviate symptoms associated with colonoscopy prep such as nausea/vomiting, bloating, and abdominal cramping.
Low Residue Diet: What Can I Eat?
A low residue diet involves consuming foods that are easy to digest and leave minimal undigested material in the colon.
Some of the foods allowed on a low residue diet include well-cooked fresh vegetables or canned vegetables without seeds like asparagus tips, beets, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, squash (no seeds), and potatoes (without skin).
Refined grain products like white breads, cereals and pastas with less than 2g of fiber per serving are also allowed. Tender meat, fish and poultry, ham, bacon, shellfish and lunch meat; eggs; tofu; creamy peanut butter; dairy products if tolerated; white rice and pasta are also permitted on this diet.
It is important to follow the specific instructions provided by your healthcare provider for a low residue diet.
How Does a Low Residue Diet Benefit Colonoscopy?
The benefits of a low residue diet for colonoscopy preparation include making the bowel prep easier by limiting the amount of undigested food that has to pass through the digestive system.
This can help to improve the quality of bowel preparation for the procedure.
Additionally, consuming low-fiber foods can help to reduce bloating and discomfort during the colonoscopy. A low residue diet may be as effective as a clear liquid diet with laxatives in clearing the bowel for the procedure.
However, it should be noted that a 3-day low-fiber diet does not bring benefit to bowel preparation quality and is harder to perform than a 1-day diet. It is important to follow the specific instructions provided by your healthcare provider for colonoscopy preparation.
