Nutrition Guide For Patients Post-Colorectal Surgery: Dietary Choices Explained

Dietary changes will be determined based on nutritional needs, preparation for surgery, and the presentation of side effects as a symptom of the surgery itself. In the days before surgery, a doctor may discuss dietary needs prior to the procedure. In many cases, the doctor may advise that patients observe a liquid-only diet or a clear liquid-only diet. Once the surgery has been completed, a doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process. Some common dietary terms used include but are not limited to:

- Clear Liquids

- Full Liquids

- Low Fiber

- Soft Diets

- Low-residue Diets

Clear Liquids: juice, broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water

Clear liquids are relatively easy to digest and provide more nutrients, which are beneficial to healing from colorectal surgery. These include beef and vegetable broths, water, clear sodas, flavored gelatin, and tea.

In the days before surgery, a doctor may discuss dietary needs prior to the procedure. In many cases, the doctor may advise that patients observe a liquid-only diet or a clear liquid-only diet.

Once the surgery has been completed, a doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process.

Common diets your healthcare team may suggest after colorectal surgery include:

• Clear Liquids: Clear liquids include juice (without pulp), broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water.
• Full Liquids: Full liquids include all liquids allowed on a clear liquid diet, cream soup, milk, milk shakes, nutrition supplements, pudding, custard, ice cream, and cooked hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, or cream cereals.

Note: Dairy products such as milk and foods made with milk may cause nausea or increase nausea. Avoid these foods if you are not tolerating them well.

Avoid all whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and popcorn. Avoid raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid fresh and canned pineapple, prune juice, prunes, dried fruit, jam, and marmalade.

Full Liquids: cream soup, milk, milk shakes, nutrition supplements, pudding, custard, ice cream, and cooked hot cereals

Clear liquids include juice (without pulp), broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water. Full liquids include all liquids allowed on a clear liquid diet, cream soup, milk, milk shakes, nutrition supplements, pudding, custard, ice cream, and cooked hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, or cream cereals.

Dairy products such as milk and foods made with milk may cause nausea or increase nausea. Avoid these foods if you are not tolerating them well.

Low-fiber options include white bread, rice cereals, white rice, and regular pasta.

Avoid all whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and popcorn. Avoid raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid fresh and canned pineapple, prune juice, prunes, dried fruit, jam, and marmalade.

Dietary changes will be determined based on your nutritional needs, preparation for surgery, and the presentation of side effects as a symptom of the surgery itself. In the days before surgery, a doctor may discuss dietary needs prior to the procedure. In many cases, the doctor may advise that patients observe a liquid-only diet or a clear liquid-only diet.

Once the surgery has been completed, a doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process. There are several different types of diets as patients begin to recover, even in the hours after the operation. Some common dietary terms used include soft diets or low-residue diets.

Low Fiber: white bread, rice cereals, white rice, and regular pasta

After colorectal surgery, patients are advised to follow a low-fiber diet that includes white bread, rice cereals, white rice, and regular pasta. This diet is recommended because it is relatively easy to digest and provides more nutrients that are beneficial to healing from colorectal surgery.

The low-fiber diet is the first step in a colon surgery recovery diet and is typically the longest step in the recovery process. Once a patient is ready for this step in their diet after colon resection, they’ll be able to drink all fluids and eat foods such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, soft meats, fruits, and well-cooked vegetables, as well as items like overcooked pasta and soft bread.

It's important to note that the recovery process for colorectal surgery is different for each individual, and there’s no one-size-fits-all recovery solution. Some patients may find that they graduate to soft diets or low-residue diets relatively quickly, while others may struggle more.

In the days before surgery, a doctor may discuss dietary needs prior to the procedure. In many cases, the doctor may advise that patients observe a liquid-only diet or a clear liquid-only diet. Once the surgery has been completed, a doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process.

The low-fiber diet is just one of the common diets that a healthcare team may suggest after colorectal surgery. Other diets may include clear liquids and full liquids. Clear liquids include juice (without pulp), broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water. Full liquids include all liquids allowed on a clear liquid diet, as well as cream soup, milk, milk shakes, nutrition supplements, pudding, custard, ice cream, and cooked hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, or cream cereals.

Soft Diets or Low-residue Diets

A doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process. Soft diets or low-residue diets are relatively quick for some patients, while others may struggle more.

Soft diets are relatively easy to digest but provide more nutrients, which are beneficial to healing from colorectal surgery. Once a patient is ready for this step in their diet after colon resection, they’ll be able to drink all fluids and eat foods such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, soft meats, fruits, and well-cooked vegetables, as well as items like overcooked pasta and soft bread.

Low-residue diets include white bread, rice cereals, white rice, and regular pasta. Avoid all whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and popcorn. Avoid raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid fresh and canned pineapple, prune juice, prunes, dried fruit, jam, and marmalade.

Dairy products such as milk and foods made with milk may cause nausea or increase nausea. Avoid these foods if you are not tolerating them well.

Clear liquids include juice (without pulp), broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water. Substances allowed on clear liquid diets include beef and vegetable broths, water, clear sodas, flavored gelatin, and tea.

Avoid whole grains, raw vegetables, and pulpy juices

After colorectal surgery, it is important to follow a diet that is easy to digest and provides the necessary nutrients for healing. The type of diet will depend on the patient's nutritional needs, preparation for surgery, and the presentation of side effects as a symptom of the surgery itself. In the days before surgery, a doctor may discuss dietary needs prior to the procedure. In many cases, the doctor may advise that patients observe a liquid-only diet or a clear liquid-only diet.

Once the surgery has been completed, a doctor and medical team will develop a dietary plan for the remainder of a patient’s hospital stay based on their recovery process. There are several different types of diets as patients begin to recover, even in the hours after the operation. Some common dietary terms used include soft diets or low-residue diets.

Avoid all whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and popcorn. Avoid raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid fresh and canned pineapple, prune juice, prunes, dried fruit, jam, and marmalade.

Clear liquids include juice (without pulp), broth, tea, soft drinks, gelatin, fruit ice, popsicles, and water. Full liquids include all liquids allowed on a clear liquid diet, cream soup, milk, milk shakes, nutrition supplements, pudding, custard, ice cream, and cooked hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, or cream cereals. Dairy products such as milk and foods made with milk may cause nausea or increase nausea. Avoid these foods if you are not tolerating them well.

Once a patient is ready for this step in their diet after colon resection, they’ll be able to drink all fluids and eat foods such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, soft meats, fruits, and well-cooked vegetables, as well as items like overcooked pasta and soft bread.

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