A common topic that comes up in my cancer nutrition workshops is the use of oral nutritional supplement drinks. Widely used brands like Fortisip, Ensure Plus, Aymes, and Nualtra may be recommended when it’s difficult to meet your nutritional needs through food alone. People often ask about their sugar content or whether they provide good nourishment. If you're wondering whether they might be the right choice for you, let's take a closer look.
If you are struggling with challenges like poor appetite, difficulty swallowing, weight loss, or sheer exhaustion, having a ready-to-go bottle that you can simply sip from can be a real lifesaver. When eating feels impossible, these drinks can provide essential nutrition that you might not otherwise be able to get in.
Many of these drinks are designed to be nutritionally complete, offering a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. This means that if taken in the right amounts, they contain all the essential nutrients to meet daily nutritional requirements. They can help prevent weight loss, provide energy, and even reduce the need for more medical options like tube feeding. The balance of protein, fats and fibre in these drinks also helps manage your blood sugar levels – you are not consuming sugar alone.
These drinks are often available on prescription, which can be incredibly valuable, especially when financial concerns come into play during treatment. You can purchase several products privately as well.
Taking a Food-First Approach
While supplement drinks can be a lifeline when you're struggling, it's always worth trying to meet your nutritional needs through food first, whenever possible. Even small changes can make a big difference:
Eating Little and Often
Try smaller, more frequent meals if full portions feel overwhelming.
Keep easy-to-eat snacks within reach.
Nourishing Snack Ideas
Yoghurt with berries
Hummus with oatcakes
Hard-boiled egg
Cheese and wholegrain crackers
Peanut butter on toast
Fortifying Meals with Extra Nutrition
Add grated cheese to scrambled eggs or soups
Drizzle cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil over vegetables or add it to mashed potato
Mix nut or seed butters into porridge, yoghurt, or smoothies
Stir ground flaxseeds or chia seeds into smoothies, yoghurt, or soups
Choose Energy-Dense Fluids
Smoothies made with yoghurt, nut butter, or avocado
Warm milky drinks like milky coffee, hot chocolate, malted drinks, turmeric latte
Cold milky drinks like homemade milkshakes, iced coffee
Vegetable juice
Soups and broths
You can find more ideas and recipes here.
Filling the Gaps
If you're not getting enough protein, adding protein powder to drinks, porridge, or soup is an easy way to boost your intake. For more ideas on how to use protein powder creatively, check out my post here.
If eating and drinking are tough, a daily A-Z multivitamin and mineral supplement may be helpful. This is generally safe up to 100% of the NRV (Nutrient Reference Value) for nutrients during cancer treatment, but always check with your healthcare team first.
Cancer Nutrition: Oral Nutritional Supplement Drinks & Products
If you're finding it difficult to meet your nutritional needs, there’s a wide range of oral nutritional supplement products available on prescription. These come in different forms - milkshake-style, yoghurt-style, juice-style, and even unflavoured options that can be added to other foods and drinks. Some people find mixing them into smoothies, making lollies, or adding them to soups or warm drinks helps make them more palatable.
There are also powdered versions you can mix yourself, as well as dessert-style options, soups, and small-volume shots containing energy, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals.
If you’re unsure whether supplement drinks are right for you, or if you have concerns about their ingredients, don’t hesitate to talk it over with your treatment team. They can help guide you toward the best options for your needs. Before committing to a prescription, check whether your healthcare team can provide samples or arrange for samples to be sent by post. Trying them first can help you find a suitable option and avoid unnecessary waste.
At the end of the day, the goal is nourishment in whatever form works for you. If a supplement drink helps you get through a tough time, then it’s doing exactly what it should.
Need Nutrition Support?
If you or a loved one would like personalised nutrition advice and guidance to support you during treatment and recovery, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Email: info@thecancerdietitian.com
Telephone: 020 8064 2865
Appointments: book here
The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered personalised nutrition, dietetic, or medical advice. Please consult your healthcare team for personalised advice and guidance regarding your specific medical condition or dietary needs.
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