Build meals around varied plant foods
Include vegetables, whole fruit, beans or lentils, and whole grains regularly. These foods provide fiber and other nutrients. Familiar choices such as lentil soup, beans, bulgur and wholegrain bread can fit this pattern; no expensive special food is required.
The overall pattern matters more than adding one supposed superfood. Choose changes that fit your appetite, budget and household meals.
Limit processed meat, red meat and alcohol
Eat little, if any, processed meat such as sausages and cured deli meats. Limit red meat, including beef and lamb, and choose beans, fish or poultry more often. Evidence linking red and processed meat to cancer is strongest for colorectal cancer.
For cancer prevention, avoiding alcohol is best. Choose water or unsweetened drinks more often than sugary drinks, and limit foods that are high in added sugar and provide few nutrients.
Do not rely on prevention supplements
Vitamin, antioxidant or herbal supplements are not recommended as a way to prevent cancer. Some high-dose supplements can cause harm. A supplement prescribed for a specific deficiency is a different matter: discuss the reason and dose with your clinician.
Healthy eating is one part of risk reduction, alongside avoiding tobacco, being active and receiving appropriate screening. It does not replace screening or assessment of a new symptom.
Adapt the advice to your situation
During cancer treatment, poor appetite or weight loss may make additional calories and protein the priority. Do not apply restrictive prevention diets to that situation without advice. After treatment, ask how to move towards a sustainable eating pattern that fits your recovery and any ongoing digestive problems.
Questions to ask at your consultation
- Which dietary changes would be most useful for me?
- Do any health conditions change this advice?
- What screening is appropriate for my age and personal or family history?
Discuss your questions
For questions about your personal cancer risk, Dr. Minhem offers risk-assessment and screening consultations. Discuss how prevention and appropriate screening fit your history.
Outside Beirut? Video consultations are available.
Request a video consultationSodeco Square, Block B, 6th Floor, Beirut
Tayouneh clinic and appointments
Both clinics see patients by appointment, with flexible scheduling. Confirm a suitable time before visiting.
Related guides
Browse all patient guidesPatient information sources
- American Cancer Society — Diet and Physical Activity Guideline for Cancer Prevention
- American Cancer Society — Red and Processed Meat and Cancer
- World Cancer Research Fund — Cancer Prevention Recommendations
- NCI — Diet and Cancer Risk
General patient information; your medical team can explain how it applies to you.
Sources checked: 4 October 2026.
This guide provides general information, not an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. For urgent symptoms, seek medical care rather than waiting for an appointment request.