Realitarakyat.com – Clinical Nutrition Specialist Dr. Claresta Diella, M.Gizi, Sp.GK recalled that cancer patients do not need to get rid of rice and protein because both are needed by the body, especially during the treatment process.
“Cancer patients still need carbohydrates, plant proteins, animal proteins, vegetables and fats, but good fats are also needed,” Diella said in a virtual health discussion followed in Jakarta on Wednesday (19 / 10).
According to him, some cancer fighters don’t want to eat rice because they avoid sugar or carbohydrates because they are thought to make cancer cells grow.
“Some of my patients do this because they are afraid of hearing rumors that sugar is cancer food, so if you eat carbohydrates, the cancer cells will get bigger. The fact is, because she doesn’t eat rice during the treatment process, her weight is dropping. With weight loss, this will complicate the treatment, ”Diella said.
Diella, who is a member of the Indonesian Association of Clinical Nutrition Specialists (PDGKI), explained that weight loss will automatically make the patient’s body weak. Patients will also experience more side effects from the treatment process starting with chemotherapy and radiation.
“Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and are a food source for him (cancer cells). Cancer cells are smart, if there are no carbohydrates, they will get them from proteins, fats, over time what happens is that they eat ours. bodies. The body thins, muscles are lost, immunity is lowered, that’s what happened, “Diella explained.
“So carbohydrates should still be consumed but limit simple ones like squeezed fruit. It is better to eat rice than for people with cancer, skipping rice and then eating fruit, because it is a simple sugar that cancer cells use faster. “, has continued.
In addition to carbohydrates, Diella said cancer patients often avoid the consumption of protein as well. For example, breast cancer patients do not want to eat plant proteins such as soy for fear of increasing estrogen levels and colon cancer patients do not want to eat animal proteins such as red meat.
In fact, he said, consuming plant proteins in sufficient quantities by breast cancer patients will not make the cancer worse. Likewise with the consumption of red meat.
“This protein is still needed. But in fact, because red meat is higher in fat, we usually limit it to twice a week. The rest can be augmented by white meats such as fish, chicken and even eggs, “Diella said.
“Our bodies need amino acids which are in proteins because the cancer treatment is long and this cancer itself eats our bodies, so we need protein to maintain them so that they are not lost due to these cancer cells. So we can finish the chemotherapy or radiotherapy process well, “he said.
