Cancer and its
treatment can cause changes in taste and smell. This can cause you to
lose your appetite and then to lose weight. Try some of these ideas to
make your food taste better.
- Cover up bad or metallic tastes in food by using
spices. You can eat spicy food if it does not bother your
stomach. Onion, garlic, barbecue sauce, catsup, mustard, steak
sauces all cover up off tastes.
Use these same spices and sauces to add taste to food
that has no taste.
- Bland foods taste best to some people. Mashed
potatoes, plain baked chicken, milk or other unseasoned foods may taste
good.
- Use plastic utensils if you have a metallic taste in
your mouth.
- Marinate your meats and vegetables in Italian dressing
or other lemon or vinegar based sauces.
If meat tastes strange, get protein from other sources
like peanut butter, eggs, cheese, beans and peas, milk, yogurt, soy.
Chicken and mild fish often taste good.
- Rinse your mouth before you eat with 1 cup warm water
mixed with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Spit after you rinse.
This can help get rid of bad tastes in your mouth.
- Eat cool or room temperature foods - sandwiches, fruit,
yogurt, cheese and crackers may all be more appealing.
- Avoid foods with strong
smells. Cover liquid nutrition supplements and drink them with a straw if
they have an unpleasant smell.