I was wondering what people’s thoughts are on sugar avoidance? I read all the time that sugar feeds cancer and to avoid it at all costs. If this is the case why do sites like this and Macmillan promote bake cake days which are ridden with sugar .
Being a cancer patient are there any other foods I should avoid ?
The scientific view is that the claim that sugar feeds cancer is a myth. There is a great deal of seriously misleading information distributed on the Internet.
The most reliable sites for cancer information, as advised by my BCN and Oncologist, are:
Breast Cancer Care,
Macmillan, and
Cancer Research UK.
You might find this Cancer Research UK site cheering and very helpful:
Here is an extract.
Don’t believe the hype – 10 persistent cancer myths debunked
Myth 4: Cancer has a sweet tooth
Another idea we see a lot is that sugar apparently ‘feeds cancer cells’, suggesting that it should be completely banished from a patient’s diet.
This is an unhelpful oversimplification of a highly complex area that we’re only just starting to understand.
‘Sugar’ is a catch-all term. It refers to a range of molecules including simple sugars found in plants, glucose and fructose. The white stuff in the bowl on your table is called sucrose and is made from glucose and fructose stuck together. All sugars are carbohydrates, commonly known as carbs – molecules made from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Carbs – whether from cake or a carrot – get broken down in our digestive system to release glucose and fructose. These get absorbed into the bloodstream to provide energy for us to live.
All our cells, cancerous or not, use glucose for energy. Because cancer cells are usually growing very fast compared with healthy cells, they have a particularly high demand for this fuel. There’s also evidence that they use glucose and produce energy in a different way from healthy cells.
Researchers are working to understand the differences in energy usage in cancers compared with healthy cells, and trying to exploit them to develop better treatments (including the interesting but far from proven drug DCA). But all this doesn’t mean that sugar from cakes, sweets and other sugary foods specifically feeds cancer cells, as opposed to any other type of carbohydrate. Our body doesn’t pick and choose which cells get what fuel. It converts pretty much all the carbs we eat to glucose, fructose and other simple sugars, and they get taken up by tissues when they need energy.
While it’s very sensible to limit sugary foods as part of an overall healthy diet and to avoid putting on weight, that’s a far cry from saying that sugary foods specifically feed cancer cells.
Both the ‘acidic diet’ and ‘sugar feeds cancer’ myths distort sensible dietary advice – of course, nobody is saying that eating a healthy diet doesn’t matter when it comes to cancer. You can read about the scientific evidence on diet and cancer on our website.
But dietary advice must be based on nutritional and scientific fact. When it comes to offering diet tips to reduce cancer risk, research shows that the same boring healthy eating advice still holds true. Fruit, vegetables, fibre, white meat and fish are good. Too much fat, salt, sugar, red or processed meat and alcohol are less so.
Also, this post, “What should you eat while you’re being treated for cancer“, is packed with links to evidence-based advice from our CancerHelp UK website. And this post, from the Junkfood Science blog, explores the science behind sugar and cancer in more detail.
The general advice I’ve been given is eat a variety of foods, with a balance of fruit, vegetables and protein, fibre and some carbohydrate. Eat sensibly and don’t overeat or starve yourself. Have some treats but either avoid alcohol or keep intake very low, and don’t smoke. Keep an eye on your weight and remain within your body mass index ideal range. Take regular exercise and give yourself a variety of things to do during the day so you don’t get bored and comfort eat.
Enjoy what you eat and eat what you enjoy, and don’t worry about it.
Very good post Appletree.
? X
Hi girls
Mavit - I got into an interesting, in depth chat with an elderly couple (as I often do with strangers, and not that much older than myself !) when having a coffee in a local store, not long ago. It transpired that she had had cancer, and attended Christie’s up here in S. Manchester for chemo, where they were extolling the newly found benefits of Maneuka honey for chemo patients, and so were highly recommending it to everyone. But . . it has to be strength 30% and above for it to be beneficial.
I haven’t looked into what these particular benefits are, but I’ve just reminded myself to. Perhaps we could all research into it on here??
I’m guessing that one of them is that, as with grapes and grape juice, it’s one of the purest forms of energy that your body can easily and immediately absorb, and is why grapes are excellent to give to ill or recovering patients.
Of course, it’s a form of sugar, but a natural and unrefined one.
A downside is, that it’s very expensive. I immediately went to buy some from Sainsburys, 30% was £16 for a jar. The higher the strength, the better apparently. But I then went to see a friend with a nasty cold, and gave it to her along with a bag of lemons (I know - so selfless!!). So I must get some more and look into it.
Lots of love to everyone, Doolally xxxxxxxx
Hello ladies
Have to say a big thank you for such informative posts, I am currently investigating what supplements etc, and diet, will be of most benefit to me, (have just finished rads, no chemo as not beneficial I was told, but with 2 nodes being positive I’m jumpy about that). I’ve always taken supplements, but am now on Letrozole and not sure if I should be avoiding anything…
Delly, the Manuka Honey thing is interesting, on my coasts through this forum, (done a lot of coasting!) I’ve found many a mention of it, and a friend of mine is currently on chemo “tablets” after having a tumour removed from her upper bowel, and was bought a couple of jars by her daughters…(Those girls research stuff a lot, and bought her what she calls “Cows Udder Cream” ? for her hands and feet… Udderly Smooth Cream I think, and she loves it.) …She’s not sure yet of the benefits of the honey, - is finishing her second jar now…but feels it’s helped with less nausea etc. Was thinking of getting some myself, I’ve been going to Greece for a long time now, and the old folks there (usually very old indeed.) have this ritual of drinking native honey every morning in hot water, a spoonful or so.Their honey is very dark, almost black, depending on the area it comes from, and looks like Manuka. And let’s face it, the Greeks love their sweet stuff…their desserts make your teeth ache just to look at them…
Loved the Pan roasted Med veg recipe too, I was thinking of doing that with a few of my friend’s cherry toms thrown in, and it will be a good way of using up these weird round (almost boob-like ? ) courgettes she’s given me too !!
(And I absolutely love sprouts…but never tried them with choc or vodka - feel I’m missing out there…)
Any advice on vits and things to take would be appreciated, I’m through menopause at 64 but have had a few hot flushes with Letrozole, and do have painful knees, need to lose weight I know, I’m going to start again on the Chondroitin/Glucosamine, and might resort again to Rose hip extract, it’s expensive but pretty effective, if it’s ok for me to take… Also struggling with anxiety, low moods and meltdowns, like so many others on here, so hope feeling ‘sort of’ healthier (and counselling) will help there…???..
Thistle xx
Hi Ladies
Have been off radar a while. Hope everyone’s well.
Thistle and Anniej - Yeh, Manuka honey. There’s got to be something about it if Christies are recommending it. I started reading up on it, then got diverted. But one thing being recommended was to rub on your teeth, AFTER brushing, it having such a powerful antibacterial action, so that’s fantastic about cold sores and other multiple benefits you’ve found, Anniej. An aside, I was interested to read an amusing Mail article that was exposing the poor quality of small jars of Manuka sold at Harrods for 56 pounds, and Sainsbury’s came 2nd, with Harrods at 10. Thanks for the purchase tip Anniej though. I hope you’re chemo is now all over - Finito and you’re well recovered.
Thistle - Glad you liked the recipe. Sounds good with cherry toms and “booby” courgettes (won’t need so long to cook as the rest). I enjoyed being transported away in your head to Greece (also your droll s.o.h. :smileywink:). Used to love it, but switched to Italy in latter years. Unlike yourself, I’m NOT on hormone treatment, so my hot flushes are natural pain-in-the-backside ones. Wouldn’t recommend you try without checking, but I’ve been trying Acetyl-L-Carnitine&Alpha Lipoic Acid the last month. It’s very much helping with flushes, and boosting energy. I can understand your “jumpiness” about your node situation.
Keep well everyone, Delly xxx
It is totally inappropriate for mcmillan to promote the bake days. Obesity causes cancer sugar is one of the main causes of obesity it is also highly addictive. There is recent evidence to show that fizzy drinks directly cause cancer. The sugar industry is unfortunately very powerful
Yes, you’re right, it’s better to avoid sugar for your health . Because it acidifies the body. If it is absolutely impossible to live without sugar, then you can first replace it with honey or stevia. This will be better for the body.