Can I eat rice and meat after having a gastroscopy?
May 31, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Chao
Introduction
In general, it is acceptable to eat rice and meat after undergoing a gastroscopy. Gastroscopy is a type of endoscopic examination that involves inserting a flexible, bendable endoscope through the mouth into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to examine the interior of the digestive tract. This procedure helps visualize abnormalities within the digestive tract, such as gastritis and gastric ulcers.
Generally speaking, patients can eat rice and meat after undergoing a gastroscopy. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Gastroscopy is an endoscopic examination method that involves inserting a soft, flexible endoscope through the mouth into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to observe the internal condition of the digestive tract. This procedure helps detect lesions in the digestive tract, such as gastritis and gastric ulcers, and allows for tissue biopsies or smear tests to determine the nature and severity of the lesions, thus providing critical information for diagnosis and treatment. Since gastroscopy takes a short time and causes minimal irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, it does not significantly affect the digestive system. Therefore, eating rice and meat after the procedure is acceptable. If no biopsy was performed, patients may start eating 30 minutes after the procedure; if a biopsy was conducted, they should wait approximately 2 hours before eating. Hence, it is generally safe to consume rice and meat following a gastroscopy.
It should be noted that within 24 hours after the procedure, patients should avoid consuming highly irritating foods—such as spicy, greasy, sour, or sweet foods—to prevent irritation of the gastric mucosa and to promote proper post-procedure recovery.
