Taste changes are a very common side effect of cancer treatment. Taste changes can range from minor to severe and can affect people differently. For example, for some people sweet or salty foods taste good while others find foods they usually enjoy now taste overly sweet or salty. Taste alterations can range from foods tasting bland or “off” to triggering a metallic or “bad” taste in their mouth that makes eating almost anything difficult.  Treatments affecting your sense of smell may also affect taste. Taste changes can be triggered by a variety of causes: 

• Certain kinds of chemotherapy (drugs that commonly cause taste changes include Cisplatin, Cytoxan, Adriamycin, Fluorouracil (5-FU), Paclitaxel (Taxol, Abraxane) and Vincristine)  

• Some immunotherapies and targeted drugs 

• Radiation to the head and neck  

• Oral thrush infection 

• Mouth sores or dryness due to certain treatments 

• Gastric reflux  

• Some medications used to manage treatment side effects or other health issues 

Taste changes generally improve within about 3-4 weeks after the end of treatment (sometimes sooner), or when the condition causing the taste changes -- such as thrush or gastric reflux-- is managed. Taste changes can take longer to resolve when caused by head and neck radiation, with improvements generally occurring within 3 weeks to 2 months of the end of treatment, though it is possible to experience some improvements up to one year post-treatment. You may also experience a more permanent “new normal” in the taste of some foods after head and neck radiation treatment. 

Food tips for managing taste  

In general, enhancing foods with stronger tastes may make foods more palatable.  Taking steps to clear tastes in your mouth prior to eating may also help.  Experiment to see if any of these strategies below may work for you, keeping in mind that some may irritate your mouth if you’re also experiencing mouth sores. 

• Season foods with tangy, tart flavors, like lemon, lime, citrus fruits, cranberry juice or sauce, pickled foods, vinegar, and condiments containing vinegar, such as relish, mustard, ketchup, and many bottled flavoring sauces.   

• Marinate meat, poultry and seafood in citrus juices, salad dressing, cooking wine, or sauces like teriyaki or barbecue sauce.  

• Flavor foods with garlic, onions, chili powder, basil, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary and other seasonings.  

• Try fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned. 

• Drizzle vinegar or lemon juice on raw or cooked vegetables. 

• Mix fresh or frozen fruit into protein shakes or yogurt. 

• Spread cranberry sauce on sandwiches. 

• If meat tastes bitter opt for chicken, turkey, fish, yogurt, eggs, cheese, yogurt, legumes, baked beans, tofu or nuts/nut butters for protein. 

• If the smells of foods seem to be influencing taste try cold foods, like cold cut sandwiches or chicken salad, and opt for salads or cut raw vegetables with dressing instead of cooked vegetables. 

• Eat anything that seems appealing, even if it isn’t something you usually like.  You never know which flavors might come through.   

Mealtime Strategies to Enhance Taste 

• Prior to eating, rinse your mouth with tea, ginger ale, lemonade, or salted water (mix 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp baking soda in 1 quart of warm water) to clear your taste buds.  

• After eating, suck on lemon drops or mints, or chew gum, to get rid of bad tastes that may linger after a meal.  

• If food tastes metallic, avoid canned foods and eat with plastic utensils.  

• Brush and floss your teeth regularly.  

As good nutrition is an important part of tolerating and recovering from treatment, be sure to communicate with your team if taste changes are so severe it’s interfering with your ability to eat enough and maintain your weight.