Eating well when you have cancer

Cancer and treatments for cancer can affect your appetite and enjoyment of food, making it difficult for you to eat well. But losing weight or having a reduced food intake can make it harder to cope with treatments like surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

During these times you may need to change the balance of your diet to include different foods. It may also be helpful to alter when or how often you eat to make sure you eat enough. These may be short- or long-term changes depending on your treatment and health.

What foods should I try to eat?

We should all try to eat a wide variety of different foods to make sure we get the nutrition our bodies need.

Foods	Function
Meat, fish, eggs, tofu, soya products, pulses (beans and lentils), Quorn, nuts	These are a good source of protein, which is needed for the growth of body tissue, muscle strength and wound healing. Some also contain fat, so are a good source of energy (calories). They also contain vitamins and minerals.
Dairy products (such as cheese, milk, yoghurt and fromage frais) and non-dairy alternatives (such as soya milk and soya yoghurt)	These contain protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. If you are losing weight choose the full-fat varieties. If eating non-dairy alternatives choose those that are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Bread, chapatis, pitta bread, naan and roti Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yam Rice, pasta and noodles Buckwheat, couscous and bulgar wheat Biscuits and crackers	These starchy foods contain energy. Some may also contain fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Sugar, honey, syrup, treacle and sugary foods, such as chocolate, cakes and sweets	These are good sources of energy.
Butter, margarine, oil, ghee and cream	These are good sources of energy and contain fat-soluble vitamins.
Fruit and vegetables	Good sources of vitamins and minerals, but not usually of protein and energy. If you have a poor appetite you may need to reduce your normal quantities to enable you to eat higher energy foods.
Drinks	Aim to drink eight to ten cups or glasses each day. If you have a poor appetite choose nourishing drinks rather than just tea, coffee or water.

Are there any foods I should avoid?

When you are ill or having treatment you are more at risk of getting food poisoning. It is best to avoid the following foods:

raw or lightly cooked eggs
soft, ripened cheese such as Brie, Camembert, or blue-veined cheese such as Stilton
pâté.

Already following a different diet?

If you are already following a diet for other health reasons you may wish to discuss this with a dietitian.

Food hygiene

Good food hygiene is also important. You can find further information on the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk/safereating.

Find out more

Further information can be found in this section of the website and in the Eating Well booklet, available as a PDF in patient information downloads or by contacting the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).