How important is protein during cancer?

Proteins are essential in our diet. They are needed for the body to grow and repair itself and help to keep our muscles and bones healthy. They are found in every cell in our body.

A chicken drumstick, some prawns and mushrooms

Animal and plant-based proteins

There are both animal and plant-based foods that are rich in protein. Animal-based proteins are found in foods such as meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs.

Plant-based proteins are found in foods such as pulses (like beans, peas and lentils), soy-based products (like soya milk), nuts and seeds.

If you don’t eat animal-based protein, it’s important that you eat enough protein from a variety of different plant-based foods. However, the protein sources you choose should be what you most enjoy – or, at the very least – what you can tolerate.

In the table below you can see how much protein different foods contain:

Food	Approx amount of protein (grams)
100g meat/chicken (raw weight)	30
100g fish (raw weight)	20–25
100g tempeh	20
100g tofu	10–12
100g Greek-style yoghurt	7
150g low-fat yoghurt	7
Cheese (matchbox-sized piece – 30g)	7
200ml glass of milk	7
1 medium egg	6
Handful of nuts (25g)	5
1 serving spoon pulses	4
1 medium slice brown bread	4

Meat is a good source of protein and vitamins and minerals, such as iron, and can contribute to a healthy diet. However, research shows that eating too much red meat and eating processed meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer.

For that reason, we recommend eating no more than 500g of red meat per week, and eating little or no processed meat.

You may find that you need higher amounts of protein if you are losing weight or are unwell. Your dietitian can advise on this.

Example meals

The example meals below show you some practical ways to include a range of protein-containing foods.

Example breakfast or lunch

2 slices of medium bread with butter, margarine or spread – 8 grams
Cheese (matchbox size piece) – 7 grams
Canned tuna (for one slice of bread) – 10 grams
Handful of salad leaves – 0 grams
200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk – 7 grams
Cup of tea with a splash of milk – 0 grams
Total 32 grams of protein

Example breakfast or lunch

2 slices of medium bread with spread – 8 grams
Omelette (2 medium eggs) – 12 grams
Herbs – 0 grams
Cheese (matchbox size piece) – 7 grams
½ tomato – 0 grams
200ml glass of (soy) milk – 6 grams
Total 33 grams of protein

Example lunch or dinner

Wholewheat tortilla (size of a dinner plate) – 5 grams
Chicken breast (75 grams) – 20 grams
½ avocado – 2 grams
Handful of lettuce – 0 grams
Creme fraiche (1 tablespoon) – 1 gram
Total 28 grams of protein

Recipes to try

Salmon with a nut crust

Try it today

Banana and peanut butter flapjacks

Easy and filling

Filling fruit smoothie

Takes seconds to make

Protein supplements

Sometimes it’s hard to get enough protein from food alone. After talking with your doctor and/or dietitian, you may be advised to supplement your diet with protein-rich drinks or powder.

It’s best to speak with your doctor or a dietitian if you don’t feel that you’re getting enough protein, rather than buying protein supplements from the internet or health food shops.

Find out more about eating meat if you have cancer, or have had cancer >

Order our Eat well during cancer guide