Few people with cancer lose their sense of taste completely. Some foods just taste different. Sweet foods may be harder to taste while bitter foods may taste stronger. A person's sex, type of cancer, extent of cancer, and treatment may cause different taste changes. Protein foods sometimes taste bitter to someone with cancer.
Some people eat protein foods better when they are cold or at room temperature.
Protein food easily served at these temperatures are cheese, luncheon meat, tuna, chicken, ham, or egg salad, deviled eggs, ice cream, milk shakes, puddings, custards and nuts. Some people eat protein foods better with more salt. If salt is not restricted, try warm cured meats such as ham, bacon, sausage, corned beef, and lunch meats or meats marinated in soy sauce. Marinating meats in sweet fruit juices or sweet wines or cooking them with fruit may also improve their taste. Fresh fruit may also improve the taste of milk shakes, ice cream, puddings, custards, and liquid nutrition supplements.