Nutrition and Cancer

It is important to handle food safely while you are receiving cancer treatment. Recommendations for food safety precautions include:

• Washing your hands before eating or preparing foods
• Washing fruit and vegetables well
• Storing foods at the right temperature
• Cooking foods to the proper temperature (meat, poultry and seafood should be thoroughly cooked)
• Choosing pasteurized honey, milk and fruit juice and avoiding raw versions
• Thawing meat, fish or poultry in the microwave or refrigerator (not on the counter)
• Eating thawed food right away and not refreezing food

Avoid making any significant diet changes or restrictions before or during treatment unless advised by a physician or dietitian. Eat foods that you tolerate and enjoy while trying to eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, proteins and healthy fats.

It is okay if your diet looks different than normal. A dietitian can work with you to develop an individualized plan that is based on your symptoms.

Make sure you drink enough liquids. Aim to drink at least 8-10 cups (2.0-2.5L) per day, unless otherwise instructed by a health-care provider.  

Ask a member of your Cancer care team for a referral to a dietitian for an individualized plan that is tailored to your needs.

General tips to prevent weight loss during cancer treatment include the following:

• Eat smaller and more frequent meals and snacks every two to three hours
• Drink calorie-containing liquids like milk, soy beverages, smoothies or nutrition supplements between meals
• Choose high calorie and protein-rich food and drinks
• Eat your largest meal when you feel your best 

You can add extra protein and calories to your diet by:

• Choosing higher fat milk, cheese, yogurt and sour cream
• Adding butter or oil to potatoes, vegetables, pasta, rice and soups
• Adding cheese to eggs, sandwiches, soups, stews, potatoes and casseroles
• Adding nuts or seeds to cereal, yogurt, baked goods and salads
• Adding avocado or mayonnaise to sandwiches, sauces and dips
• Spreading nut butters on apple slices, celery sticks, toast and crackers or add them to smoothies 

Nausea and vomiting are serious symptoms of cancer treatment that can have a big impact. The following strategies can help reduce nausea and vomiting:

• Take your anti-nausea medication as prescribed by your doctor
• Sit up for 30 to 60 minutes after eating
• Suck on hard candies or lemon drops
• Sip on small amounts of liquids often during the day
• Eat small amounts often, every one to two hours
• Avoid deep-fried and spicy food and food with a strong odour
• Take advantage of days when nausea is better to eat as much as you are able 

Try to drink or suck on the following throughout the day to avoid dehydration:

• Water
• Watered-down juice or sports drinks
• Flat ginger ale
• Broths
• Ice chips
• Popsicles
• Tea
• Frozen fruit 

When everything tastes metallic, try eating meatless sources of protein like baked beans, legumes, lentils, yogurt, eggs and nut butter. Eat meat, poultry and fish with tart foods like lemon or lime juice or your favourite marinade.

Use plastic utensils and glass cookware instead of metal.

Sucking on sugarless lemon candies, mints and chewing gum can help you get to rid of the metallic aftertaste.

You can also try this mouthwash recipe:

• Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one teaspoon of salt in four cups of water in a large jar
• Rinse every one to two hours if your mouth is dry or sore, otherwise 4 to 5 times a day
• Rinse right after meals or snacks
• Make a new batch every day 

It is important to drink enough fluids, as this helps keep your stools soft. Try to drink at least eight cups of fluids a day, unless you are told otherwise by a health-care provider.  

Try to eat foods that are high in fibre, such as vegetables, fruit, cereals, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Fibre adds bulk to your stools and keeps your bowels moving.

You can also try adding natural food laxatives to your diet. Natural laxatives include prunes, prune juice, papayas, pears, apples, dried apricots and rhubarb. 

Try to maintain a healthy weight, being overweight or underweight can increase your risk for recurrence.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and more vegetable-based protein and fats such as soy, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Limit your consumption of red meat to less than 18 ounces per week and avoid processed meats. Also limit foods that are high in sugar and salt.  

If you drink alcohol, limit the amount to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. 

There are some things you can do to return to a healthier weight. Avoid restrictive diets, as they are difficult to maintain and can often lead to weight regain. Instead, set small goals that you can work toward over time.  

It is also important to get support around depression, anxiety and stress, as dealing with these can impact your ability to make and sustain diet and lifestyle changes

Eat and prepare your food at home as often as possible, and reduce how often you are eating out.

Try to watch your portion sizes. Fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter of your plate with a starch such as potatoes, rice, pasta) and the last quarter of your plate with a protein, such as fish, legumes, nuts, poultry, eggs, dairy and lean meat.

Drink water and limit calorie-containing liquids like juice and pop.

Make sure you stay active and get enough sleep. It is also important to get support around depression, anxiety and stress, as dealing with these can impact your ability to make and sustain diet and lifestyle changes 

Canadian Cancer Society - Eating well when you have cancer

This booklet includes tips on how to eat well after a cancer diagnosis, through treatment and during recovery. It provides ideas to help with symptoms and side effects that can affect eating.  

Canadian Cancer Society - Nutrition for people with cancer

This portion of the Canadian Cancer Society website includes nutrition information for people with cancer, including the importance of calories and protein and practical ways to optimize these foods in your diet.

Canadian Cancer Society - Food safety 

This portion of the Canadian Cancer Society website explains the importance of food safety and precautions you can take to reduce your risk of infection.

American Cancer Society - Nutrition for people with cancer 

This website is another resource offering nutrition information for people with cancer including living well during treatment and through survivorship.

Nourish

Advice from dietitians working in oncology, including eating well tips for different types of cancers. This resource also includes recipe ideas. 

Advice for managing symptoms

Cancer Care Ontario - Managing Symptoms, and Side Effects and Wellbeing 

These guides include strategies to help manage symptoms and side effects such as constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

BC Cancer Agency - Nutrition Handouts  

This website has a list of nutrition handouts for oncology patients related to managing symptoms. They include a variety of meal ideas including high energy/high protein foods, smoothies, easy to chew recipes and low or high fibre diets. Chinese and Korean translation available in some resources.

Classes and workshops

ELLICSR Kitchen

This is a program designed to support people with cancer by providing skills and information to manage diet. They host healthy cooking demonstrations led by a Wellness Chef and Dietitian. This website also includes recipe ideas for different side effects.

Wellspring - Nourish Program 

Wellspring provides a variety of supportive care programs and services to anyone living with cancer. Wellspring’s Nourish program provides many different sessions on cancer and nutrition using the latest research to teach the fundamentals of good nutritional practices for cancer patients. Workshops often include cooking demonstrations, food sampling and take-home recipes.

Survivorship

American Institute for Cancer Research  

This website offers diet and lifestyle recommendations for cancer survivors as well as reducing cancer risk.

Dietitians of Canada - Unlock Food 

This website offers general information on nutrition, food and healthy eating, including recipes, videos and interactive tools.  

Dietitians of Canada - Find a Dietitian  

This website includes information on how to work with a dietitian and a search engine to help you find a dietitian working in private practice. Dietitians working in private practice, grocery stores and in your family doctor's office can help you with your healthy eating and weight loss goals after treatment.  

Canada’s food guide

This is a nutrition guide produced by Health Canada that provides guidelines for healthy eating.