Borscht
A red soup of beetroot, cabbage and potato in meat broth, served with sour cream.
Well-cooked hot dish
Ingredients
- beetroot
- cabbage
- potatoes
- carrot
- onion
- tomato paste
- beef
- garlic
- dill
- sour cream
- salt
How it is prepared
A meat broth is made and vegetables are added in turn; beetroot is braised separately with tomato and added near the end.
Food safety with low immunity
- Cook meat right through: steaming hot inside, with no pink parts or pink juices.
- Use only pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and cheese.
How to prepare it during treatment
Use pasteurised sour cream; cook the dill or wash it well.
Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →
Storage
Cool quickly (within 2 hours), refrigerate in shallow containers and eat within 1–2 days; with low counts many teams advise 24 hours. You can freeze portions.
Reheating
Reheat only once — bring to the boil, stirring. It should be steaming hot, not just warm.
Symptoms it may suit
- Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
- Taste changes. Aromatic spices, herbs or a little sourness can help when food tastes bland or metallic (if there are no mouth sores).
- Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.
Treatment phases
- Before treatmentmay suit
- During a coursemay suit
- Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
- Between coursesmay suit
- After treatmentmay suit
Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.
If you have other conditions
- Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.
- High blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease. Often salty (stock, salty cheese, sausage, pickles). With high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, discuss salt limits with your team.
- Stomach and gut. Can be acidic from tomato, lemon or vinegar; keep this in mind with reflux, gastritis or mouth sores.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
| Energy | 20 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0.5 g |
| Fat | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3.9 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g |
| Sodium | 245 mg |
Figures are for a comparable item in the USDA FoodData Central database: “Soup, borscht”. Home recipes vary — treat this as a rough guide, not an exact calculation. USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 2710105
More from this cuisine
Related topics
Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
- Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
- World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)