Diet and Low Appetite

For some patients, cancer, chemotherapy, radiation or other cancer treatments can cause low appetite. Cancerous tumors can produce chemicals that suppress appetite. Mouth sores can make eating painful and decrease appetite. Other digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation or diarrhea can impair appetite. Some patients feel too tired to eat. It is important to seek medical help for symptoms that are interfering with the ability to eat and also for continuous, or significant, weight loss.

There are several strategies that can help someone with a low appetite to eat. Eating small meals frequently throughout the day can be an easier way to maintain caloric intake. Large meals can be overwhelming to someone with little interest in eating. It is also helpful to prepare food ahead of time and store the prepared meals in small portion-sized containers for easy access when there is an appetite. Adding a couple of drops of lemon juice and/or cooking spices to cooked foods can brighten the flavors and activate taste buds. Dietary supplementation of zinc can restore taste when taste changes from chemotherapy make it challenging to eat.

It is also important to emphasize nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and generally palatable. Some of these foods may include:

• Eggs
• Greek style organic yogurt
• cooked grains (oatmeal, rice, quinoa, etc.)
• potatoes (especially sweet potatoes)
• blended soups
• whole grain crackers
• avocado (such as guacamole)
• warm temperature foods - cooked fruit, steamed and cooked vegetables
• coconut milk (found in cans - not the coconut milk in cartons which is also good, but lower in calories) in curries or smoothies

Again, persistent difficulty eating, especially when accompanied by weight loss, needs prompt medical evaluation.