Unintended weight loss and muscle wasting are common challenges for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. This weight loss results from the disease itself or from treatment side effects like chemotherapy and radiation, which reduce appetite and interfere with nutrient absorption. Prioritizing nutritional support helps to maintain strength, preserve muscle mass, and improve overall quality of life. Because nutritional needs are highly individual, consult your medical team, especially a registered dietitian specializing in oncology, to create a personalized eating plan.
High-Density Dietary Choices for Weight Gain
Gaining weight requires consuming foods that provide maximum calories and protein in the smallest volume. This strategy, known as energy-dense eating, is helpful when a small appetite prevents the consumption of large meals. The focus shifts away from low-calorie, high-volume foods like raw vegetables and toward options rich in fats and proteins.
One effective strategy is to fortify existing meals with calorie-boosting ingredients without significantly increasing the portion size. You can easily add powdered milk or protein powder to hot cereals, soups, and mashed potatoes. Stirring healthy fats like olive oil, butter, or nut butters into vegetables, rice, or pasta dishes provides concentrated calories.
Liquid calories are often easier to tolerate than solid food, making high-calorie drinks a valuable tool for weight gain. Smoothies and milkshakes can be made energy-dense by blending ingredients such as whole-milk yogurt, full-fat ice cream, nut butters, and avocado. Using whole milk or fortified milk as the base further increases the drink’s protein and calorie density.
Specific foods offer an excellent combination of energy and nutrients for weight gain. Whole milk dairy products, including full-fat cheeses and cottage cheese, provide both fat and high-quality protein. Nuts, seeds, and their butters are calorie-dense and portable, making them ideal snacks for grazing. Nutrient-dense fruits like avocados, bananas, and dried fruits can be incorporated into meals for a quick boost of calories and healthy fats.
Eating Strategies to Combat Treatment Side Effects
Navigating treatment side effects requires specific eating strategies to ensure consistent calorie and nutrient intake. Nausea, a common side effect, can often be managed by avoiding an empty stomach. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones, can make food less overwhelming and easier to digest.
Bland, low-fat foods are generally better tolerated when nausea is present, such as plain toast, crackers, or pretzels. Patients often find that cool or room-temperature foods are more palatable than hot foods, which can have a stronger odor. Certain compounds, like ginger, can also help soothe the stomach and reduce nausea symptoms.
Changes in taste and smell, often described as a metallic or bitter flavor, present another barrier to eating. Experimenting with different seasonings, such as lemon juice, mint, or vinegar, can help mask unpleasant tastes. Using non-metal utensils, like plastic or bamboo, may also reduce any lingering metallic taste.
Early satiety, or feeling full after only a few bites, can be countered by consuming liquids between meals instead of with them. Drinking fluids during a meal can prematurely fill the stomach, reducing the amount of nutrient-dense food consumed. Maintaining adequate hydration is important for overall health, even while focusing on energy-dense foods.
Essential Food Safety Practices
Cancer treatments, particularly chemotherapy, can temporarily lower a patient’s white blood cell count, leading to a state of being immunocompromised. This weakened immune system makes the body highly susceptible to foodborne illnesses. Following strict food safety protocols is a necessary precaution to prevent serious infection.
Patients should avoid all raw or undercooked animal products, including rare meat, raw fish like sushi, and eggs with runny yolks. All meats, poultry, and fish must be cooked thoroughly to a safe internal temperature. Unpasteurized dairy products, such as certain soft cheeses or raw milk, and unpasteurized juices should also be avoided due to the risk of bacterial contamination.
Proper handling and preparation of food are important in preventing cross-contamination. Separate cutting boards and utensils should be used for raw meat and produce to prevent the transfer of bacteria. All fresh fruits and vegetables must be washed thoroughly under running water, even if they are peeled, and produce that cannot be washed completely, such as raw sprouts, should be avoided.
Food storage requires diligence; perishables should be refrigerated promptly and consumed before their use-by date. Leftovers must be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and should not be reheated more than once. Maintaining a clean kitchen environment, including washing hands for at least 20 seconds before preparing food, helps minimize the risk of foodborne infection.