There isn't one single "best" fruit during chemotherapy; instead, focus on soft, low-acid options like bananas, applesauce, melons, and canned peaches to ease nausea, mouth sores, or constipation, while ensuring hydration with grapes and watermelon for high water content, and eating a variety to get antioxidants and nutrients like potassium from bananas, apples, and berries to combat side effects and support your body.
Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Lemons, Grapefruits)
The main health benefits of citrus fruits are their high vitamin C and bioflavonoid content, which are both essential for immunity and thus also reduce oxidative stress. These fruits are often part of the best food for cancer patients.
Miracle fruit has been proposed for use in taste changes caused by chemotherapy and for weight loss, but studies are quite limited. Data suggest that some patients undergoing chemotherapy reported improved taste, but no change in weight with miracle fruit.
What Are the Best Foods to Eat During Chemo?
The best known foods affecting CYP enzymes are grapefruit and Seville oranges. This includes their juice and other products mostly made from these, for example, marmalade. The food and drink you may need to avoid depend on the drug you have and which CYP enzymes are involved.
Bring a small, bland snack to chemotherapy appointments. Consider one of the above foods, low-acid juices (apple, grape, and fruit nectar), liquid yogurt, crackers, and fruits such as bananas, melon, and applesauce.
12 chemotherapy tips from cancer patients who've been there
Plant-based Proteins. Some of the best foods to eat during chemotherapy or other cancer treatments are plant-based proteins. They offer the highest levels of vitamins and minerals, Rajagopal says. This means eating lots of vegetables as well as beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
After a chemotherapy infusion, the body must recover from the harsh chemicals. Ways to flush chemo out of body include staying hydrated, eating nutrient-rich foods, and supporting liver and kidney function.
Regular exercise increases your sense of well-being after cancer treatment and can make your recovery faster. Cancer survivors who exercise may experience: Increased strength and endurance. Fewer symptoms of depression.
The strongest protective anti-cancer effect has been shown with:
You can also take steps to protect your liver during cancer treatment, such as:
Hard, spicy and acidic foods can aggravate the mouth sores that are sometimes a side effect of chemotherapy. So, you may want to skip these types of foods during treatment. “Grapefruit in particular reacts with a lot of different things, including some medications,” Hassan says.
In the immediate days of receiving chemo, focus on eating small meals (five to six per day) and bland foods. Stay hydrated by drinking fluids and eating foods with a high water content – watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, berries, celery, apples, carrots or grapefruit.
From strawberries and blackberries to cranberries and blueberries, these gemlike fruits are particularly potent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Along with fiber and vitamin C, berries possess plant pigment phytochemicals, such as anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which may be behind their health benefits.
I was told by a nurse specialist that they recommend fresh pineapple to cancer patients going through chemo. It has to be fresh, not tinned or juice. Apparently it helps with loss of taste. Hope this helps.
Signs of improvement can show up early in chemotherapy. These signs include tumor shrinkage on scans, lowered tumor marker levels in blood tests, and better blood counts. Healthline says these signs help doctors see if treatment is working.
Drinks to Avoid
If you're suffering from constipation from medication or diarrhea from chemo, definitely avoid fizzy drinks such as soda and energy drinks, as they can give you gas. Give your mouth tissues a break, too, by avoiding acidic drinks like lemonade or orange juice that can burn a sore mouth.
The side effects from chemotherapy tend to be the worst the day after it's administered. “If you're on a strong chemo regimen, usually the day after is when you'll experience the worst symptoms,” says Iheme. “By worst, I mean you'll experience the most fatigue, weakness and nausea.
Why You Might Want to Avoid This: Some patients may get mouth sores from chemotherapy. Acidic foods like oranges and grapefruits can make them worse.
In addition to causing nausea, chemotherapy sometimes causes other unexpected food-related side effects. Food cravings: Some patients experience intense food cravings, typically for sweets and carbohydrates. If you begin to experience this, go with it; you need to eat.
Chemotherapy can cause diarrhea, so it helps to have something on hand, like Imodium, to alleviate this side effect. Ginger tea or candy. Chemotherapy can affect your sense of taste, making some people nauseous. Known for its tummy-soothing properties, ginger tea or candy can help ease nausea symptoms.
Comfort items.
It can get chilly in infusion centers so a soft, cozy blanket or scarf can be comforting on chemo days. In addition to wearing comfortable clothes (consider layers), bring warm socks or slippers. Chemo can make your lips and skin dry, so bring lip balm and/or fragrance-free, hypoallergenic hand lotion.
Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep can all strengthen your immune system. Reducing your stress levels can also boost your resistance to disease and infections. Staying up to date on vaccinations gives you the most protection against those pathogens.
For a snack that will fill you up until the next meal, try to include protein along with fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. Low-sugar, 100% whole-grain cereals and fruit. You can pick up low-fat or non-fat milk or yogurt at a store or coffee shop to go with it.