Handling Unpleasant Food and Drink Tastes DuringCancer TreatmentMiranda Moss is a restaurant owner who regards eating as one of life’s great pleasures. But after startingchemotherapy for breast cancer, she noticed that foods didn’t taste the same.“I often plan my day around what delicious foods I know that I'm going to eat that day. So, it was really, reallychallenging for me when I started to lose my taste buds. It was actually, I would say more than challenging, itwas actually depressing. I felt like a deep sadness about that shift.”-Miranda, PatientCancer and its treatments can change the way foods taste by, among other things, leaving a bitter or metallic tastein your mouth, making certain flavors unappealing or bland or reducing your ability to distinguish among flavors.Some cancer treatments can also damage cells in your nose that detect smells.“Your sense of taste and smell are linked. So, you identify flavors of food by their smell. If the cells in yournose are damaged, it you may not be able to tell the difference between food flavors. So, for example, if you’reeating a grapefruit and a lemon and you can’t tell the difference.”-Kari Ikemoto, Registered DietitianIn addition, cancer treatments may interfere with the production of saliva. Dry mouth, known as xerostomia canmake foods feel like cardboard or sand in your mouth. When food tastes unpleasant, it can be hard to eat withoutgetting sick to your stomach.“So, as a result, you may limit foods or avoid them altogether. This may lead to nutritional deficiencies andweight loss.”- Kari Ikemoto, Registered DietitianTo make foods taste better, try mixing 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a quart of water.“Rinse your mouth with this solution before each meal. After your meal either brush your teeth or rinse with thesolution again.”- Kari Ikemoto, Registered DietitianOther tips: Suck on sugar-free mints or fruit-flavored drops, or chew gum to stimulate saliva production. If you havedry mouth, sip small amounts of fluid as you eat. Eat soft foods like soup, pudding, or mashed potatoes. Or moistenyour food with gravies or sauces to make it easier to chew and swallow. You can also ask your dietitian or health careprovider about using a saliva substitute, which coats and moistens your mouth or throat to help you swallow.You might find that you now like some foods you once disliked. Experiment with different types of foods andseasonings, until you find ones that taste good to you.“Things like Rosemary, oregano, garlic, onion, ketchup, barbeque sauce, mint can all be flavor enhancers.Adding sweetness to bitter or acidic foods with fruit sauces or sweet-and-sour sauce. You can also add tartflavors like vinegar but be careful with acidic foods like tomato sauce or citrus If you have mouth sores, as thesecan cause irritation.”- Kari Ikemoto, Registered DietitianIf the metallic taste of silverware bothers you, use plastic knives, forks, and spoons. Using glass or ceramicPage 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1000898 EN HandlingUnpleasantFoodAndDrinkTastesDuringCancerTreatment.pdf© The Wellness NetworkHandling Unpleasant Food and Drink Tastes DuringCancer TreatmentPage 2 of 2cookware can also help. Meat may have a metallic or chemical flavor as well. If so, try switch to other proteinsources like chicken, fish, beans or tofu. Sometimes just the smell of cooking food can turn your stomach.“The solution is to serve foods cold or at room temperature. If you do cook food, be sure to use a wellventilated area or an outdoor grill so the smells don’t overwhelm you.”- Kari Ikemoto, Registered DietitianTaking zinc sulfate supplements can help prevent taste changes but check with your healthcare provider ordietitian first.“Are you experiencing any taste changes right now or how is it affecting your appetite?”Sometimes taste changes can continue for months or years after treatment, or they may be permanent. Yourhealth care team can help you adjust your diet to deal with any long-term changes. But usually, foods will starttasting more like they used to within 1 to 2 months after treatment—as they have for Miranda.“I'm really grateful, because over time, as I've gotten better, my taste buds have also begun to shift to moreto what they were like before, so that's really exciting for me, as it opens up a whole new world of foods thatI was not able to enjoy a year ago, that I can enjoy again now.”-Miranda, PatientThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1000898 EN HandlingUnpleasantFoodAndDrinkTastesDuringCancerTreatment.pdf© The Wellness Network
