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Diet for colon cancer

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Diet for bowel cancer is a set of nutritional rules that allow the digestive system to function optimally. Let's look at the basic principles of nutrition for bowel cancer and a sample menu for maintaining the health of the body.

In case of intestinal lesions, the issue of nutritional rules becomes acute, since the intestines require easily digestible and easily assimilated food, and the body needs a complete set of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. In order for the digestive system to function normally, it is necessary to follow a preventive diet that helps restore normal body functions and prevents the risk of developing cancer in the future. To do this, the diet should include foods that have an anti-cancer effect.

  • The essential products included in the diet for bowel cancer include: vegetables, fruits and berries. Plant foods do not allow feces to stagnate in the intestines and prevent inflammatory processes that can provoke cancer. The diet should include sea fish, cereals, vegetable oil, that is, products that are necessary for any person.
  • The main rule of nutrition when following a diet for bowel cancer is fractional nutrition. You need to eat 5-6 times a day, that is, every 2 hours, but in small portions. At the first stages of rehabilitation, it is necessary to prepare food in a mashed form and eat only warm, this speeds up the digestion process.
  • When following a diet, it is necessary to completely give up alcohol, it is forbidden to drink fresh milk. It is better not to use hot spices and seasonings, it is recommended to steam food.
  • Don't forget about the drinking regime. You should drink no more than 6 glasses of liquid per day.

Some doctors recommend switching to vegetarianism for patients with bowel cancer. But you shouldn't completely give up meat. Depending on the severity of the disease and the length of the recovery period, an optimal set of products is selected, which is constantly adjusted.

Diet for bowel cancer requires compliance with the above rules and recommendations. It is strictly forbidden to eat quickly, since quickly swallowing food deprives the body of useful substances (the digestive system does not have time to process the food). It is necessary to eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly. Do not forget that even a small portion can completely saturate the body, so overeating is dangerous.

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What is the diet for colon cancer?

What is the diet for bowel cancer, what are the basic rules of nutrition and how long should the restrictions be followed? The diet for bowel cancer should fully provide the body with nutrients. But the diet provides for restrictions in the use of some nutritional components, for example, coarse fiber. It is necessary to follow the rules of the diet throughout life. The food included in the diet should be mashed or thoroughly chopped. This is necessary in order to facilitate the processes of absorption and digestion, as well as to improve and speed up the removal of feces.

  • Please note that the daily ration should not exceed three kilograms. It is recommended to drink no more than six glasses of water, taking into account the liquid from soups and other first courses.
  • Dairy products, especially milk and alcoholic beverages should be completely excluded from the diet. Since these products cause fermentation in the intestines.
  • Food should be warm, cold and hot are prohibited. It is necessary to refrain from spices and food with a high fat content. But fruits and berries should be consumed only in the form of juices, jelly or kissels.
  • Fish and meat should be steamed only. Meals should be fractional, about 5-6 meals a day.

The diet for bowel cancer involves minimal adjustments to the chemical composition of food, while special emphasis is placed on the temperature of food.

Diet for colon cancer

The colon cancer diet perfectly cleanses the body, accelerates the removal of waste and toxins from the body and prevents constipation. The peculiarity of the diet is that it does not require special financial costs and a lot of time for cooking. But at the same time, it perfectly eliminates hunger. The colon cancer diet should include: vegetables, fruits, whole grain and bran bread, cereals, citrus fruits, foods with a high fiber content.

For breakfast, when dieting for colon cancer, it is recommended to drink light juices or fruits. This helps activate the digestive system. For a second breakfast, you can eat light porridge with fruits or diet soup. Lunch should be hearty, for example, vegetable soup, a little porridge, vegetable stew or salad. Dinner should be light, for example, stewed vegetables, porridge or vegetable salad. Do not forget about the second dinner, which should be eaten a couple of hours before bedtime. For the second dinner, you can have fruits, a glass of kefir, herbal tea or some dried fruits.

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Diet for sigmoid colon cancer

Diet for sigmoid colon cancer is very important. Following the rules of nutrition allows you to restore the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Products that healthy people eat disrupt the work of the intestines of patients with sigmoid colon cancer. Many patients, after surgery for sigmoid colon cancer, suffer from diarrhea for the first week. This happens because the gastrointestinal tract is trying to rebuild itself to normal operation. In this case, patients are advised to drink more fluids and seek medical help.

Let's look at an example menu for a diet for sigmoid colon cancer.

  • For breakfast, it is best to have fresh juice and some biscuits. In addition, fresh fruits or fruit puree are excellent.
  • For a second breakfast, it is recommended to eat light porridge or salads.
  • For lunch, it is necessary to eat the first course, that is, liquid soups, porridge and vegetables. When following a diet, it is allowed to eat flour products, but in small quantities (bread, pasta, spaghetti).
  • Dinner should be light but filling. Stewed and baked vegetables and tea are excellent. If desired, you can eat porridge with fruit.
  • A couple of hours before bed, that is, for the second dinner, it is advisable to drink a glass of kefir or eat yogurt with dried fruits. If there is no kefir, then you can have an apple as a snack.

It is necessary to eat fractionally, that is, every 2 hours and in small portions. With this diet, there is no need to cook a lot of food. Following the diet allows you to restore bowel function and prevent relapses of the disease.

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Diet for colon cancer

Diet for cecum cancer is the first rule of treatment. Since almost 40% of gastrointestinal cancers occur in the cecum. Nutrition rules begin with the choice of products. There are so-called anti-cancer products that help prevent and slow down the development of cancer. Food should be fresh, natural and seasonal, this will ensure complete nutrition. Easily digestible food, that is, food that contains enzymes and bacteria, is well digested and helps to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

  • It is strictly forbidden to consume GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and food additives. Prohibited products when following a diet for colon cancer include: peanuts, soy, sweets, crab sticks, processed cheeses, instant coffee, chicken, raw eggs.
  • It is recommended to eat veal and lamb, vegetables, greens, berries and fruits, animal butter, fish, porridge, yeast-free bread, vegetable oil and pasta. Food should be natural, properly prepared and always fresh. It is necessary to eat warm dishes, cold and hot should be avoided.

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Diet after colon cancer surgery

Diet after bowel cancer surgery is the most important condition for recovery. The diet should consist only of home-cooked food, so it will take a lot of time to prepare it. It is best to cook in a steamer or multicooker. A blender or food processor will be an excellent assistant in preparing dishes. We present the basic principles of nutrition in the postoperative period of bowel cancer.

  • Food should be easily digestible, that is, gentle on the intestines and other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • The diet is aimed at restoring the body's functions and normalizing metabolism. Nutrition should protect the body from inflammatory processes and intoxication.
  • A properly composed diet promotes wound healing after surgery. Adherence to the diet rules allows you to return to a full diet with a wide range of products.

In the first days after the operation, the patient is prohibited from eating, the patient is only allowed to drink a lot of liquid. For these purposes, broths, liquid vegetable purees, herbal decoctions, juices, liquid porridges are suitable. This type of diet must be followed for 5-6 days after surgery.

In the following days, it is recommended to add food of less liquid consistency to the diet. The diet should be complete, that is, the body should receive all the nutrients - fats, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins. Food should be chopped and mechanically processed. You need to eat small portions and every two to three hours. This will allow the body to recover in the postoperative period.

A week or a week and a half after the operation, it is necessary to include protein-rich foods in the diet - eggs, lean meat, fish. Do not forget about vegetables and fruits - apples, carrots, beets. Fermented milk products are also allowed - low-fat sour cream, yogurt, kefir. Fresh salads should be introduced into the diet gradually, so that the stomach does not become inflamed. If after three to four weeks of following the diet, the patient's health has improved, then you can switch to regular food, but at the same time observing a fractional diet.

Diet Recipes for Colon Cancer

Recipes for a diet for bowel cancer allow you to diversify your diet and not feel restricted in food. Nutrition plays an important role in the fight and prevention of cancer, especially when it comes to bowel and gastrointestinal tract lesions. For example, vegetables contain phytoestrogens, which regulate the balance of estrogen, which is responsible for the occurrence of hormone-dependent tumors. Cereals, seafood, yellow, red and orange fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that prevent cancer. Of course, without drug therapy, it is impossible to cure cancer by following a diet alone. But a diet will be an excellent preventative measure, helping the body recover from the disease.

Let's look at some recipes that can be used when following a colon cancer diet.

  • Spicy Vegetable Soup Puree

The dish includes carrots and pumpkin, vegetables rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene, which have a preventive effect on cancer. To prepare the soup, you need ginger root, the spice will add piquancy to the dish and will have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

To prepare the soup, you will need: 1 onion, 500 g carrots, 500 g pumpkin, 25 g ginger, a liter of water, soy sauce, bay leaf and olive oil. Take a saucepan with a thick bottom and heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in it. Chop the onion and fry until transparent. Now you can add diced carrots, pumpkin and ginger. Pour water over the vegetables, and after the future soup boils, add spices. Cook the dish for about 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables become soft. As soon as the vegetables are cooked, remove the bay leaf from the soup and chop everything in a blender. You can add a little black or red pepper to taste to the finished cream soup.

  • Vitamin Spinach and Asparagus Salad with Lemon Dressing

Spinach contains nutrients that have anti-cancer properties, and asparagus is rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene. Sunflower seeds contain polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-3, which support normal cell division and integrity, preventing the formation of malignant cells.

To prepare the salad, you will need: 10 asparagus shoots, 500-700 g spinach, 100 g seeds, 2 lemons, olive oil, soy sauce, seasonings to taste. Squeeze the lemons into a glass and put the pulp in a double boiler or steamer, adding 500 ml of water to the citrus fruits. After 10 minutes, add the asparagus pods to the lemons and simmer for 5-10 minutes. After this, remove the asparagus and rinse under cold water. Add the seeds and a spoonful of soy sauce to the lemon juice, mix well and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Place the washed spinach leaves in a plate, sprinkle with a dressing of seeds and lemon juice, and garnish with asparagus on top. Please note that it is not recommended to eat this salad in the postoperative period, but it is great for preventing colon cancer.

  • Vegetable stew with mushrooms and broccoli

Broccoli contains indoles, substances that prevent the proliferation of tumor cells. In addition, the vegetable has antioxidant properties. To prepare the stew, you need to buy special shiitake mushrooms, which have antitumor properties and are popular in Asian countries (mushrooms can be purchased in stores with spices for oriental cuisine).

To prepare the stew, you will need: 50 g mushrooms (fresh or dried), 180-200 g broccoli, 250 g chicken, vegetable broth, tomato, garlic, olive oil. Fry the mushrooms in a frying pan with olive oil, add the chicken and fry until golden brown. Put the mushrooms and chicken in a frying pan with vegetable broth, bring to a boil and add broccoli. In a second frying pan, simmer the diced tomato and garlic and add to the stew. The dish is ready in 10-15 minutes.

When making recipes for a diet for bowel cancer, it is recommended to use products with anti-cancer action. The most useful fruits and berries are: oranges, kiwi, raspberries, dates, watermelon, strawberries. Of the vegetables, it is recommended to eat: tomatoes, garlic, eggplants, onions, ginger. Do not forget to include fish, meat, vegetable oils, teas and cereals in the diet.

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Diet menu for colon cancer

The diet menu for bowel cancer should be created by a nutritionist or attending physician. But knowing the list of prohibited and permitted products, you can create the menu yourself. When creating a diet plan, it is necessary to take into account the psychological, age and physiological characteristics of the patient, as well as the stage of the cancer.

  1. The first stage of the diet involves gradual refusal, i.e. restrictions in the consumption of flour, spicy and fatty foods. The diet should include porridge, vegetable and fruit juices. Carrot, celery and beetroot juices are especially useful.
  2. The second stage of the diet is the use of steamed and boiled vegetables, herbal and plant decoctions. The second stage lasts from 2 to 4 months.
  3. The third stage of the diet is carried out to cleanse the body of toxins, slags and salts. To do this, the diet should include nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals. Food should be consumed only at designated hours so that the body does not feel hunger and exhaustion.

We offer an approximate menu of a diet for bowel cancer for a week:

Monday

  • Breakfast: fruit juice and 50 g of biscuits.
  • 2nd breakfast: rice or oatmeal with dried fruits, a glass of tea, compote or herbal infusion.
  • Lunch: vegetable puree soup, stewed vegetables, fruit compote or vegetable juice.
  • Dinner: baked vegetables or baked fruit, such as apples, a glass of tea and oatmeal cookies.
  • 2nd dinner: a glass of kefir or yogurt.

Tuesday

  • Breakfast: oatmeal with kefir or tea with oatmeal cookies.
  • 2nd breakfast: fruit juice, light salad and buckwheat porridge without oil.
  • Lunch: cabbage soup, steamed cutlets, vegetable salad.
  • Dinner: rice porridge, fruit or vegetable juice.
  • 2nd dinner: 50 g dried fruits and tea.

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: a glass of juice and one piece of fruit.
  • 2nd breakfast: vegetable salad, 100 g boiled fish.
  • Lunch: vegetable stew, boiled meat and salad.
  • Dinner: 100-150 g buckwheat porridge and a glass of kefir.
  • 2nd dinner: yogurt, oatmeal cookies, tea.

Thursday

  • Breakfast: vegetable juice and a handful of nuts.
  • 2nd breakfast: rice or pearl barley porridge, fruit, green tea.
  • Lunch: light soup without frying, vegetable stew or stewed eggplant, compote or fruit drink.
  • Dinner: a slice of bran bread, 100 g of boiled meat.
  • 2nd dinner: kefir and oatmeal cookies.

Friday

  • Breakfast: a glass of vegetable or fruit juice.
  • 2nd breakfast: sweet peppers or tomatoes stuffed with rice, a glass of tea.
  • Lunch: cream soup, boiled and steamed meat, dried fruit compote.
  • Dinner: rice or oatmeal with dried fruits, green tea.
  • 2nd dinner: a glass of kefir or yogurt.

Saturday

  • Breakfast: a glass of herbal infusion and a piece of black bread.
  • 2nd breakfast: vegetable salad, glass of fruit or vegetable juice.
  • Lunch: 150-200 g of pickle soup, cabbage salad, buckwheat porridge without oil.
  • Dinner: vegetable stew, green tea.
  • 2nd dinner: baked fruits, dried fruits, kefir.

Sunday

  • Breakfast: a glass of kefir or yogurt.
  • 2nd breakfast: green tea, vegetable salad and a piece of black bread.
  • Lunch: vegetable broth soup with lentils, a glass of beetroot juice.
  • Dinner: buckwheat porridge, 100-150 g boiled meat, green tea.
  • 2nd dinner: tea or kefir, a glass of yogurt.

Diet for bowel cancer - the principles of optimal healthy nutrition, which provide the body with the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Diet for bowel cancer allows you to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent relapses and progression of the disease in the future. The diet should include products with anti-cancer action. It is mandatory to comply with restrictions, fractional meals and drinking regime.

What can you eat if you have colon cancer?

What can you eat with bowel cancer is a pressing issue for patients with this disease and for those whose family members have people suffering from cancer. The diet should include fruits, vegetables and berries with a high fiber content. Natural, plant-based foods normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, protect the intestines from inflammatory processes and stagnation of feces, which provoke cancer.

With bowel cancer, you need to eat cereals (buckwheat, rice), sea fish, seaweed, vegetable oils, liver (chicken, beef) and cereals. Please note that these products should be in the diet of every person, regardless of whether they are at risk or not. All products must be fresh, natural and heat-treated. In addition to eating the above products, when following a diet, you need to follow a number of rules.

  • It is recommended to eat fractionally, every 2-3 hours, that is, 5-6 times a day.
  • Food should be warm, but not hot or cold. This is necessary for optimal bowel function.
  • In the first 2-3 weeks of the diet, food should be given to the patient in a mashed or semi-liquid form. This will speed up the process of excretion and facilitate absorption and digestion.
  • It is important to remember that the diet should contain 55% carbohydrates, 15% proteins and 30% fats.
  • Milk and alcoholic drinks should be completely excluded from the diet, but seasonings, spices and herbs should be limited.
  • Raw animal food is prohibited. Fish and meat should be boiled or steamed, or can be served pureed.
  • As for liquids, it is recommended to drink 6 glasses of water per day, taking into account the liquid included in the first courses.
  • Cauliflower and broccoli, yellow, red and orange fruits and vegetables, seafood, greens, whole grains, bran and some dairy products (yogurt, kefir) prevent the development of colon cancer, so they must be included in the diet.

What should you not eat if you have colon cancer?

What should you not eat with bowel cancer, and what rules are recommended for patients with this disease? With bowel cancer, it is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, and it is also necessary to give up semi-finished products and meat products (sausages, hot dogs, frankfurters). Milk, fatty and salty cheeses and smoked products are prohibited.

Food must be stewed, so fried food should be avoided. It is not recommended to cook food in aluminum cookware. With bowel cancer, you cannot eat canned foods, sweets, confectionery, chocolate, sugar-containing products and artificial drinks. Legumes, potatoes, pickled and yeast products are also prohibited. You cannot stuff your stomach, eat once or twice a day and do not drink enough liquid.

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