More than 24,000 new cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2010, according to the American Cancer Society, and rates continue to rise each year. Liver cancer and its treatment can affect your ability to process nutrients and your appetite, increasing your risk of malnutrition. Eating a healthy diet can improve your nutritional status and your outcome. While there is no specific diet recommended for liver cancer, a vegetarian diet is a healthy choice and can help maximize your nutrient intake.
Vegetarian Diet
Making diet and nutrition a priority when you have liver cancer is important to help you cope with your treatment and keep up your energy and strength. The vegetarian diet is a plant-based diet that excludes all meat, fish and poultry. Some vegetarians also avoid eggs and dairy products. As a plant-based diet, a well-planned vegetarian diet provides a number of cancer-protecting nutrients. However, it can be difficult to meet your increased calorie needs on the vegetarian diet, making it important that you include a variety of nutritious calorie-dense foods, such as nuts, seeds and healthy vegetable oils to meet your needs.
Grains
Grains are a source of carbohydrates that your body needs for energy. Grains are also a source of calories, which are important for weight maintenance. How many servings of grains you need to eat each day depends on your calorie needs, but aim for a minimum of five. Include mostly whole grains on your diet for the fiber. Fiber helps move food through your digestive system, which can help remove cancer-causing toxins. Healthy grain choices include whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, barely, whole-grain crackers and popcorn.
Soy and Legumes
Soy and legumes are sources of protein on your vegetarian diet. Getting enough protein to help maintain your muscle mass is important for strength. Include at least one serving of soy or legumes a day. These foods are also sources of fiber, B vitamins and iron. Healthy choices include chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, hummus, tofu, tempeh and soy milk.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide a variety of vitamins and minerals your body needs for good health. They are also rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from cancer. However, fruits and vegetables are also low in calories. Choose calorie-dense fruits and vegetables to get the needed nutrients along with the extra calories. High-calorie choices include dried fruits, juice, vegetables cooked in oil, potatoes, peas and corn.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are sources of calories in your vegetarian diet. A 1 oz. serving of nuts or seeds contains 150 to 200 calories. Add nuts or seeds to your hot cereal or cooked vegetables, or spread some nut butter on bread or crackers. Nuts and seeds are also high in protein, fiber and essential fats. Include at least one serving a day on your diet plan.
Oils
Oils are also a source of calories. A 1 tsp. serving contains 45 calories. Healthy choices include olive oil, vegetable oil, soy oil and safflower oil. Margarine can also be used to add flavor and calories to potatoes, rice or bread.
Eggs and Dairy
Not all vegetarians include eggs and dairy in their diet, but such foods are sources of protein and calories. If you include these foods as part of your meal plan, have one serving of dairy a day and eggs a few times a week.
References
- American Cancer Society; What are the Key Statistics About Liver Cancer; April 2011
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America: Nutrition Therapy for Liver Cancer
- Loma Linda University: The Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets; 2009
- HelpGuide.org; The Anti-Cancer Diet; Maya Paul and Melinda Smith; April 2010
- "The Complete Book of Food Counts"; Corinne T. Netzer; 2009
