So, what exactly are stimulating foods? Can cancer patients consume them? What foods should be avoided?
Wei Zhixia, Director of the Oncology Department at Hainan Cancer Hospital, explains that from a modern medical perspective, there is no such thing as "stimulating foods," and no scientific research proves that consuming them will worsen a cancer patients condition.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Cancer Patients issued by the National Health Commission, patients undergoing anti-tumor treatment or in the recovery phase (particularly those with tumors) should appropriately increase their intake of protein-rich foods. Many of the traditionally labeled "stimulating foods" — such as milk, eggs, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, shrimp, and crab — are high-quality sources of protein. Arbitrarily avoiding these so-called stimulating foods could lead to malnutrition and even increase the risk of cancer recurrence or metastasis.
Rather than fixating on whether a food is "stimulating" or not, cancer patients should focus on establishing good dietary habits. This includes arranging a balanced diet, ensuring adequate intake of vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based foods, consuming moderate amounts of fish, eggs, and lean meats for quality protein, limiting the intake of refined sugars and alcohol, and avoiding cooking methods like grilling, curing, frying, and deep-frying.
So, what foods should cancer patients truly avoid? According to Director Wei, cancer patients should steer clear of foods that may accelerate disease progression or increase cancer risk.
1.Grapefruit-Like Fruits
Grapefruit contains furanocoumarins, which can interfere with the liver’s metabolism of targeted cancer drugs, preventing their timely breakdown and elimination. When these drugs remain in the bloodstream for extended periods, serious adverse reactions can occur. Therefore, patients taking targeted therapies should avoid or limit their consumption of grapefruit and related fruits.
2.Royal Jelly, Queen Bee Jelly, Birds Nest, Snow Frog (Hasma)
These foods contain estrogen, which is closely linked to the development of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Therefore, breast cancer patients with hormone-positive tumors should avoid or minimize their consumption of these products in their daily diet.
3.Foods Containing Carcinogens
These include smoked, grilled, pickled, fried, and pan-fried foods. To varying degrees, these foods contain carcinogenic substances. Refined sugars and sweets should also be avoided by all cancer patients, as the sugar content may accelerate the growth of cancer cells. Spicy foods should also be avoided as they can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, damage the stomach lining, and increase the risk of cellular changes that could lead to cancer. Smoking and alcohol consumption should be strictly avoided, as neither provides any health benefits. Moldy, rotten, or spoiled foods — such as moldy peanuts, which increase the risk of liver cancer — should also be avoided.
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Editor | Huang Fei