5 Small Diet Changes That Can Have a Big Impact

What you eat and drink can impact your health in a big way. In fact, getting to and staying at a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding or limiting alcohol are 3 of the best ways to help reduce your cancer risk.

Along with possibly reducing cancer risk, losing weight can have many other health benefits, such as lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start.  

Why small diet changes matter

No matter how important it is to eat healthier, making big changes to your diet can be daunting. According to Dr. Biren Saraiya, MD, an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) expert and oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, starting small might be a better approach:

“The most important diet change is one that will be long lasting, meaning something that becomes a habit. So smaller, incremental changes in diets are typically longer lasting than drastic diet changes that are not sustained for more than a few months.”

Here are some small changes to help you lose weight, improve your overall health, and reduce your risk of certain cancers. These tips can help you eat healthier without feeling like you’re changing your whole diet.  

1. Add more fruits and vegetables 

Instead of focusing on foods to avoid or limit, think about what you can add. Eating more fruits and vegetables will make your diet more nutritious and balanced.

“Focus on foods your body needs. One of the most important things you can do for your diet is eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Aim for 4 to 5 cups per day combined,” said Julie Lanford, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition. 

Fruits and vegetables have many of the important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that your body needs every day. They can help lower your risk of certain health conditions, including heart disease and some types of cancer.

To reduce your cancer risk, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity recommends following the US Dietary Guidelines: eat at least 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetables and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit each day.  

Try these tips for including more fruits and vegetables in your diet:

• Add a handful of berries or a chopped banana to cereal or yogurt. 
• Blend carrots or other vegetables into pasta sauce. 
• Keep sliced or chopped vegetables in your fridge for snacking or to make a quick side dish. 
• Combine vegetables and fruits when making smoothies. 

2. Swap beans, peas, or lentils for red or processed meat  

If red or processed meats are usual staples in your diet, try replacing them with black bean burgers or pinto bean tacos instead.  

Red meats (beef, pork, lamb) and processed meats (lunch meats, bacon, sausage, hot dogs) have been shown to increase the risk of colorectal, esophagus, mouth, and throat cancers. ACS recommends limiting or avoiding these meats.  

While meats have lots of protein, they have very little fiber. Getting adequate amounts of fiber can help keep your heart and digestive system healthy. Fiber can also help lower the risk of diabetes and certain cancers. Great substitutes for meat are beans, peas, and lentils. All of these are good sources of dietary fiber.

3. Avoid added sugars

White (granulated) sugar, raw and brown sugar, corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, and other added sugars in beverages and foods are linked to weight gain and increases the risk for many cancers. ACS recommends avoiding or limiting added sugars in your diet.

Try these tips to lower your added sugar intake: 

• Drink water and unsweetened beverages instead of sugary beverages. If plain water does not appeal to you, try sparkling water, coconut water, or water that has an unsweetened flavor or flavoring drops added (often called infused water).  
• If you drink fruit juices, look for 100% fruit juice with no added sugar. Vegetable juices are a good option too. 
• If you add sugar to your tea or coffee, gradually decrease the amount of sugar you use each day. Over time. you’ll adjust to drinking coffee or tea with very little sugar or even none at all. 
• It’s best not to drink alcohol. Alcohol use​ increases the risk for several cancers and other health conditions. Many alcoholic beverages tend to have lots of sugar, due to fermenting and added mixers.

4. Add more protein to meals and snacks 

Foods that are high in protein help keep you fuller longer so you don’t eat as much. Protein also keeps your bones healthy and helps build and maintain muscle.  

To add more protein to your diet, try these tips:

• Choose Greek yogurt in place of regular yogurt. Or use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in recipes. 
• Add nuts or seeds to salads. 
• Keep hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and nut butter on hand for snacks. 
• Choose whole grains instead of refined grains. For example, make sandwiches with whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
• Eat more fish and shellfish, which are a lower-calorie sources of lean protein and healthy fats.  

5. Keep healthy, convenient meal options on hand 

Not having enough time can feel like the biggest barrier to eating well. At the end of a long day, it’s easier to reach for convenient options like fast food, takeout, or pre-prepared meals. But these foods are often higher in calories, sodium, sugar, and fat.

Here are some tips for saving time when prepping meals and snacks:  

• When you cook a healthy meal, double up on the recipe so you have leftovers.  
• After grocery shopping, wash and chop fruits and vegetables right away so they are ready to eat throughout the week.  
• Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables to add to smoothies and other recipes.  
• Choose healthy snacks. Keep a supply of snacks that are packed with flavor but lower in sodium, fat, and calories. 

Learn more about healthy eating and cancer risk from the American Cancer Society:

• Eat Healthy
• ACS CancerRisk360: Know Your Cancer Risk
• Healthy Eating and Active Living Videos
• Infographic: Diet and Activity Guidelines to Reduce Cancer Risk

Dr. Saraiya is a member of ASCO’s Patient Information Editorial Board.