Building Recipes and Understanding Nutrition for Cancer-survivor Health

 Cancer survivors are highly motivated to seek information about food choices, dietary supplements and physical activity. As the population of cancer survivors steadily increases so does the need for information on food, nutrition, and cancer survival.

The American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) recommends that, if they are able to, cancer survivors should try to follow the guidelines for cancer prevention. These guidelines are not unfamiliar: aim to be a healthy weight throughout life, be physically active every day in any way for 30 minutes or more, and choose mostly plant foods, limit red and avoid processed meats.

In collaboration with George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts and Princess Margaret Hospital dietitians, researchers at ELLICSR conducted a 3-phase study called BRUNCH, which is an ever so appropriate acronym for Building Recipes and Understanding Nutrition for Cancer-survivor Health. This study focused on colorectal cancer survivors who have completed treatment.

Culinary chefs, food scientists, and dietitians worked together with current scientific findings and feedback from the cancer survivors to develop and taste-test recipes that promote nutritious and healthy eating.

Feedback from study participants indicates that these recipes and the nutrition information they received during their involvement in the study could help improve their eating habits.

Though there isn’t a single prescriptive diet that cancer survivors - or anyone really - could follow, being mindful of your food choices can contribute to an overall improvement in health and your sense of wellbeing even after cancer.

Check out the BRUNCH study recipes and videos!