Treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiation, may compromise your ability to eat certain foods. As a result, your doctor may recommend you consume a soft diet to facilitate adequate nutritional intake with less discomfort. Consuming a soft diet doesn't have to be boring or consist of the same foods every day. In fact, the National Cancer Institute recommends you focus on some of your favorite foods, so you continue to enjoy eating while being treated for cancer. Check with your doctor before making significant changes to your dietary habits.
Soft-Food Proteins
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, in lieu of protein-rich meats, substitute foods like milk shakes, meal-replacement puddings, soft cheeses and other dairy products. Protein is important for repair and replacement of tissues lost due to cancer, surgery or treatment. Getting adequate amounts of protein can help provide your body with amino acids for healing, without drawing from muscle tissue. You can add protein powders, available at your local health-food store, to milk shakes and other dairy products, boosting their nutritional density.
Pureed, Cooked Fruits and Vegetables
Dietitian Aimee Shea of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center explains that cancer patients should make sure they are hydrated. If you're limited to a soft foods diet, eating fruits and vegetables prepared with broth or juice can help add essential water to your diet. Depending on the consistency of these foods, you may need to cook and puree or blend them to make them easier to eat and to fit the constraints of your diet. Leave the liquid with the fruit or vegetable and mix it in thoroughly so that there are no large pieces of food to cause discomfort.
Soft Carbohydrate Foods
Carbohydrate foods provide your body with calories that can help you maintain energy levels. Some individuals, according to the National Cancer Institute, may experience diarrhea as a result of chemotherapy treatment. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which can in turn cause fatigue, weakness and impaired immune system response. Eating foods like peeled, pureed boiled potatoes; cooked, pureed cereals; and pureed noodles can provide a soft-food version of easy-to-digest carbohydrates. If you're having difficulty swallowing or require a softer consistency for other reasons, add water, broth or milk to the carbohydrates before pureeing.
Soft Food Desserts
Soft food desserts like puddings, custards and flavored gelatin can give you a hint of sweetness while you're on a soft diet. You can also combine these foods with nutritional replacement powders and liquids to add calories, vitamins and minerals that you may not be able to get solely from the foods you're eating. Dessert mixes are available in an assortment of flavors, so you can get variety in your diet while eating soft foods. If you are also on a sugar-restricted diet, many dessert foods come in sugar-free versions. These generally don't contain as many calories, so be sure to keep track of the number of calories you are consuming in each meal.
