Before a colonoscopy, you should eat only light-colored or clear gelatin such as yellow, green, or light orange Jell-O, but avoid red, purple, blue, or dark-colored gelatin because these colors can interfere with the colonoscopy by mimicking blood or staining the colon lining
. Specifically:
- Allowed Jell-O colors: yellow (lemon, pineapple), green (lime, lemon-lime), and light orange (some sources allow light orange, but many recommend caution with orange)
- Avoid Jell-O colors: red, purple, blue, dark orange, and dark red (cherry, cranberry, grape, berry blue, black cherry, fruit punch)
The gelatin should be without fruit pieces and consumed as part of a clear liquid diet the day before the procedure. This helps ensure your bowels are clean for the exam and prevents confusion during the colonoscopy imaging
