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Nutrition and daily life

Berries — food card: small, colourful and needing care

Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, cornelian cherries and currants are the taste of summer and the base of our jams and compotes. They are rich in vitamin C and plant pigments. This card explains their benefits and how to eat them safely during treatment.

Last updated: ~1 min read
Cooked berries are tasty and safe
Figure 1.Cooked berries are tasty and safe.

01Short answer

Berries provide vitamin C, fibre and colourful plant compounds called anthocyanins. But their thin skins and uneven surfaces make them hard to wash well, and mould appears quickly. So during neutropenia many centres advise eating berries cooked, as compote, jam or in porridge. Frozen berries need cooking too. Throw away mouldy berries.

02Simple explanation

Berries give vitamin C and fibre.

Their dark colour comes from plant pigments called anthocyanins.

Their uneven surface makes them hard to wash, and they go mouldy quickly.

Cooked berries (compote, sauce) are safer.

03Scientific explanation

Weakened immunity: MSK and LLS advise extra care during neutropenia with fruit that is hard to wash, and cooking it when in doubt.

Frozen berries: CDC has recorded hepatitis A outbreaks linked to frozen berries; boiling destroys the virus.

Plant compounds: the benefits of anthocyanins are being studied, but there is no evidence they treat leukemia.

04What happens in the body?

What do they provide?

100 g of strawberries gives about 60 mg vitamin C and 2 g fibre, with few calories.

Violet and crimson light glows from blueberries, raspberries and cherries.
Figure 2.Plant pigments give berries their colour.

How to prepare

Compote, jam, sauce or berries cooked into porridge are easy, safe options during neutropenia.

Ruby berry compote simmering gently in a pot.
Figure 3.Boiling makes berries safe.

Choosing and storing

Throw away mouldy or crushed berries at once. Store berries unwashed in the fridge and wash them just before eating.

With mouth sores

Sour berries can sting; sweet compote or a sauce mixed into porridge is gentler.

05Berries: four steps

Sort, swap raw for compote, boil, cook frozen ones too.

Sort — Discard mouldy berries.1SortDiscard mouldy berries.
Choose compote — Instead of raw.2Choose compoteInstead of raw.
Boil — Compote, jam, sauce.3BoilCompote, jam, sauce.
Cook frozen ones — Freezing does not kill germs.4Cook frozen onesFreezing does not kill germs.
Vitamin CThe tasty way.
FluidDrink compote.
SafetyCook them.

06Key points at a glance

TopicIn brief
What do they provide?100 g of strawberries gives about 60 mg vitamin C and 2 g fibre, with few calories.
How to prepareCompote, jam, sauce or berries cooked into porridge are easy, safe options during neutropenia.
Choosing and storingThrow away mouldy or crushed berries at once. Store berries unwashed in the fridge and wash them just before eating.
With mouth soresSour berries can sting; sweet compote or a sauce mixed into porridge is gentler.

07Key terms

Anthocyanins
Pigments that give berries their colour.
Compote
A drink of cooked fruit.
Mould
A fungus that grows on fruit.
Hepatitis A
A liver virus that can spread through food.
Antioxidant
A substance that protects cells from damage.

08Key points

  • Berries give vitamin C and fibre.
  • They are hard to wash and go mouldy fast.
  • Choose cooked berries during neutropenia.
  • Boil frozen berries too.
  • Throw away mouldy berries.

09Frequently asked questions

Can I eat jam?

Jam in a sealed jar, pasteurised or properly boiled, is usually fine. Keep an opened jar in the fridge and discard it if mould appears.

Do berries fight cancer?

Berries are part of a healthy diet, but they do not treat leukemia.

Can I eat cornelian cherries and currants?

As compote or jam, yes; raw, follow your team’s rule.

10Questions for your doctor

Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.

  1. Can I eat jam?

  2. Do berries fight cancer?

  3. Can I eat cornelian cherries and currants?

My questions

12Sources

  1. U.S. FDA. Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
  2. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients
  3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  4. CDC. Hepatitis A outbreaks linked to frozen berries (food safety)
  5. NHS. 5 A Day: what counts?
  6. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
  7. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Freezing and Food Safety
  8. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. JCO Oncology Practice, 2026. Neutropenic Diet Versus Liberalized Diet in Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
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