Eating with chemo

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Has anyone been able to find “heat treated” yoghourt in a UK  supermarket?  Every time and everyone I ask advises that under my chemo regime I can eat yoghourt in which the live cultures have been killed off.  I think we’re pretty clear on that now.  When i ask for examples of brands and availability, then I am sent back round the circle to “look for heat-treated or similar wording on the packaging”. Has anyone managed to identify any such yoghourts on sale in the UK?  All our local shops have tried to help but so far to no avail.  And there is a limit to the number of pots you can pick out of their fridges to examine (magnifying glass generally needed).  Google does not appear to be a friend here.  Hope someone out there can be! x

  • I honestly changed nothing about what I ate. Although did become slightly addicted to chilly oil with my pasta. Oh and 0% Guiness filled a gap. Heat treated is pasteurised and unless it says live yoghurt I would imagine all the others are pasteurised. 
    However I haven’t yet been put off my food by anything in 69 years , illness or conversations. It’s infuriating really. My sister gets a slight cold and managed to loose 1/2 stone. 

    I also worked on if you fancy it,eat it, because the next treatment might be a problem. 

    Three times! What did I do?

  • Yes, that’s right, I‘m looking for pasteurised yoghourt.  If you have seen any yoghourts that do not say “live,” I would love to hear what make they are!  Sadly, I get violently sick if I eat the wrong thing.  Stay well! 

  • https://www.calendar-uk.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/how-do-you-know-if-yoghurt-is-pasteurized-uk

    Apparently if the yogurt is made with raw milk in the UK it has to carry a warning.

    I'm trying to eat yoghurt as an extra source of calcium because I'm on immunotherapy at the moment. I have to have calcium infusions every 6 months for the next three years.

    Three times! What did I do?

  • Hi  This is an information sheet from one of the biggest teaching hospitals and is one of the clearest guides I can find. The highlighted bit in yellow reads 

    “The live bacteria used in making yoghurts are not harmful. So, yoghurt described as “live” is safe during neutropenia. However, the bacteria used in bio or probiotic foods cannot be guaranteed as safe during neutropenia.”

    https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/patients/resources/food-safety-advice-for-immuno-compromised-cancer-patients/

    So normal Greek yogurt as an example would be fine. All proper yogurt is live! 

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  • Thank you, Coddfish!  This is very helpful.  It’s beginning to make sense to me now.  You’re very kind.