Many chemotherapy drugs can change your sense of taste and smell. What these changes are depends on the individual, but they are most common with foods that are either very sweet or very bitter. Oddly enough, sweet foods might taste sour and sour foods taste sweet. Chewed meat may have a bitter taste because of the release of proteins in your mouth. Sometimes there is a continuous metallic taste in your mouth after chemotherapy, which naturally enough can affect what you eat and how you eat.
Taste changes may not last long. But while you are experiencing them, you can do several things to lessen their effect.
• Brush your teeth several times a day and use mouth rinses such as diluted bicarbonate of soda.
• If foods and beverages taste bitter, add sweet fruits, honey or aspartame.
• If meat tastes bitter, substitute bland chicken or fish, eggs and mild cheeses or tofu. All of these might taste
better if you use them in casseroles or stews.
• It will also help if you marinate meats, chicken or fish in pineapple juice, wine, Italian dressing, lemon juice,
soy sauce or sweet-and-sour sauces.
• Add whatever flavorings you enjoy, but avoid spicy, highly seasoned foods.
• You might find that starchy foods such as bread, potatoes and rice have a more acceptable taste if you eat them
