Good nutrition is very important for people with cancer. There may be some nutritional changes you can make now that will help you during treatment. Start by eating a healthy diet. This can increase your strength, help you maintain your weight, and help you fight. It may even help with the side effects of treatment.
If you can't make your own shakes, there are many nutritional supplements that you can buy. Some are drinks that have vitamins and minerals added to them. Most are also lactose-free, which means that you can have them even if you are lactose intolerant (have difficulty digesting milk products). Check your local market or drug store to see if they carry any of the brands below.
Nutritional Supplement (Manufacturer) | Description | Nutritional Content | Comments |
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Osmolite® 1 Cal (Abbott) Isosource® HN (Nestlé) Glytrol® unflavored (Nestlé) | Bland, unflavored drink. Useful for people who like mild sweetness. Can be used as a base for mildly sweetened milkshakes. | Per 8-ounce serving: 255 calories and 9 grams of protein |
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Ensure® (Abbott) Boost® and Boost® High Protein (Nestlé) (Note: some brands are also available in “Plus” versions) | Flavored, sweetened drink available in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and other flavors, depending on the brand. | Per 8-ounce serving: 255 calories and 9 grams of protein Per 8-ounce serving of “Plus” versions: 355 calories and 13 grams of protein |
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Glucerna® Shake (Abbott) Boost® Glucose Control (Nestlé) Glytrol® Vanilla (Nestlé) | Low-sugar, liquid supplement for people with diabetes. Available in vanilla, chocolate, and other flavors, depending on the brand. | Per 8-ounce serving: 190 to 250 calories and 10 grams of protein |
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Ensure® Enlive! (Abbott) Ensure® Clear (Abbott) Boost® Breeze (Nestlé) Resource® Diabetishield (Nestlé) | A fruity drink available in peach, orange, wild berry, iced tea, apple, blueberry pomegranate, and other flavors, depending on the brand. Resource® Diabetishield is for people with diabetes. | Per 8- to 10-ounce serving: 180 to 250 calories and 9 grams of protein Per 8-ounce serving of Resource® Diabetishield: 150 calories, 7 grams of protein, and 30 grams of carbohydrates |
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Carnation® Breakfast Essentials™ (Carnation) Scandishake® (Aptalis) | Milk-based, flavored, sweetened powders that can be mixed with milk or water, depending on the brand. Available in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Carnation® Breakfast Essentials™ is also available in premixed cans and some flavors are available in sugar-free versions. Scandishake® is available in a lactose-free version. | Per 8-ounce serving of Carnation® Breakfast Essentials™ with whole milk: 280 calories and 12 grams of protein Per 8-ounce serving of sugar-free (artificially sweetened) Carnation® Breakfast Essentials™ with whole milk: 210 calories and 14 grams of protein Per 11-ounce serving of Scandishake® with whole milk: 600 calories and 12 grams of protein |
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Scandical® (powder) (Aptalis) Benecalorie® (liquid) (Nestlé) Duocal® (powder) (Nutricia) | Unflavored supplement that can be mixed into moist food or drinks for added calories, protein, or both. | Per tablespoon of powder: 23 to 35 calories Per 1.5 ounces of liquid: 330 calories and 7 grams of protein |
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Nepro® (Abbott) Suplena® (Abbott) Novasource® Renal (Nestlé) Renalcal® (Nestlé) | Nutritional supplement for people who need to limit potassium and/or phosphorus in their diet. Available in vanilla, butter pecan, and berry. | Per 8-ounce serving: 425 calories and 11 to 19 grams of protein |
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Boost® Nutritional® pudding (Nestlé) Ensure® pudding (Abbott) | High-calorie, high-protein pudding available in vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch. | Per 4-ounce serving: 250 calories and 9 grams of protein |
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Glucerna® Snack Bar (Abbott) Glucerna® Meal Bar (Abbott) | Snack bar for people with diabetes. | Per bar: 150 to 220 calories and 8 to 10 grams of protein |
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Orgain™ (Nutricia) | Organic nutritional shake available in sweet vanilla bean, creamy chocolate fudge, iced café mocha, and strawberries & cream. | Per 11-ounce serving: 255 calories and 16 grams of protein |
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