Food and nutrition

Eating well can help you feel better and stay stronger during and after cancer treatment. Patients who eat well and maintain a healthy body weight often tolerate treatment side effects better. Good nutrition also helps the body replace blood cells and tissues broken down by treatment to support healing and recovery. 

A healthy lifestyle plays a key role in keeping the body strong, supporting the immune system (the cells and proteins that defend the body against infection), and reducing risk for some diseases, such as certain kinds of heart disease and some cancers. Most registered dietitians (RDs) agree that eating a variety of foods is the best method to ensure intake of all the nutrients the body requires. 

People living with cancer may have different nutrition goals and challenges, depending on their: 

• Age
• Type of disease or treatment
• Stage of disease or treatment
• Other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or depression 

Good nutrition should be part of a healthy lifestyle that also includes: 

• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Drinking enough fluid
• Exercising
• Relaxing (managing stress)
• Getting enough sleep (7–9 hours per night for adults)
• Not using tobacco or abusing drugs or alcohol 

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It can reduce anxiety and fatigue as well as improve heart function and mental well-being. Consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Gradually increasing your exercise levels, through low-risk activities like short daily walks, can be the best method to start an exercise program. 

Foods cannot be used to treat cancer, but some things you eat or drink and some actions you avoid can make a difference in your health and how you feel. 

Get a free, one-on-one nutrition consultations with a Registered Dietitian

Patients and caregivers of all cancer types can receive free nutrition education and consultations through our Nutrition Education Services Center (NESC). Our registered dietitians have expertise in oncology nutrition and provide free one-on-one consultations by phone. 

Schedule a consult 

Healthcare professionals may also refer patients to this free service. 

Refer a patient

Eating well  

A healthy diet for everyone, including cancer survivors, includes: 

• A variety of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• A variety of proteins, including seafood, lean meats, poultry (such as chicken), eggs, dairy products (such as milk, yogurt, cheese), beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products
• Healthy oils, such as olive oil 

A healthy diet also limits saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugar. Limit saturated fat to 5 to 6 percent of all calories consumed each day. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Beef, butter, and cheese are examples of foods that contain saturated fats. Limit trans fats as much as possible. Cakes, cookies, chips, fried foods, creamers, and margarine often contain trans fat. Limit added sugar to less than 25 grams for females and 37 grams for males per day. Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (salt) per day. Ideally, try not to exceed 1,500 mg of sodium.

Healthy recipes 

Aim for 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. One serving is half a cup for most fruits and veggies and one cup for leafy greens, melons, and berries. Include one or more servings of cruciferous vegetables in your diet almost every day. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, watercress, and radishes. Find healthy recipes. 

In some cases, your doctor may advise you to follow special guidelines if you are immunosuppressed. 

20 ways to boost your nutrition 

Side effects such as loss of appetite, nausea, and mouth or throat sores can make you cringe at the thought of eating. But getting enough calories and protein is essential to your recovery and well-being. If eating is difficult for you, try these tips to get the calories and nutrients you need: 

1. Eat frequent, small meals or snacks, four to six times a day.
2. Keep prepared snacks or small meals on hand and visible.
3. Drink high calorie liquids such as juices, soups, or shakes if eating solid food is a problem.
4. To add calories, blend cooked foods or soups with high-calorie liquids such as gravy, milk, cream, or broth instead of water.
5. Use healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and nut butter to add calories.
6. Sip water and other caffeine-free liquids such as broth, ginger ale, or flavored seltzers throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
7. If you are struggling to drink enough fluid, try consuming foods with high water content like gelatin, sherbert, popsicles, melons, and soups.
8. Choose soft foods or foods that can be cooked until tender.
9. Cut foods into bite-sized pieces, or grind or blend them so that less chewing is needed.
10. Bring snacks when you're away from home.
11. Try new foods and recipes to accommodate changes in taste or smell.
12. If food tastes bland, try seasoning it with spices.
13. If your mouth is sore, try non-acidic, non-spicy foods.
14. If meat is not enjoyable, try getting protein from other sources, such as eggs, cheese, nuts, legumes, or high-protein smoothies.
15. When possible, take a walk before meals to improve your appetite.
16. Eat with friends or family members when possible; when eating alone, listen to the radio or watch TV.
17. Make a list of your favorite foods and be sure to have these foods on hand.
18. Accept help with food shopping and meal preparation.
19. Try over-the-counter high-calorie, high-protein drinks such as Carnation Breakfast Essentials®, Ensure®, BOOST®, Orgain®, or generic versions.
20. Look into cooking classes for people with cancer. The Blood Cancer United region in your area may be able to help you find some. Or watch some of our videos on how to make good nutritional choices for you and your family.  

Food safety 

Cancer treatment weakens your immune system, which puts you at increased risk for food-borne illness. Therefore, it's essential that you handle food properly and safely. Here are some ways you and your family can help keep your food safe: 

• Keep your hands, counters, dishes, cutting boards, and utensils clean.
• Change or wash sponges and dishtowels often.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating peeling.
• Use separate dishes, cutting boards, and utensils for preparing raw meat, fish, or poultry and fruits or vegetables.
• Do not rinse raw meat or poultry before cooking because bacteria can spread to the sink or counter.
• Keep raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, and the juices of all food that will be cooked away from foods that won’t be cooked.
• Thaw frozen items in the microwave or refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter.
• Marinate food in the refrigerator.
• Use a food thermometer to make sure that meat is fully cooked.
• Read the expiration dates on food products and look for signs of food spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
• After grocery shopping, go directly home and put perishable food into the refrigerator or freezer right away. 

Here is an easy way to remember food safety basics: 

Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often 
Separate: Keep different types of foods apart 
Cook: Ensure food is cooked to a proper temperature 
Chill: Refrigerate quickly 

Staying hydrated 

Drinking enough water during cancer treatment is especially important because: 

• Certain cancer therapies—including chemotherapy, some drug therapies, and radiation therapy—can cause dehydration
• Some treatment side effects, such as diarrhea or vomiting, can contribute to dehydration
• Liquids can help relieve fatigue or constipation 

Signs of dehydration include thirst, dry or sticky mouth, dizziness, headaches, nausea, constipation, dry skin, weight loss, and dark urine. Do not wait until you feel dehydrated or thirsty to drink. 

Ask your doctor about the amount of water you should consume each day. Try to drink water and other approved liquids throughout the day—sipping even small amounts of water at regular intervals helps if that's all you can manage. Limit sugary drinks such as soda and consider decaffeinated beverages if you experience diarrhea or reflux, as caffeine can make these symptoms worse.  

Your treatment team may also recommend liquids such as broths or sports drinks, which can restore your body's balance of electrolytes. Electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, have many important functions in the body. 

If water does not appeal to you, you can also drink flavored beverages. It’s best to avoid alcohol, which can increase your body’s fluid loss. 

Discuss drinking alcohol with your doctor. If you do drink, do so in moderation. Limit alcohol to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Cancer drug therapy and nutrition 

Some drugs used to treat cancer can interact with food in ways that your treatment team will inform you about. When you begin a new treatment or start using a new drug, tell your doctor about any food allergies you have and ask: 

• Will I have any special nutritional needs while taking this drug?
• Do I need to take this drug with food? Without food?
• Are there any known food-drug interactions of this treatment?
• Are there any known vitamin- or supplement-drug interactions of this treatment?
• Are there any foods or beverages I can't have while in treatment?
• Do I need to drink extra water or other fluids while in treatment or while taking this drug?
• Can I drink alcoholic beverages while in treatment or while taking this drug?
• What if I vomit immediately after taking my drug? 

Your disease and treatment may increase your body's needs for calories and protein. For instance, chemotherapy, other drug therapies, surgery and radiation therapy all create a need for more calories and protein each day. Side effects of your treatment may make it difficult to take in enough calories and protein.  

Side effects may include: 

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Change in taste and smell
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food 

You can often manage side effects with drugs or other therapies so you can get the protein-rich nutrition you need to: 

• Tolerate and recover from treatment
• Help manage side effects
• Promote healing, including growth of new blood cells
• Fight infection
• Prevent weight loss
• Provide energy and prevent muscle loss
• Maintain general health

Weight gain  

For some patients, weight gain may occur as a result of increased appetite or fluid retention (“bloating”) associated with certain drug therapies. Weight-loss diets are not recommended without proper medical guidance. For help, ask your oncologist to refer you to a registered dietitian (RD) who can design an appropriate diet for you.

Diet guidelines for immunosuppressed patients 

Food safety is important during and after cancer treatments. The immune system is often weakened by cancer treatments, making the body more susceptible to foodborne illnesses. 

Neutropenia is a condition where you have lower-than-normal levels of neutrophils (a type of white cell). If you have neutropenia, following food safety guidelines are especially important. Be sure to follow all food handling guidelines to help protect you from bacteria and other harmful organisms found in some mishandled food and beverages. 

If you had a stem cell transplant, your diet may be stricter than that of a patient who had chemotherapy or radiation therapy and no transplant.

Diet guidelines published by institutions or doctors about handling food safely may also recommend avoiding foods that are more often associated with illness.