A clear liquid diet replaces solid foods and is often prescribed by your doctor if you're unable to eat regular food due to surgery or illness or have upcoming medical procedures. A clear liquid diet limits the number of calories and nutrition you can consume, so you shouldn't stay on such a diet for a long period of time without being under a doctor's care.
Function
A clear liquid diet provides liquids, salt and a few important nutrients for a short period of time until you are able to eat a normal diet once again. It's frequently prescribed right before a colonoscopy in order to clear out the bowel for an accurate examination. A clear liquid diet is easily digested, preventing a strain on your gastrointestinal system, which is why you may be asked to follow the diet after stomach or bowel surgery.
Considerations
To keep your energy levels stable, you should aim for three meals and two to three snacks every day you're on the diet. Your doctor may limit certain liquids, depending upon your situation, so you'll need to follow the instructions you've been given to the letter. If you suffer from Crohn's disease or from diverticulitis, a condition where bulging pouches in your intestinal tract become inflamed and infected, you may need to follow a clear liquid diet to give your system a chance to recover.
Food Lists
As a general rule of thumb, only consume liquids that you can see through. Acceptable beverages include clear juices like apple, pear or white grape; tea or coffee without milk; mineral water; clear soft drinks such as ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or club soda; clear sports drinks; and bouillon. Desserts include plain Popsicles without added fruit or fiber, hard candy and flavored gelatin without fruit. You can also use sugar, honey, clear jelly or syrup or herbs, mild seasonings and salt. If you're preparing for a colonoscopy, you'll need to make certain that none of the liquids you consume contains red coloring, which can mimic blood.
Meal Suggestions
A sample meal, according to MayoClinic.com, might be one glass each of water, fruit juice and broth, with one bowl of gelatin. Snacks could include one cup of a clear sports drink, one Popsicle or one serving of gelatin. Drugs.com suggests a meal consisting of one cup of juice, three-fourths of a cup of clear broth, one Popsicle and one cup of herbal tea with honey or sugar.
Warning
If you are asked to follow a liquid diet prior to a medical test or procedure, you should follow the instructions to the letter, or your appointment may have to be rescheduled and you'll have to go through the diet process all over again. If your doctor prescribed a liquid diet due to digestive problems and you don't follow the diet, you may suffer diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, gas or bloating. Unless your doctor indicates otherwise, you shouldn't follow a clear liquid diet for longer than three days.
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