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Article contributed by Mayo Clinic oncology dietitians
Sugar is often a source of anxiety and fear for people with cancer. It’s important for people to know sugar does not cause cancer, and consuming sugar does not make cancer cells grow faster, nor does avoiding sugar slow their growth. Sugar, however, may play an indirect role in developing cancer.
How it happens
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that comes in different forms. Added sugars are found in sweetened beverages, desserts, candy, and other processed foods. Naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, starchy vegetables and grains.
Research suggests that sugar’s strongest link to cancer is its role in weight gain and obesity. Excess sugar contributes to extra calorie intake, increasing the risk of obesity. It is important to note that too many calories from any source - carbohydrate, fat and even protein – can lead to weight gain. Extra weight increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and several types of cancer including breast cancer (post-menopausal), colorectal, esophageal, multiple myeloma (a cancer of the blood cells), meningioma (a type of brain cancer), kidney, endometrial, ovarian, thyroid, liver, gallbladder, upper stomach, and pancreatic. The link between excess body weight and cancer are complex and not fully understood.
Tracking your sugar intake
Added sugar provides no nutritional benefit and nutrition guidelines recommend limiting your daily intake.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: No more than 10% of your daily calories from added sugar (50 grams or 12 tsp. on a 2,000-calorie diet).
- The American Heart Association: Limit added sugar to 25 grams (6 tsp.) per day for women and 37 grams (9 tsp.) per day for men.
Be sure to read the nutrition facts label and avoid going over daily recommended sugar intake. If you consume sugary snacks and beverages, added sugar in your diet can add up quickly. For example:
- 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams (10 tsp.) of sugar.
- A standard Hershey’s bar has 26 grams (6.5 tsp.) of sugar.
- A six-ounce container of low-fat yogurt may contain up to 15 grams (4 tsp.) of sugar.
- A Nutri-Grain bar contains 12 grams (3 tsp.) of sugar.
Often, even foods that are marketed as healthy options can contain an excess of sugar, so be mindful of this as you make changes to your diet.
Reducing your risk
Excess body fat can also affect hormones, including the sex hormone estrogen, which can increase the risk of some cancers including breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight and being active reduce insulin resistance and cancer risk. Losing just 5-10% of your body weight and aiming for at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week can help. Work with your primary care provider or a dietitian to develop a plan that works best for you.
What small steps have you taken to try to reduce added sugars?
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Is GI Cancer common? I got diagnosed with that cancer this past June. This past holiday I ate a piece of some pies and had a few cookies. Did I contribute to the cancer cells by eating all those things? Also, another question, is corn not good to eat for cancer patients? I had a chicken tamale too. I just wanted clarification on that please.
Tasamy, thank you for your questions. First, stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, is generally rare in the United States, but is on the rise among younger people. Second, it's not clear what causes stomach cancer. Experts believe most stomach cancers start when something hurts the inside lining of the stomach such as having an infection in the stomach, long-standing acid reflux, and eating a lot of salty foods. To give you more information, visit this webpage on mayoclinic.org:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stomach-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352438
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4 Reactions@sifuenteslinde I am trying to research something, and wondering if you can be of assistance. Currently undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, with lenolinamide and Ninlaro plus dexamethasone, treatment since August 2021. Also, I am an end stage renal disease patient on peritoneal dialysis, since Sept 2022. In July of this year we modified my dialysis fluids from dextrose base, to maltose base. Since then, I have felt so much better, tolerating the daily dialysis better, better energy, etc. What my oncologist and I have also seen is how my numbers are seeming to respond favorably to this. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, M spike, etc are awesome. Is there a connection here, worth investigating? Could the switch to a different dialysis fluid base be having a positive effect on my cancer numbers? Are there others on PD dialysis and chemotherapy who have had this experience, or wonder if it could work for them? Where do I turn, how do I find out more?
Ginger
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3 ReactionsI often wonder how much sugar people eat compared to me. After lunch and dinner I always need something sweet. I always have candy, cake and sometimes ice cream every day. I am not overweight, pre-diabetic (but isn't everyone?) and my teeth are good. I eat a piece of cake and maybe 3 mini candy bars and a small bowl of ice cream. Is this a lot compared to others?
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1 Reaction@mikaylar, I don't think you can compare yourself to others. Everyone is different and there are many variables. The amount of sugar you can have per day depends on the source of the sugar and your goals.
Here's a helpful article from the American Heart Association:
- How Much Sugar Is Too Much? https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/how-much-sugar-is-too-much
Since you are pre-diabetic, has your doctor recommended reducing your sugar intake?
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3 ReactionsThank you. No doctor hasn't mentioned anything. I don't think most of my doctors care.
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1 ReactionEverybody is pre-diabetic. Some of my friends have been for 20 years. Ha!
You might appreciate the information from Mayo experts in this blog post, @mikaylar
- Diabetes: reducing risk
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/take-charge-healthy-aging/newsfeed-post/basics-are-best-preventing-diabetes/
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1 ReactionHi @gingerw thank you for your questions. I would be curious if others have had a similar experience you had with your PD dialysis and chemotherapy. Have you asked your oncology care team these questions?
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1 Reaction@muradangie Yes, I have asked. In fact, my oncologist is Mayo Clinic trained. He knows of noone in my cancer center with this set of conditions, and suggested I check with Mayo Clinic! Also, I did ask at my dialysis center, and again, they have noone with this combination. It may indeed be a rare combination, but for me, I feel the switch to maltose-based fluids is positively affecting my cancer numbers, and would love to be able to get others to try the change!
Ginger
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