Hi everyone,

I’m Naomi – retired aged care worker here, now in my late 60s. I’ve helped countless residents through medical preps over the years, and have gone through a colonoscopy myself. Like most of you probably know by now, those clear-liquid diet days before the procedure can be rough — especially if you’re craving something savoury.

I decided to put my years of broth-making experience to good use and came up with what I honestly think is the best-tasting broth for clear liquid diet that’s still gentle, colonoscopy-prep safe, and easy to sip throughout the day.

Here’s my recipe — it’s simple, but it’s all about balance and clarity (both literally and flavour-wise!).

Naomi’s Comforting Clear Broth (Colonoscopy Prep Friendly)

Quantity: about 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 small chicken drumsticks (or wings) — skin and fat trimmed
• 6 cups water
• 1 small carrot (cut into big chunks, for flavour only — remove before serving)
• 1 stick celery (same deal — remove before serving)
• ¼ small onion (optional, just for aroma, not enough to cloud the broth)
• ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce (optional, for colour and depth – check label, no solids)
• 1 sprig parsley or a small bay leaf (optional, for fragrance)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water to remove any bone fragments.
2. Add everything to a medium pot and bring it to a gentle boil.
3. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer. You’ll see a bit of foam rise to the top — skim this off carefully so your broth stays clear.
4. Simmer uncovered for about 1½ hours. Don’t rush it; slow cooking brings out the flavour without clouding the liquid.
5. Strain the broth through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container.
6. Taste and add a touch more salt if needed.
7. Cool and refrigerate. Once chilled, you can lift off any fat that solidifies on top to keep it ultra-clear.

Tips from my years in care:

• If you’re not a fan of chicken, you can swap it for beef bones or vegetable stock cubes (clear ones only!).
• When prepping for colonoscopy, avoid anything cloudy — that means no potato, no tomato, and no blended veggie bits.
• If you get tired of plain broth, sip it warm from a mug like tea. It’s comforting and helps stave off that “hungry cranky” feeling.

It’s savoury, a bit salty, smells lovely, and doesn’t taste like hospital food!
Hope it helps someone else out there — I’d love to hear what tweaks others have made to keep things tasty but clear.

Warm wishes,
-Naomi