Pre-operative diet

Pre-operative bowel preparation

Strict low-fiber diet for 7 days.
2 rectal lavages (Fleet Enema®…) the day before surgery.

Stop eating and drinking

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Strict low-fiber diet

A strict low-fiber diet consists of cutting out foods rich in fibre. This restriction is maintained only temporarily.
Each individual’s digestive tolerance should be taken into account, but unjustified and excessive restrictions should be avoided.
Since fibers is essential for a balanced diet, it is important to reach a sufficient daily intake as soon as possible. You may then reintroduce non-refined starchy foods (brown bread, brown rice, etc.), 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, etc.
Do not hesitate to contact the dietetic service to help you if necessary.

Hygiene and dietary rules

Respect some important principles:

Eat your meals at regular intervals. Do not skip meals.
Split your diet into 3 meals and possibly 1 or 2 snacks a day.
Take your time to eat and chew your food sufficiently.
Eat in a quiet environment.
Drink 1.5L to 2L of drinks a day: water, herbal tea, tea, coffee.

Dietary advice

Alternatives	Temporarily remove:
White rice, white pasta, white bread (toasted or not), biscuits, sandwiches, white pistolets, cornflakes or plain wheat, puffed rice, white flour, semolina, bulgur, potatoes	High-fibre breakfast cereals (All Bran®, Fitness®,…), whole grain rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, multigrain bread, Ebly® wheat, quinoa, oatmeal, muesli, whole grain flour
Fruit juices without pulp	All fruits (raw, cooked and fruit juices with pulp) Dried fruits (Agen prunes, dried apricots, dates, dried figs,…) Oily fruits (pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, almonds,…)
Bouillon Soup (filtered)	All vegetables (raw, cooked, in soups) Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, etc.)
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cold cuts and vegetarian alternatives based on tofu, seitan	Meat products with nuts Burgers and vegetarian alternatives based on Quorn® , tempeh, aforementioned vegetables, legumes
Ordinary and flavoured dairy products. Hard, soft, blue, fresh, processed cheeses	Dairy products with cereals Cheese with nuts, hazelnuts and dried fruits
Oils, butter, margarines, sauces,…	/
Jellies, fruit syrups, sugar, brown sugar,… Dry biscuits (cake, madeleine, Petit Beurre®, Betterfood®,…)	Jam, marmalade Breakfast and cereal biscuits (Grany®, Sultana®, Belvita®,…) Chocolate with nuts, hazelnuts, almonds,…
Salt and ground spices (ground pepper, nutmeg and cumin powder,…) Herbal infusion	Spices in granulated form (fennel seeds, coriander, pepper,…) Spices (onions, pickles, capers,…) Aromatic herbs (thyme, oregano, Provençal herbs, …) Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed,…

The list of foods is not exhaustive. Do not hesitate to ask your dietician for advice.

Our advice

Avoid consumption of unpleasant foods: alcoholic drinks, strong tea and coffee, peppers and strong spices (pili-pili, harissa, green/red/yellow curry, cayenne pepper…).

If questions, you can always contact the dietary service:

St-Elisabeth site:

02/614.26.79

Ideas for meals

Breakfast

White bread, sandwich, pistolets, white baguette or white biscuits, cracker, brioche
Butter or margarine
Topping: jam, fruit jelly, syrup, honey, bread spread, cheese or cold cuts (no spices, nuts, hazelnuts or dried fruits), eggs
Or breakfast cereals + milk or yoghurt
Other examples: French toast, pancakes

Second meal

White bread, rolls, pistolets, white baguettes or white biscuits, pita bread, wraps…
Butter or margarine.
Salty toppings: cheese or cold cuts (without spices, nuts, dried fruits), eggs, fish, shellfish…

Examples:

Pancakes stuffed with prawns

Cheese and béchamel

Croque – monsieur ham and cheese

Boiled or fried egg or omelette

Tuna or salmon mousse

Cheese platter

Bouillon (broth) with tapioca or vermicelli

Hot meal

Bouillon (hot water + stock cube, or vegetable and/or meat infusion)
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs or unprocessed vegetarian alternative (seitan, tofu)
White rice, white pasta, semolina, plain or mashed potatoes without skin
Fat

Examples:

« Vol au vent » (without mushrooms) with rice

Pasta with béchamel sauce, ham and grated cheese

Minced meat gratin with mashed potatoes (minced meat without vegetables)

Veal blanquette (without vegetables) with mashed potatoes

White fish in cream sauce with potatoes

Minced steak with plain potatoes

Roast chicken with tarragon cream sauce and steamed potatoes

Snacks or as a complement to meals

Plain yoghurt or white cheese, flan, pudding, chocolate mousse, rice semolina, ice cream, biscuits (madeleine, Petit-Beurre®, waffle, boudoir, galette, meringue, etc.), sugar cake, rice cake, custard cake (cake without fruit or compote), etc.

Beverages

1.5l to 2l water, tea, coffee, herbal tea

Diet after surgery

Postoperatively, a low-fiber diet (not strict) is recommended for 2 weeks, after which a normal diet may be resumed.

The aim of a low-fibre diet is the gradual reintroduction of dietary fibre into your diet. This is a transitional phase, taking into account your digestive tolerance.
As fibers are essential for proper nutritional balance, it is important to reach a sufficient daily intake as soon as possible and to reintroduce unrefined starchy foods (brown bread, brown rice, etc.), 5 portions of vegetables and fruit per day, etc.
Do not hesitate to contact the dietetic service to help you if necessary.

Hygiene and dietary rules

Respect some important principles:

Eat your meals at regular intervals. Do not skip meals.
Split your diet into 3 meals and possibly 1 or 2 snacks per day.
Take your time to eat and chew your food sufficiently.
Eat in a quiet environment.
Drink 1.5L to 2L of drinks a day: water, herbal tea, tea, coffee.

Dietary advice

Alternatives	Temporarily remove
White rice, white pasta, white bread (toasted or not), biscuits, sandwiches, white pistolets, corn or wheat flakes, puffed rice, white flour, semolina, bulgur, potatoes in all forms, tapioca	High-fibre breakfast cereals (All Bran®, Fitness®, etc.), whole-wheat rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat bread, multigrain bread, Ebly® wheat, quinoa, oatmeal, muesli, whole-wheat flour
Fruit juices Cooked fruit without peel and seeds (e.g. canned fruit, stewed fruit, cooked apples, cooked pears, etc.), bananas	Raw fruit Dried fruits (Agen prunes, dried apricots, dates, dried figs, etc.), bananas. Oily fruits (pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc.)
Soups and cooked vegetables such as: carrots, chicory, spinach, white leeks, extra-fine green beans, courgettes, pumpkin, cauliflower or broccoli, tomato,…	All raw vegetables (grated carrots, corn,…) and salad Cooked vegetables such as: Asparagus, salsify, celery, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, red cabbage, white and green cabbage, artichokes, peas, peppers, green leeks, fennel Onions, garlic, shallots Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, etc.)
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cold cuts and vegetarian alternatives based on tofu, seitan	Meats with nuts, walnuts Burgers and vegetarian alternatives based on Quorn® , tempeh, aforementioned vegetables, pulses
Hard, soft, blue cheese , fresh and processed cheeses	Dairy products with cereals Cheeses with nuts, hazelnuts and dried fruits
Butter, margarine, sauces,	/
Jam, marmalade, jelly, fruit syrup, sugar, brown sugar,… Dry biscuits (cake, madeleine, Petit Beurre®, Betterfood®,…)	Breakfast and cereal biscuits (Grany®, Sultana®, Belvita®,…) Chocolate with nuts, hazelnuts, almonds,…
Salt and ground spices (ground pepper, nutmeg and cumin powder,…) Aromatic herbs (thyme, oregano, herbes de Provence,…)	Grain herbs (fennel seeds, coriander, pepper,…) Spices (onions, gherkins, capers,…) Aromatic herbs (thyme, oregano, herbes de Provence,…) Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed,…)

The list of foods is not exhaustive. Do not hesitate to ask your dietician for advice.

Our advice

Avoid the consumption of unpleasant foods: alcoholic drinks, strong tea and coffee, peppers and strong spices (pili-pili, harissa, green/red/yellow curry, cayenne pepper…).

If questions, you can always contact the dietary service :

St-Elisabeth site :

02/614.26.79

Ideas for meals:

Breakfast

White bread, sandwich, pistolets, white baguette or white biscuits, cracker, brioche
Butter or margarine
Toppings: jam, fruit jelly, syrup, honey, bread spread, cheese or cold cuts (no spices, nuts, hazelnuts or dried fruits), eggs
Or breakfast cereals + milk or yoghurt
Other examples: French toast, pancakes

Second meal

Vegetable soup
White bread, rolls, pistolets, white baguettes or white rusks, pita bread, wraps…
Butter or margarine.
Garnish: cheese or cold cuts (without herbs, nuts or dried fruit), eggs, fish, shellfish…

Examples

Crepes filled with prawns, cheese and béchamel sauce

Croque monsieur ham and cheese

Boiled or fried egg or omelette

Tuna or salmon mousse

Cheese board

Broth with tapioca or vermicelli

Hot meal

Vegetable soup
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs or unprocessed vegetarian alternative (seitan, tofu)
White rice, white pasta, semolina, plain or mashed potatoes without skin
Cooked vegetables (see list)
Fat

Snacks or to supplement meals

Boiled fruit without peel and seeds (compote, boiled apple, boiled pear, tinned fruit, etc.), yoghurt or white cheese, fruit yoghurt, custard, pudding, creams, chocolate mousse, rice semolina, ice cream, biscuits (madeleine, Petit-Beurre®, waffle, boudoir, galette, meringue, etc.), sugar cake, rice cake, custard cake, fruit cake (apple, pear, etc.)

Beverages

1.5l to 2l water, tea, coffee, herbal tea

Nutrition and dietetic service

If you have any questions concerning pre or postoperative diet, please contact the dietetics service.

+32 2 614 20 71