Cheryl Martin (Host): It can often be confusing to navigate the intersection of nutrition and cancer care. With so many myths on social media, you're not sure what to believe. Megan Welker is a registered dietitian at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, and she's here to provide some evidence-based tips so you can make some informed dietary choices.

 This is UAMS Health Talk, a podcast from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. I'm Cheryl Martin. Megan, so glad to have you on.

Megan Welker: Yes, thank you for having me.

Host: First, what are some of the most common cancer nutrition myths you've encountered?

Megan Welker: Oh, we get a lot of different myths or things that people hear from family members or loved ones, maybe when they find out about that cancer diagnosis. Definitely, the most popular one we hear a lot is, you know, that sugar feeds cancer. That's a very common myth/question we get, or different supplements or things that are out on the market if they can help or cure cancer.

Host: So, let's start with those. So, does sugar feed cancer?

Megan Welker: No, it does not. So, it is correct that sugar feeds every cell in our body. Sugar is our brain's preferred source of energy, so we do need some form of it. But even though it does feed every cell and feeds even cancer cells, it cannot choose specifically what cell it feeds into. So if you consume something with sugar, whether it's a sweet like ice cream or even a starchy vegetable like a potato, all of those get broken down into sugar, but they're not saying, "Hey, I'm going directly to that cancer cell and going to make the cancer worse."

There is no evidence to suggest or prove that sugar feeds cancer or can cause cancer. However, an increase in added sugar intake, especially those concentrated sugars like your sweets, your simple carbohydrates like sugary drinks, those can lead to an increase in your weight, which can put you at risk for certain cancers.

Host: So, is it just best overall then to have the goal of lowering your sugar intake? Let's say the ice cream, the sodas.

Megan Welker: Yeah. Everything in moderation is definitely our motto. I don't think that there's anything that you need to cut out of your diet completely. Like I said, you do need some form of sugar or carbohydrates to have a balanced diet, but it is important to limit the added sugar intake or those concentrated sugars like the sweet tea, the sodas, candy, cookies, those types of sugar or carbohydrates that don't provide much nutritional benefit aside from raising your blood sugar or leading to that weight gain.

Host: And what do you consider moderation?

Megan Welker: So, there's not a set number because it is so specific depending on the person. When you meet with a registered dietitian, we calculate your individual needs based on your height, your weight, your past medical history. We take all that into account to form a plan that works best for you. So, there's not a set number necessarily. But I typically tell people to have those starchy foods or those carbohydrates take up no more than a quarter of their plate at mealtimes.

Host: Okay. Now, you mentioned herbal supplements. Can they cure cancer?

Megan Welker: No, they cannot. There are some herbs or spices that are showing some evidence of helping reduce inflammation, which can be helpful, especially during cancer treatment. Things like turmeric or ginger. But there's not an herbal supplement that you can go purchase at the store or buy over-the-counter that's going to cure the cancer or help the cancer in any way, really.

Host: So, Megan, what are your thoughts on juice cleanses, detoxes? Are they beneficial for cancer patients?

Megan Welker: We don't typically recommend doing something like a juice cleanse or a detox, especially during cancer treatment. A lot of these detoxes can deprive your body of the essential nutrients it needs to fight off the cancer and continue to feel as healthy as possible. And a lot of these, especially like those juice cleanses where you're drinking a juice that might have some fruits and vegetables in it, it's typically lacking one of those major macronutrients, which is protein. And that deficiency in protein can lead to a loss of muscle mass and a lack of energy, which are two things that are very important when fighting cancer.

Host: Now, we hear a lot about "superfoods" that can prevent or cure cancer. Are there any foods like that that can help cure cancer?

Megan Welker: So, superfoods is definitely a trendier topic. It is essentially a fancy word for a food that contains a lot of different nutrients. So, there's not a list of superfoods that you can look to and use as a reference, but it is important to try to eat a balanced diet, so including a variety of foods in your day and in your week, especially we hear a lot of times, eat the rainbow. And although that is a catchy phrase, it's also very true. Having a variety of colors on your plate can be very important, including different colors of fruits and vegetables on your plate because each color of fruit and vegetable provides those different vitamins and minerals that you need. For instance, orange or yellow fruits and vegetables can help with eyesight. They help with heart health and also immune health, which are all important things for everybody.

Host: So, you're saying superfoods are really just the right vegetables and fruits.

Megan Welker: Yes. Yeah, that can be some of them. I see it on social media, the trend of superfoods. They like to choose certain ones to highlight here and there and they're always circulating, but just having that balanced diet is really the best thing you can do for yourself.

Host: But again, these superfoods don't prevent or cure cancer.

Megan Welker: That is correct.

Host: So, how do we know if something we read about cancer and nutrition or saw on social media-- how do we know it's coming from a credible source?

Megan Welker: That's a good question and a very popular question because social media has grown so much over the past few years. If you're seeing something on TikTok or Instagram or Facebook, you might see a claim, do this and it'll keep you from getting cancer or drink this, and it'll cure your cancer.

The best thing I can recommend is when you see someone make a post or a claim like that to go to their profile and look to see if they have the letters RD or RDN behind their name. That stands for registered dietitian or registered dietitian nutritionist. This credential will show you that these people went through the extensive schooling and supervised practice needing to be an expert in food and nutrition. And we practice based on science and based on evidence, so we are not going to make claims that have no evidence to support them like someone else would on Facebook. Maybe your aunt sees something on Facebook and it's just someone claiming that they are a nutritionist and they don't have that RD behind their name, well, they can claim whatever they want because there's nothing supporting that. So, looking for that RD or RDN is very important.

Host: That's great, great advice. Now, are there any types of food that someone undergoing cancer treatment should focus on other than what you've shared in terms of the different fruits and vegetables, the colors?

Megan Welker: Just following that balanced diet is really important, making sure you have lean protein on your plate, whether that's chicken, turkey, fish, or seafood, or even eggs, making sure you have those fruits and veggies on your plate. And we do like to have carbohydrates and starches as well. Like I said, those give us energy. We need them in our body. So, those can be from things like whole wheat bread or brown rice. or even your starchy vegetables like potatoes or beans. Following that balanced diet and meeting with a dietitian most importantly to get that individualized plan can be beneficial during cancer treatment.

Host: Now, are there any specific food groups that cancer patients should avoid? I know we talked about decreasing sugar, but any that we should absolutely avoid if we are a cancer patient?

Megan Welker: There is not a certain food that needs to be avoided. Each cancer and each treatment plan along with that, there might be specific foods that could maybe cause increased side effects. I'm thinking about maybe if a patient gets put on antibiotics, dairy might upset their stomach, and that might not be the most helpful thing when you're already going through cancer treatment.

However, it is also important to practice food safety, which is something that meeting with a dietician, they can teach a patient about that food safety because you are having a weakened immune system going through cancer treatment. We want to make sure we're eating foods in a safe way and they're being prepared safely to eliminate that risk of any foodborne illness happening.

Host: Great. Now, Megan, talk about any nutritional support available at UAMS for cancer patients.

Megan Welker: Yes, we have a great program here at UAMS. We have a whole team of registered dietitians that work in the hospital and on the outpatient side in the clinics to help these cancer patients. So if you are going to see your oncologist or one of your doctors and you're interested in meeting with a registered dietitian, you can let them know and they can place a referral for you to see one of us. From there, we schedule a visit to get to know you better, get a good background on you, and make that assessment so we can recommend what you specifically need on your path through cancer.

Host: That's great. Now, what resources would you recommend for individuals looking to learn more about cancer nutrition?

Megan Welker: The UAMS Cancer Institute has a website that has a lot of great resources on it. I would also recommend if you're coming in-person to your visits at the Cancer Institute on the first floor, we have a patient support pavilion that offers a lot of different resources. There are educational materials in there. There's a team of social workers available to help on that side, and that's where we meet with patients as well, so you can get that well-rounded experience and ask any questions you might need.

Host: Megan Welker, thank you for enlightening us on this topic. As we know, knowledge is power, and you have definitely empowered us. Great information. Thank you.

Megan Welker: Thank you so much.

Host: To make an appointment at UAMS, you can call 501-526-6477. That's 501-526-6477. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the entire podcast library for other topics of interest to you. This is UAMS Health Talk, a podcast from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Thanks for listening.