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Like many other patients she discovered that the food she ate during chemo was nearly impossible to consume once treatment was over.

And for cancer patients FASS can spell the difference between finding meals palatable and losing interest in eating, at a time when patients need all the strength and nourishment they can get.īut Jacobs, who recently published a self-help book "The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer," adds a note of caution. Katz calls this her "culinary pharmacy," with the acronym FASS standing for fat, acid, salt and sweet.

"Fat is like a magic carpet traversing back and forth across your palate, delivering tastes," she says, "so all of a sudden you have that involuntary spasm of vocal delight, turning yuck into yum." If foods taste bitter or harsh, she says, a teeny drop of Grade B organic maple syrup will make it taste better.Īs for fats, Katz says, "eat them!" She suggests the healthiest ones, like olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds. Sea salt is best because it's not processed like typical table salt. If you feel like you are eating cardboard, add salt. If water or food tastes like metal add a little acid, says Katz, the type found in lemons, limes and oranges. Then there are some very practical changes patients can make. Introduce new spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and "all of a sudden your taste buds are tickled instead of drab," she says.

"Give your taste buds a passport for worldwide travel," to countries like Thailand, Latin America, Spain and Morocco. Use new flavors and spices, so there's no expectation of how foods should taste. Her books, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, and One Bite At A Time, offer lots of suggestions.įirst off, try tricking your taste buds, Katz says. She is a chef who works with cancer patients, helping them learn how to eat and even enjoy food during treatment. There are some things patients can do to retain their interest in food, according to Rebecca Katz. "They turn over very fast." This means the chemo drugs end up targeting the taste cells along with the cancer cells. "Unfortunately, taste cells are the same, " says Cowart.

The purpose is to attack cancer cells which grow rapidly. One reason the taste of food changes has to do with the nature of chemo therapy itself, Cowart says. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title One Bite at a Time Subtitle Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends Author Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson