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If you have any questions about diet, digestion problems and PERT, our specialist nurses can help.
What's in the 'Diet and pancreatic cancer' information section?
- Diet and pancreatic cancer
- How does pancreatic cancer affect digestion and nutrition?
- What symptoms are caused by digestion problems?
- Who can help manage my diet?
- Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) for pancreatic cancer
- How do I take pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy?
- What if pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy does not help?
- Nutritional supplements for pancreatic cancer
- Coping with the emotional effects of diet symptoms
- What diet should I eat with pancreatic cancer?
- Diet tips for pancreatic cancer
What foods should I eat if I have pancreatic cancer?
- You do not need to follow a special diet if you have pancreatic cancer.
- It’s fine to eat the foods you would normally eat, or to try something new.
- Just make sure you take pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) with food and milky drinks.
What should I eat if I have lost weight?
If you have lost weight, you will need more calories (energy) and protein in your diet.
- Have high calorie foods, such as full fat milk, yoghurt and butter.
- Eat more high protein foods, such as meat, fish, dairy, beans and lentils, nuts, and yoghurt
- Use high fat foods when you are cooking, like full fat milk, margarine, butter or ghee.
- If you are eating a higher fat meal, you will need to take more PERT.
- Your dietitian may recommend enriched food, which has added nutrients added. This can help you get more calories and protein without needing to eat more. This is called a build-up or fortified diet.
- Your dietitian may also recommend nutritional supplements.
What foods should I avoid if I have pancreatic cancer?
- There are no foods that you should avoid because of pancreatic cancer.
- Although if you have lost weight, you should avoid low-fat, fat-free or ‘diet’ food.
- Make sure you take pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) with food and milky drinks, so that you digest it properly.
- Don’t change what you eat to try to manage your symptoms as you may not get all the nutrients you need. Just make sure you take enough PERT for what you are eating.
- If you have higher fat food, you will need more PERT with it.
Should I avoid sugar if I have pancreatic cancer?
If you have pancreatic cancer, it is usually fine to eat sugar.
- If you have lost weight, your dietitian may recommend having more calories by adding sugar, jam, or honey to your food.
- If you have diabetes, you should not try to manage your diabetes by reducing how much sugar you have. Your blood sugar levels will be managed by the diabetes medicine.
- Most people with diabetes are told to avoid sugary drinks outside mealtimes, as they can cause a big rise in your blood sugar level.
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Updated March 2025
Review date March 2028