Healthy food choices are very important while you are receiving cancer treatment. You have two main nutrition goals during treatment:
- Choose foods and beverages that you can tolerate best.
- Aim for choices rich in healthy nutrients to give you the energy to recover, the nutrients to heal, and the calories to prevent unintended weight loss.
This is not always easy. Side effects may temporarily limit the variety of healthy foods you are able to eat. As a result, you may lose muscle mass and have unplanned weight loss.
The Registered Dietitians Nutritionists (RDNs) are part of your Roswell health care team. RDNs can:
- Help you manage nutrition-related side effects.
- Improve your nutritional health before, during, and after your cancer treatment.
If you would like to meet with a dietitian, ask your doctor or nurse to order a nutrition consultation for you.
Recommendations for Healthy Food Choices
If you feel well, and your doctor has not restricted your diet, focus on making wise food choices. Choose food and beverages that are in line with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The number of servings for each food group will vary. It is based on your individual energy needs.
The general ranges of servings per day for most adults (based on a 1600-2200 calorie diet) are:
- 2-3 cups of vegetables
- 1-2 cups of fruit
- 5-7 servings of grain-based foods (at least half should be whole grain)
- 2-3 servings of dairy foods (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
- 3-4 servings of protein foods (lean meat and poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils)
- 40-65 grams of fat (oils instead of solid fats)
- Foods low in sodium (salt)
- Water instead of sugary drinks