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By Corinne Glazer, Registered Dietitian

February 4^th marks World Cancer Day which aims to raise awareness and education on cancer around the world. When you have cancer, nourishing your body is more important than ever to stay strong during treatment and through recovery. One of the easiest ways to pack nutrient dense ingredients into a meal or snack is by consuming smoothies. Listed below are 6 smoothie tips for cancer patients and survivors:

1. Start with 2 cups of decaffeinated liquid to stay hydrated such as: filtered water, coconut water, nut milk, cow’s milk, soy milk, 100% fruit juice, or oat milk.
2. Add a mildly sweet, fiber-rich fruit to promote digestive health and to balance multiple flavors, these include bananas, pears, mangoes, avocados, or pineapples.
3. Add ½-1 cup of dark-colored fruit to take advantage of their cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Popular antioxidant rich fruits include those that are red/purple in color: berries, cherries, watermelon, and grapes.
4. Add 1 cup or 1-2 handfuls of tightly packed leafy greens to provide your body with B vitamins and iron needed to reproduce blood cells. Recommended vegetables to include in smoothies are spinach, kale, zucchini, celery, or broccoli.
5. Add protein to stabilize blood sugars and handle physiological stress of cancer and healing. Whole food sources of protein include: chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flaxseeds, nut butters, Greek yogurt, cooked quinoa, and uncooked rolled oats. You can also use your desired protein powder.
6. Dealing with an upset stomach? Consider using: yogurt (good source of probiotics to support gut-healthy bacteria), fresh mint (helps with nausea and taste alterations), freshly grated ginger (aids with nausea and is a natural anti-inflammatory), or lemon zest (helps breakdown food)

Interested in making your own? Try one of these two smoothie recipes!

Popeye’s Smoothie

• 1 handful frozen spinach
• 1 handful frozen kale
• 1/3 cup frozen broccoli
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup mango
• ½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
• 1-2 cups desired liquid, recommend organic soy milk

PB&J Smoothie

• 1/3 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/3 banana
• 4 frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 Tbsp nut butter
• ¼ cup old fashion oats
• 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
• 1-2 cups desired liquid, recommend organic soy milk

Add all ingredients into a blender, process until creamy. May need to add additional liquid to help blend smoothie. Pour into a cup and sip or into a bowl and add no/low-sugar cereal or nuts for additional crunch!

Corinne Glazer, RD • Registered Dietitian • (310) 891-6707