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Nutrition and daily life

Sugar and sweets — food card: moderation, taste and safety

Pakhlava, shekerbura and tea with jam are part of our hospitality. During treatment a sweet taste can sometimes revive the appetite. This card covers the facts about sugar, the myths and sensible moderation.

Last updated: ~2 min read
In moderation, sweets still have a place during treatment
Figure 1.In moderation, sweets still have a place during treatment.

01Short answer

Sugar gives quick energy but almost no vitamins or minerals. The WHO advises keeping added sugar below 10 % of daily energy. The idea that sugar "feeds" cancer is an oversimplified myth, and there is no need to ban sugar completely. When appetite is very poor, sweet foods can help you get calories. On steroids or with diabetes, though, blood sugar control matters. During neutropenia avoid unpasteurised honey.

02Simple explanation

Sugar becomes glucose in the blood, the fuel of all cells.

Added sugar is the sugar put into tea and sweets, plus honey and syrups.

Steroids can raise blood sugar.

A sweet taste can stimulate appetite and help with nausea.

03Scientific explanation

WHO: added sugar should be under 10 % of daily energy, ideally under 5 %.

CRUK: there is no evidence that sugar directly causes cancer; cutting sugar does not "starve" a tumour. The risk is mainly linked to excess weight.

Honey: unpasteurised honey can contain bacterial spores; LLS prefers pasteurised honey during neutropenia.

04What happens in the body?

What does sugar provide?

1 teaspoon ≈ 4 g, 16 kcal. Energy and almost nothing else.

Golden light flows from dissolving sugar cubes toward outlines of cells.
Figure 2.Sugar becomes glucose for the cells.

How much?

About 25–50 g of added sugar (6–12 teaspoons) a day is the WHO limit. If you are losing weight, a dietitian may advise differently.

Honey

Choose pasteurised honey in a sealed jar. Honeycomb is usually off the menu during neutropenia.

On the left honeycomb in shadow, on the right a sealed jar of honey in warm light.
Figure 3.During neutropenia choose pasteurised honey.

Better sweet choices

Baked apple, porridge with fruit, compote, yogurt with jam: sweetness plus vitamins or protein.

05Sweets: four steps

Small portion, pasteurised honey, natural sweetness, after meals.

Small portion — One piece is enough.1Small portionOne piece is enough.
Pasteurised honey — Instead of honeycomb.2Pasteurised honeyInstead of honeycomb.
Natural sweetness — Baked apple, compote.3Natural sweetnessBaked apple, compote.
After meals — Not on an empty stomach.4After mealsNot on an empty stomach.
EnergyQuick.
Steady blood sugarWith moderation.
SafetyPasteurised honey.

06Key points at a glance

TopicIn brief
What does sugar provide?1 teaspoon ≈ 4 g, 16 kcal. Energy and almost nothing else.
How much?About 25–50 g of added sugar (6–12 teaspoons) a day is the WHO limit. If you are losing weight, a dietitian may advise differently.
HoneyChoose pasteurised honey in a sealed jar. Honeycomb is usually off the menu during neutropenia.
Better sweet choicesBaked apple, porridge with fruit, compote, yogurt with jam: sweetness plus vitamins or protein.

07Key terms

Glucose
The main blood sugar, fuel for cells.
Added sugar
Sugar, honey and syrups added to food.
Steroid-induced diabetes
High blood sugar caused by steroids.
Pasteurised honey
Honey heated to reduce germs.
Glycaemic effect
How a food affects blood sugar.

08Key points

  • Sugar gives energy, not vitamins.
  • Added sugar under 10 % of energy.
  • Sugar does not "feed" cancer; that is a myth.
  • On steroids, watch blood sugar.
  • During neutropenia, pasteurised honey only.

09Frequently asked questions

Must I cut out sugar completely?

No. Moderation is what matters. If you are losing weight, sweet foods can even help.

Is honey healthier than sugar?

Honey is sugar too. Small amounts are fine, but it is not a treatment.

Are sweeteners OK?

Well-known sweeteners in normal amounts are considered safe. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor.

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. Must I cut out sugar completely?

  2. Is honey healthier than sugar?

  3. Are sweeteners OK?

My questions

12Sources

  1. World Health Organization (WHO). Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children
  2. NHS. Sugar: the facts
  3. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients
  4. National Cancer Institute. Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment
  5. American Cancer Society. Dietary Supplements: What Is Safe?
  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dietary Supplements
  7. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2004. Effect of St John’s wort on imatinib mesylate pharmacokinetics
  8. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2020. Dietary Supplement Use During Chemotherapy and Survival Outcomes of Patients With Breast Cancer Enrolled in a Cooperative Group Clinical Trial (SWOG S0221)
  9. Macmillan Cancer Support. Tiredness (fatigue) and cancer
  10. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2024. Management of Fatigue in Adult Survivors of Cancer: ASCO–Society for Integrative Oncology Guideline Update
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
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