Key points
- During chemotherapy the body may need more protein and calories; meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy foods, beans and lentils are good sources of protein [1].
- Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones, and always keep a light snack within reach [1].
- Drink 8 to 12 cups of fluid a day; on days when you cannot eat, drinking matters more than ever [1].
- Fruit is not off limits, as long as it is washed well; if you take cancer tablets, ask your doctor about grapefruit and Seville oranges [1, 5].
- If you have not been able to eat for more than 2 days, or you have a temperature of 38 °C or higher, call your treatment team [1, 2].
What should I eat before chemotherapy?
Getting your eating ready before treatment and on the day of a session
- 1
Eat well until treatment starts
If you eat a healthy diet and keep your weight steady before treatment starts, you stay stronger, get fewer infections, cope better with side effects and are less likely to have unplanned breaks in treatment [1].
- 2
Stock the fridge and freezer
Buy foods you can eat even when you feel unwell, and foods that need little or no cooking. Cook ahead and freeze meal-sized portions, for example soup or stew in small containers. Write a list of the things you usually buy so that family and friends can shop for you more easily [1].
- 3
See a dentist before you start
A healthy mouth before treatment is important; try to see a dentist at least 2 weeks before treatment starts and get any dental work you need done beforehand [1]. Read more: Your first chemotherapy session: what to expect.
- 4
Session day: eat light
Some people feel better after a light meal or snack before a session, and others feel better if they do not eat for a few hours beforehand [1]; see which suits you. A light meal could be toast, plain crackers, a little yoghurt, a bowl of cream of rice or a banana [1]. Take a bottle of water and a light snack with you.
- 5
Take your anti-sickness medicine as planned
If your doctor has given you anti-sickness medicine, take it exactly as you were told; you may need to take it an hour before each session and for a few days afterwards. If it does not help, tell your doctor so that another medicine can be prescribed [1].
What should I eat after chemotherapy?
In the days and weeks after a session, the aim is to get enough protein and calories even when your appetite is poor, so that you keep up your strength and the tissues damaged by treatment can heal [1]. Eating well during treatment may be different from the usual idea of a "healthy diet": sometimes you need more meat, fish, eggs, dairy foods and beans, or low-fibre foods instead of high-fibre ones [1].
- Small, frequent meals: 5 or 6 small meals a day, with your biggest meal when your appetite is best; for many people that is in the morning after a good night's sleep [1].
- Eat by the clock, not only when you feel hungry [1].
- Add protein: use milk instead of water in porridge and soups, melt cheese on your food or have a hard-boiled egg on the side [1].
- More calories without more bulk: add a little olive oil, peanut butter, tahini, honey, jam, nuts or avocado to your food [1].
- Nourishing drinks: if you do not feel like solid food, drink milk, a banana milkshake, a smoothie, soup or juice [1].
- Only sips with meals: drinking a lot with a meal fills you up quickly; have larger drinks at least half an hour before or after eating [1].
| Meal | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Porridge made with milk, or toast with peanut butter, or a hard-boiled egg with bread and cheese made from pasteurised milk [1] |
| Mid-morning snack | A banana milkshake, or a glass of milk with a few dates or plain biscuits [1] |
| Lunch | Freshly cooked rice or pasta with well-cooked chicken or meat, or a lentil dish, with a little yoghurt [1] |
| Afternoon snack | Yoghurt with tinned fruit or soft fruit, or crackers with hummus [1] |
| Dinner | Chicken and barley soup, an omelette or mashed potatoes, or a bean or lentil stew [1] |
| Before bed | A small snack such as warm milk or yoghurt; it adds calories without spoiling your appetite for the next meal [1] |
This is only an example. On hard days, eat whatever appeals to you, even if it is the same thing again and again [1]. If you have diabetes or kidney or heart disease, plan your diet with your doctor and a dietitian [1].
Which fruits can I eat during chemotherapy? What about juice?
Fruit is not off limits. You can eat fruit as long as it is washed well before eating: scrub raw fruit with a brush under water, and also scrub fruits with thick or rough skins, such as melons and oranges, before you cut or peel them [1]. Guidelines do not recommend cutting out raw fruit and vegetables to prevent infection [4].
- When your white blood cell count is low: avoid fruits that are hard to wash well, such as strawberries and other berries and grapes, and drink only pasteurised juice [1]. Read more: What foods should I avoid during chemotherapy?
- Mouth sores: soft fruit that is not sour, such as bananas, tinned peaches and pears or apple purée. Citrus fruits and their juices (orange, lemon) and tomatoes irritate a sore mouth [1].
- Nausea: bananas, apple purée or tinned fruit; grape or cranberry juice is also gentler on the stomach [1].
- Diarrhoea: bananas and tinned fruit; bananas replace potassium lost through diarrhoea. Apple juice and very sugary drinks make diarrhoea worse [1].
- Constipation: prunes, dried apricots, dates and raisins, with plenty of fluids [1].
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice stop some medicines from being broken down in the gut; as a result, more of the medicine gets into the blood and it stays in the body longer. Seville oranges, pomelos and tangelos may have the same effect [5]. For example, the official prescribing information for imatinib says to avoid grapefruit juice [6], and that for olaparib says to avoid grapefruit, Seville oranges and their juices [7]. This includes Seville orange juice poured over food or salads [7].
If you take a cancer tablet or any other medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you should avoid these fruits [5].
What should I eat when everything tastes bad or I feel sick?
Nausea
Eat light foods such as toast, plain crackers, rice, bananas and apple purée; tart foods such as lemon also help some people. Do not skip meals, because an empty stomach makes nausea worse. Have food and drinks at room temperature, stay away from cooking smells, and rest sitting up after meals rather than lying down. Do not eat your favourite foods on days when you feel sick, so that you do not go off them [1]. Full guide: Nausea and vomiting during cancer treatment.
Metallic taste or food tasting bad
Choose foods that look and smell good to you; if red meat tastes strange, try chicken, fish, eggs or beans. Soak meat and chicken in fruit juice or a marinade before cooking (in the fridge). Herbs such as basil, or a little onion, add flavour. If food tastes bitter or salty, a little sweetness can help. If you have a metallic taste, eat with plastic cutlery. Keeping your mouth clean and brushing your teeth also make food taste better [1]. These changes usually get much better after treatment ends [1].
Sore mouth or sore throat
Eat soft foods that are cool or at room temperature, such as rice pudding, porridge, mashed potatoes, yoghurt, custard and scrambled eggs (well cooked). Soften food with gravy, sauce or yoghurt, cut it small or purée it in a blender, and drink through a straw. Avoid pickles, lemon juice, spicy or salty food, raw vegetables and hard, crunchy foods such as crisps [1]. Read more: Mouth sores (mucositis).
Dry mouth
Sip water throughout the day. Sugar-free gum or sweets, ice chips and frozen fruit help you make more saliva. Moisten food with gravy, sauce or yoghurt so that it is easier to swallow. Very sweet or tart drinks, such as lemonade, also help you make saliva, unless you have mouth sores. Alcohol and mouthwash that contains alcohol make your mouth drier [1].
Diarrhoea
Drink plenty of fluids to replace what you lose: water, clear broth (for salt) and sports drinks. Eat low-fibre foods such as white rice, white toast, plain yoghurt, boiled potatoes without the skin and bananas. Avoid greasy and fried food, spicy food, beans and raw fruit and vegetables, milk (unless lactose-free), drinks with caffeine such as coffee and tea, very sugary drinks, apple juice and sugar-free gum [1]. Read more: Constipation and diarrhoea during cancer treatment.
Constipation
Drink at least 8 cups of fluid a day; a hot drink such as tea or soup helps many people. Eat high-fibre foods such as wholemeal bread, oats, cooked beans and lentils and dried fruit, but add fibre slowly. A lot of fibre is not right for some cancers, so check with your doctor before adding fibre. Be a little active every day [1].
Poor appetite
When eating is hard, drink a protein shake, a banana milkshake or a smoothie. Try soft, cool foods such as yoghurt and ice cream. Carry small snacks such as roasted nuts, dates, raisins and crackers. Eat with people you enjoy being with, somewhere calm. Light activity every day, such as a short walk, also improves appetite [1].
The patient will not eat: what can family and carers do?
If you care for someone having treatment, these tips can help [1]:
- Do not be surprised if their food likes change from day to day; they may not want a favourite food or may say it now tastes bad.
- Keep food within easy reach: for example a bowl of tinned fruit or cut-up fruit with a spoon by the bed, roasted nuts on the table, or cut-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge.
- Offer gently rather than pushing them to eat. When they have no appetite, offer nourishing drinks.
- Do the cooking for them so that cooking smells do not make them feel sick.
- Ask the doctor to refer you to a dietitian, and go to the appointment together.
Read more: A guide for family members and caregivers of people with cancer.
What should I eat after treatment ends?
Most eating problems get better once treatment ends, although weight loss and taste changes may last a while longer [1]. Healthy eating on its own cannot keep cancer from coming back, but it helps you regain your strength, heal and feel better. Some suggestions [1]:
- Eat a variety of foods; no single food has all the vitamins and nutrients you need.
- Plenty of fruit and vegetables, raw and cooked.
- Whole grains, such as wholemeal bread, oats and brown rice.
- Eat beans, peas and lentils often.
- Cut down on fat, salt, sugar, smoked and pickled foods and processed meats (such as sausages, ham and salami).
- Red meat no more than 3 servings a week.
- It is best not to drink alcohol.
To learn which foods are linked with cancer risk, see Foods that raise or lower cancer risk: what the evidence shows, and for physical activity: Can I exercise during cancer treatment?
When should I call my doctor?
Call your treatment team if:
- You have not been able to eat anything for more than 2 days [1].
- You are vomiting badly, it has lasted more than 1 or 2 days, or you cannot keep any fluids down [1].
- Diarrhoea has lasted more than 24 hours or comes with pain and cramps [1].
- You have not had a bowel movement for 2 to 3 days [1].
- You notice sores or white patches in your mouth, or mouth and throat pain stops you eating [1].
- You are losing weight without trying; your doctor can refer you to a dietitian [1].
Call straight away or go to the emergency department if you have a temperature of 38 °C or higher [2]. If you suddenly feel very unwell, call your local emergency number.
Frequently asked questions
What should someone having chemotherapy eat to regain strength?
Foods high in protein and calories, in small, frequent meals: well-cooked meat, chicken and fish, eggs, pasteurised milk, yoghurt and cheese, beans and lentils, plus extras such as olive oil, tahini, honey and nuts [1]. If this does not keep your weight steady, nutritional supplement drinks (high in energy and protein) can help; ask a dietitian which kind suits you [1, 3].
Can I eat red meat during chemotherapy?
Yes, as long as it is cooked through with no pink left inside [1]. If red meat tastes metallic or unpleasant, try chicken, fish, eggs or beans [1]. Once treatment is over, keep red meat to no more than 3 servings a week [1]; see Do red meat and processed meat cause cancer?
How much water and fluid should I drink a day?
Are sweets and sugar off limits during chemotherapy?
No. If your appetite is poor, honey, jam and desserts such as rice pudding and custard provide calories you need [1]. If you have diabetes, plan your diet with your doctor [1]. For the question of whether sugar feeds cancer, see Does sugar make cancer grow?
Does any special diet help chemotherapy work?
Research on this is limited. The American Society of Clinical Oncology guideline says there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against special diets, such as low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets [4]. Diets that cut calories are not recommended for anyone who has lost weight or is at risk of malnutrition [3]. Before you start any special diet, talk with your doctor or a dietitian [1].
Should I take vitamins or supplements?
Tell your doctor about every vitamin, supplement or herbal product you take or want to start; some of them may change how treatment works [1]. Vitamins and minerals in the amounts you need each day are enough, and large doses are not recommended unless you have a deficiency [3]. Read more: What foods should I avoid during chemotherapy?
Related pages
- What foods should I avoid during chemotherapy?
- Nutrition during cancer treatment
- Foods that raise or lower cancer risk: what the evidence shows
- Nausea and vomiting during cancer treatment
- Mouth sores (mucositis)
- Constipation and diarrhoea during cancer treatment
- Low blood counts and preventing infection
- Your first chemotherapy session: what to expect
- A guide for family members and caregivers of people with cancer
Nutritional assessment and support (for doctors)
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- Screening (ESPEN 2021): regular evaluation of nutritional intake, weight change and BMI from the time of diagnosis, repeated according to the stability of the clinical situation (B1-1); if screening is abnormal, objective and quantitative assessment of intake, nutrition impact symptoms, muscle mass, physical performance and systemic inflammation (B1-2) [3].
- Requirements: total energy expenditure, if not measured, assumed similar to healthy subjects and generally 25 to 30 kcal/kg/day (B2-1); protein above 1 g/kg/day and, if possible, up to 1.5 g/kg/day (B2-2); vitamins and minerals at approximately the recommended daily allowance, avoiding high-dose micronutrients in the absence of deficiency (B2-4) [3].
- Stepwise intervention: dietary advice, treatment of nutrition impact symptoms and oral nutritional supplements (ONS) in patients who are malnourished or at risk (B3-1); no energy-restricting diets in these patients (B3-2); enteral nutrition if oral intake remains inadequate despite intervention, and parenteral nutrition if enteral nutrition is not sufficient or feasible (B3-3). Medical nutrition is indicated when intake is below 50% of requirements for more than one week or 50 to 75% for more than two weeks [3].
- Neutropenic diet (ASCO 2022): diets that exclude raw fruit and vegetables are not recommended to prevent infection during active treatment (Recommendation 2.2; harms likely outweigh benefits; evidence quality low; strength weak). For specific diets such as ketogenic or low-carbohydrate, low-fat diets and functional foods, evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against (Recommendation 2.1) [4].
- Food–drug interactions of oral agents: imatinib FDA label: avoid grapefruit juice (raises plasma concentrations; CYP3A4 inhibition) [6]; olaparib: avoid grapefruit, Seville oranges and their juices [7]. See also: Cancer cachexia: assessment and management.
References
7 referencesShow all references, 2 with a study cardClose the reference list
Numbers in the text, such as [1], refer to these sources. Sources with a “Study card” button are summarised in the site’s evidence library.
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This page is based on reputable scientific sources and was last updated on 28 October 2026. The content of this website is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a specialist physician. Consult your treating physician about any treatment decision.
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