Cancer is one of the most serious health diagnoses that a person can recieve that often leaves them and their family truly shaken. As such, they become more susceptible to rumours and myths about various lifestyles that some people claim can affect their recovery and treatment.
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Taking to Instagram on July 12, Raipur-based oncologist Dr Jayesh Sharma debunked three such food-related myths that often make rounds in social circles and negatively impact the quality of life of cancer patients.
Popular food-related myths around cancer
According to Dr Sharma, three popular food-related myths are doing the rounds on social media. They are presented as follows:
- Cancer patients should not eat broiler eggs and chicken because they look different or grow large due to hormones.
- Cancer patients should not drink milk as it promotes inflammation.
- Cancer patients should not eat sugar at all, as it feeds the cancer.
Debunking the myths
1. People are told not to eat broiler eggs and chicken because they look different or grow large due to hormones.
However, Dr Sharma explained, “Just as different dog breeds have different shapes and sizes, the different sizes of chicken and eggs are due to breeding, not hormones. Breeding is a technique that is thousands of years old, and there is no significant nutritional difference between broiler and local (desi) chicken.”
2. Coming to the claim that drinking milk causes inflammation, the oncologist explained that it is only true in people who are lactose intolerant.
“In fact, fermented milk products like curd and cheese actually reduce inflammation, and there is clear evidence that regular milk intake decreases the risk of colon cancer,” shared Dr Sharma.
He did acknowledge that the only link between milk and cancer is a small, not clearly evidenced risk of prostate cancer for those who consume excessive amounts, such as more than a litre of milk daily.
“This context applies to the myths surrounding hormones in eggs, chicken, and milk,” noted Dr Sharma, explaining that the amount of hormones that might be ingested through such foods is so minuscule and so poorly absorbed that the body naturally produces thousands of times more than that.
“These hormones do not affect our bodies, but dosing is a concept (people promoting the rumours) find difficult to understand,” noted the oncologist.
3. The biggest fear is that sugar feeds cancer, and that stopping sugar will starve the disease.
“While cancer cells use more sugar because they are toxic and inefficient, cutting off the supply is not the solution,” shared Dr Sharma, noting that the cancer cells will simply find something else within the body to draw the energy they require.
“While no one should eat excessive sugar, if five to 10 percent of your total calorie intake (not including fruits) comes from sugar, it does not harm cancer patients or healthy people. Exceeding that limit is harmful to everyone,” he pointed out.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Dr Jayesh Sharma is a senior cancer surgeon at ITSA Hospital, Raipur. With over 25 years of experience in surgical oncology, he is an expert in oral, breast, and abdominal cancers, with a special focus on complex cases.
