Eating well during cancer treatment
Good nutrition is the fuel your body needs to help you cope during cancer treatment. It helps fight infections and maintain appropriate weight and help your body’s tissues repair from any damage on treatment. The following information will provide you with some tips and tools on how to manage eating well throughout treatment.
You may experience some of the following on treatment:
Feeling sick?
Take antisickness medication as advised, avoid strong smelling foods, eat cold/room temperature foods, eat slowly, avoid greasy foods
Sore throat or mouth?
Use pain relief as advised, choose softer option foods eg pasta in sauce, fish pie, avoid dry/sticky foods eg crackers, crispbreads, bread, peanut butter.
Taste changes?
You may prefer strong tasting foods, e.g. spicy foods, Marmite, and foods with lots of flavour including herbs/spices, marinades, sauces and pickles.
Dry mouth?
Drink plenty, try crushed ice, ice lollies. Choose moist foods that have sauces, gravies, custard, yoghurt or cream. Also sucking sweets may help.
Some tips when you feel less hungry
- Make every mouthful count – limit low calorie/bulky foods eg clear soups and excess fruits and vegetables
- Eat smaller, frequent meals and snacks
- Choose full fat foods and avoid ‘diet’ or ‘light’ foods as they have less calories
- Try a homemade smoothies/milkshakes if unable to manage a meal – see recipe links
- Fortify foods with high calorie options – add oil, butter, cheese, cream, nut oils, coconut cream
- Speak to your dietitian about nutritional supplement drinks that can be prescribed by your GP
Myth busting
There are a number of diets online that claim to treat cancer however, there is no strong medical evidence that these cure or help and some may cause more harm than good. Some are difficult to follow and may be low in energy so may lead to weight loss. It’s important to follow the advice above and not restrict any foods unnecessarily from your dietary intake. Here are some common myths:
Organic food is better – there is no evidence that organic foods are better than non-organic. Organic fruits and vegetables in some cases have been shown to have a higher level of some vitamins and minerals. It’s recommended to eat a diet rich in all fruits and vegetables which will provide a good mix of these nutrients.
Sugar feeds cancer – cutting out sugar does not restrict glucose (sugar) to cancer cells. Sugars are found in a number of healthy foods including complex carbohydrates which are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and have been linked with a lower risk of cancer. Reducing excess sugar in the form of ‘free sugars’ (e.g. sugary drinks) is recommended.
I should avoid dairy foods during my cancer treatment – there is no link between dairy containing diets and risk of cancer or promoting cancer growth as a result of hormones.
See Cancer Research UK and British Dietetic Association websites for further information.
If you have any specific concerns about any of the above, speak to your team about a referral to a dietitian for support.
Useful links
www.cclg.org.uk see website for further helpful information and support
Flavour & Nutrition (wcrf-uk.org) – recipe booklet
https://www.streetveggie.com/ – online space for young people with cancer dedicated to food and nutrition
