There is a growing interest among the scientific community in the relationship between carbohydrate and cancer. Recent studies have suggested that controlling intake of refined carbohydrates (high glycemic index and glycemic load) might help to reduce the risk of cancer.
Why carbohydrate diet is restricted for cancer patients?
Carbohydrates can have a direct and indirect effect on tumour cell proliferation.
Cancer thrives in an acidic environment. Sugars are highly acidic.
Cancer cells can uptake sugars to 10 to 12 times more than the healthy cells.
What is ketogenic diet? How does it benefit cancer?
Ketogenic diet is low carbohydrate, high fat and moderate protein.
Foods that have healthy fats
Avocadoes, coconut, butter, cheese, nuts, oil seeds, egg.
Low Carbohydrate Vegetables
Spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, broccoli, and etc.
Protein Foods
Fish, Egg. Milk & Milk products (fermented dairy products) like curd, cheese, etc.
Although the mechanism by which ketogenic diets demonstrate anticancer effects when combined with standard radio-chemo-therapies has not been fully elucidated, preclinical results have demonstrated the safety and potential efficacy of using ketogenic diets in combination with radio-chemo-therapy to improve responses in murine cancer models. These preclinical studies have provided the impetus for extending the use of ketogenic diets into phase I clinical trials that are currently ongoing.
Article by Ms. Radhika
Dietitian, Kauvery Hospital
