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Russian cuisine

Shchi (cabbage soup)

A traditional soup made from fresh cabbage or sauerkraut.

Well-cooked hot dish

Shchi (cabbage soup) — dish photo
Shchi (cabbage soup) — Russian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • cabbage or sauerkraut
  • potatoes
  • carrot
  • onion
  • beef
  • bay leaf
  • sour cream
  • salt

How it is prepared

Cabbage and vegetables simmer in meat broth until soft.

Food safety with low immunity

  • Cook meat right through: steaming hot inside, with no pink parts or pink juices.

How to prepare it during treatment

Sauerkraut shchi is sourer and saltier — with mouth sores, choose the fresh-cabbage version.

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).

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

  • Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).
  • 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)

Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.

More from this cuisine

Russia: food database → · Country page →

Related topics

Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
  2. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
  3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
  5. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
  7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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