06/16/2026
"Can I even drink water before surgery?"
While you often must stop eating solid food 6 to 8 hours before surgery, modern anesthesia guidelines often allow you to drink clear liquids—like water, apple juice, or black coffee—up to two hours before you arrive. However, "clear" is the key word! Anything with milk, cream, or pulp counts as food. Your Nurse Anesthesiologist will give you a strict cut-off time to keep your lungs perfectly safe while you sleep.