When it comes to food intake during cancer treatment, we recommend limiting some foods that may increase risk of food-borne illness. There are also foods that can calm the symptoms, like nausea, that cancer patients may experience. It is usually recommended to follow a higher protein and higher calorie diet throughout treatment.
Foods to avoid due to risk of foodborne illness:
- Unpasteurized foods
- Raw eggs
- Raw nuts
- Raw Fish (sushi, sashimi)
- Undercooked meats
- Foods containing mold
- Foods past their freshness date
Foods that help manage nausea:
- Oatmeal
- Ginger tea or candies
- Peppermint tea
- Toast
- Baked potato
- Applesauce
- White rice
Foods that are high protein or calorically dense:
- Olive Oil
- Cottage cheese
- Avocado
- Chicken
- Nuts & Seeds (peanut butter)
- Eggs
Meal prepping can be a great way to manage your daily eating habits and establish consistency. Consistently eating the same foods allows you to notice when anything out of the ordinary affects you.
If you have any questions about what to eat and what to avoid, it is best to talk to your doctor. You can also visit our Astera nutrition page to check out our nutrition pages and presentations.