Tips for getting the calories and nutrients you need during cancer treatment.
Sometimes cancer or cancer treatment can affect your appetite. Though you might not feel like eating, it's important to do what you can to maintain your calorie, protein and fluid intake during cancer treatment. Use this information to help plan meals and snacks that will be more appealing and provide the nutrition you need to get better.
Keep in mind that in some cases, such as advanced cancer, eating may not affect the outcome of your illness or treatment. In these situations, trying to follow specific dietary guidelines, such as adhering to a low-sodium or low-fat diet, may not be practical. Sometimes caregivers or family members can unintentionally add stress by pushing or trying to force you to eat certain foods. Ask your doctor how carefully you need to follow specific dietary guidelines.
Snack time
- Keep snacks readily available so that you can eat when you're up to it. Cheese, ice cream, canned fruit in heavy syrup, nuts, peanut butter with crackers, cottage cheese and chocolate milk are examples of high-calorie snacks requiring little or no preparation. Don't be too concerned that some of these options are high in cholesterol or fat. Once you regain your appetite, you can focus on more healthy snacking options.
- Bedtime may be a good time to snack because your appetite for the next meal won't be affected.
Increasing protein
Protein is important for growth, health and repair of your body. If you've been ill, you may need extra protein. Some suggestions include:
- Add extra meat, poultry, fish or beans (pinto, navy, black, kidney) to casseroles, soups or stews.
- Make your own high-protein milk: Add 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) powdered milk to 1 cup (237 milliliters) whole milk, or 1 cup (237 milliliters) powdered milk to 1 quart (about 1 liter) whole milk. Use it as a beverage, add it to malts or shakes, or use it in cooking.
- Try a commercially prepared protein supplement.
If illness has made red meat — beef, pork or lamb — less appealing to you, try the following foods, which also are good sources of protein:
- Cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Beans
- Lentils
- Eggs
- Fish
- Poultry
- Nuts
- Peanut butter
- Milk
- Milkshakes
- Custard
- Pudding
- Yogurt
Consider a multivitamin
If your loss of appetite is keeping you from eating well for more than a few days, you might consider taking a multivitamin to help you get the vitamins and minerals you need. Check the label and look for a multivitamin that doesn't give you more than 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of all the vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind, though, that if you're drinking liquid nutritional supplements, those will give you some of the vitamins and minerals you need, so you may not need a multivitamin. A nutritional supplement drink usually contains the equivalent of about one-fourth of a multivitamin.
Last Updated: 06/14/2008
