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Who says colonoscopy prep can’t come with a tiny drink umbrella?

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer prevention.
• Prepping for a colonoscopy is often the hardest part of the procedure.
• A gastroenterologist shares mocktail recipes to make prep a bit more flavorful.

Like it or not, you’ll probably have to get a colonoscopy at some point. And while the procedure is common and minimally invasive, we tend to have some uncomfortable thoughts when we imagine a doctor using a flexible tube with a camera to examine our large intestine. Not to mention the prep work required beforehand, which is—ahem—less than glamorous.

Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard when it comes to colorectal cancer prevention, early detection and posttreatment surveillance. It’s recommended that people begin getting screened for colorectal cancer—via a colonoscopy—at age 45.

And if you haven’t had one yet, you may be unaware of the not-so-fun preparation your bowels need to undergo beforehand. Simply put, before a colonoscopy, patients must clear their colon of any and all stool so that doctors have a clean intestine to examine. As you can imagine, achieving this level of cleanliness requires some support—including a laxative. One of the most commonly used in colonoscopy prep is Suflave, an FDA-approved prescription osmotic laxative used to cleanse the colon before the procedure.

While Suflave boasts that the majority of patients say it tastes like a sports drink, we’re not so sure. After all, how many times do you remember being told by your doctor that what you’re being prescribed will taste like “bubble gum” or “cotton candy”—only to discover that wasn’t exactly the case?

And lucky for us, gastroenterologist Rahul Kataria, MDseems to agree that these well-intentioned laxatives may not taste quite as good as advertised.

In his series on Instagram “Turning Colonoscopy Prep into Mocktails,” Kataria makes light of a somewhat stinky (pun intended) situation. In his most recent video, he debuts a piña colon-ada—a tropical inspired mocktail that even Kataria is pretty impressed with. “I could see myself drinking some of these poolside—by the bathroom, of course,” he says.

Jokes aside, we’re all for trying anything that might make the dreaded colonoscopy prep a little bit more bearable. So grab your Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses and Suflave and try out this tasty mocktail—it’s sure to provide some “relief” after a long day.

Kataria starts by filling a shaker with 2 ounces of Suflave. Next, he adds ¾ ounce of pineapple juice, 1 ounce of lime juice and 2 ounces of coconut water. After that, he fills the shaker with pebble ice and shakes everything up. For a luxurious touch, Kataria suggests pouring the drink into a frozen hurricane glass. Finally, he tops it off with a bit more ice and a few garnishes, including a drink umbrella.

Despite the importance of this procedure, many adults in the U.S. avoid scheduling or staying up-to-date on their colonoscopies because of the prep work involved, so we’re all for strategies to make the experience a little more enjoyable. In fact, “Most people don’t actually struggle with the colonoscopy itself,” Kataria suggests in another reel from the series. “They struggle with drinking the prep.”

While a piña colon-ada probably won’t make colonoscopy prep anyone’s favorite activity, it might make the entirety of the procedure a little less intimidating. And if a tropical mocktail helps more people get screened for colorectal cancer on time, we’re all for raising a glass (tiny umbrella included) to that. As always, be sure to follow the instructions provided by your physician and prep manufacturer—if you have questions about following your colonoscopy prep guidance, it’s always wise to ask them.

Need some more clear liquid options to help you through the pre-procedure routine? Here are a few to help you out: