# Clear liquids only! How clear?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clear-liquids-only-how-clear/809516>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 25, 2018, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clear-liquids-only-how-clear/809516 "2018-02-25T02:18:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clear-liquids-only-how-clear/809516/21 "2018-02-28T00:14:33Z")

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Translucent, not transparent

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clear-liquids-only-how-clear/809516/22 "2018-03-03T00:47:51Z")

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> [@elbows](#):
>
> …  
> But gelatin, does that have to be clear? Or is mango flavour okay? (I first made black currant, but, I forgot…it’s red!) …

My instructions restrict certain colors of Jello: red, orange, purple (my doc also restricts blue). If the mango is yellow, it should be fine.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clear-liquids-only-how-clear/809516/23 "2018-03-03T01:35:26Z")

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> [@DSYoungEsq](#):
>
> It should be noted that the “clear” in clear liquid diet doesn’t mean “see through”, but rather “free of solids”.
> 
> > [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
> >
> > “Clear fluids” means liquids with a texture similar to water. Juice should be fine, along with broth and gelatin (ask about colour dyes). It is a step below “full fluids” which include easily digestible thick fluids like soup and yogurt.
> > 
> > > [@DSYoungEsq](#):
> > >
> > > “Clear” as an adjective derives from the old French _cler_, which itself derives from Latin _clarus_, which originally dealt with sound (clear, or loud), but by transferred use meant things “bright” or “distinct” when viewed. The use in English goes back to the 1300s, and has always applied not just to transparency (the meaning of which you are thinking), but also “free from impurities”, the meaning being used by the medical community.
> > > 
> > > Coffee is a “clear” liquid, because although stained dark, it is not filled with impurities; that is, there are no solids floating around in it. Shine a bright enough light through it, and you can see it.

Although I have no cite, some thread or other here on home detection of kidney function went on for hours because everyone was using one or another of these terms at the same time with different meanings.

FTR, when I see my pee transparent and colorless, I give a shout-out to my kidneys. [TMI?]

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