New York Times: Does sugar feed cancer?

Stacy Shawhan, an oncology dietitian at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, told the New York Times she's heard many questions over the years from her cancer patients about how their diets influence their prognosis.

One question has come up more than the rest: Will consuming sugary foods and drinks feed my cancer cells, making my condition worse?

“Cancer patients are so vulnerable, and some of them are terrified to eat,” said Shawhan. “They think, ‘If I stop eating sugar, then I can starve my cancer.’”

While experts say that diets high in added sugars may increase your risk of cancer over a lifetime, cutting out all sugars doesn’t actually fight existing tumors.

Read the full New York Times story.

Featured photo: spoon of sugar.