Eat well

It is important to eat a balanced diet from the five food groups – fruit, vegetables and legumes, wholegrains, meat (or alternatives) and dairy (or alternatives). Limit foods containing saturated fat, added salt and added sugars, and avoid sugary drinks.

Learn more about:

• Fruit, vegetables and legumes
• Wholegrain, wholemeal and high-fibre foods
• Red meat and processed meat
• How much is a serve?
• Managing dietary changes
• Ways to eat well after cancer

Fruit, vegetables and legumes

Eating fruit, vegetables and legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas) is important for your health. They are a great source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Fruit and vegetables also contain natural substances, such as antioxidants and phytochemicals, which can protect cells in the body from damage that may lead to cancer. Eating fruit, vegetables and legumes can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight because they are low in kilojoules and high in fibre.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables or legumes daily. Aim to eat a variety of different-coloured fresh fruit and vegetables. They are best eaten whole (not juiced), and it’s good to eat both cooked and raw vegetables. Frozen and tinned vegetables are just as nutritious and are a good alternative to fresh produce – look for varieties without added sugars, salt or fats.

Wholegrain, wholemeal and high-fibre foods

Dietary fibre can help to ensure a healthy digestive system and reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Eating a diet high in fibre and wholegrain foods can also lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and help you maintain a healthy body weight.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that most adults eat at least four serves of cereal or grain foods each day, with at least two-thirds of these being wholegrain or wholemeal varieties. Wholegrain foods include wholemeal breads, rolled oats, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, barley, popping corn, cracked wheat (burghul) and quinoa.

Wholegrain foods contain the outer layer of the grain, which contains fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Wholemeal foods are made from wholegrains that have been crushed to a finer texture. Nutritionally, wholemeal and wholegrain foods are very similar.

Some people continue to have bowel problems after cancer treatment. If you find that dietary fibre makes any bowel problems worse, you may need to eat low-fibre foods. A dietitian can recommend suitable foods for your situation.

Red meat and processed meat

Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork, veal, goat, venison and kangaroo. Lean red meat is an important source of dietary iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and protein. But eating too much red meat increases your risk of bowel cancer.

To reduce this risk, Cancer Council recommends eating no more than 455 g cooked (700 g raw) lean red meat per week. This means you could have a small serve of lean red meat (65 g cooked) every day, or a larger serve in 3–4 meals a week.

There is strong evidence that eating processed meats (e.g. ham, bacon, salami) is linked with an increased risk of bowel cancer. Processed meats are high in energy (kilojoules), saturated fat and sodium, and they don’t provide the essential nutrients our bodies need.

There is no conclusive evidence that a vegetarian diet improves survival after cancer treatment. However, eating more fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrain foods will probably boost the quality of your diet.

How much is a serve?

	Fruit, vegetables, legumes 1 medium-sized piece of fruit 2 smaller fruits (e.g. plum, apricot) 1 cup diced fruit ½ cup cooked vegetables ½ cup legumes 1 cup raw salad vegetables
	Wholegrain foods 1 slice of wholegrain bread ½ cup cooked brown rice or wholemeal pasta 2/3 cup wholegrain breakfast cereal ½ cup cooked porridge
	Meat (raw) 100 g lamb loin chop 100 g steak ½ cup diced red meat ½ cup mince

Ways to eat well after cancer

• Eat a variety of nutritious foods every day.
• Add vegetables, legumes, fruit, wholegrain and high- fibre foods to your meals.
• Limit your intake of red meat.
• Choose lean cuts of meat and trim as much fat as possible before cooking.
• Swap a serve of red meat for another variety of protein. Sources of protein include fish, chicken, eggs, legumes, tofu, nuts, wholegrains, soya and dairy products.
• Avoid processed meats like ham, bacon and deli meats or eat only occasionally.
• Try reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese. Choose varieties that are also low in added sugars or salt.
• Eat fish a couple of times a week.
• Add fruit and yoghurt to wholegrain cereal or serve some vegetables such as mushrooms with your eggs and wholegrain toast.
• Adapt your recipes to include more vegetables and legumes (e.g. add grated carrot and zucchini, celery, capsicum, beans or lentils to pasta sauces).
• Limit the portion size of your meals and snacks.
• Fill half your dinner plate with vegetables.
• Swap sugary drinks for water.
• Avoid snacks that are high in added fats, sugars and salt, such as chips, biscuits and chocolate. Replace them with nuts, fruit, yoghurt or cheese.
• Limit takeaway foods that are high in fat, sugar, salt and kilojoules.
• Don’t add salt to food during cooking or before eating. Add flavour with herbs and spices.
• Grill, poach, slow roast and stir-fry rather than deep fry.
• Steam or microwave to maintain their nutritional goodness.

For more, see Food and nutrition.

→ READ MORE: Practical concerns