I saw my radiation oncologist at Stanford and she said she was not familiar with the benefits of zinc, but it can't hurt so to continue if I wished. I have a funny story related to taste. Yesterday I went to Jamba Juice to get a smoothie and asked the gal to give me the highest calorie one she could make. She said she had a high protein one made with peanut butter. I thought that sounded terrible, but since I can't taste, I said ok. Well, when I took a big sip, I tasted peanut butter! It was such a surprise. However, it did taste nasty so I couldn't finish it. But still, I'll take that nasty taste any day! I'll keep you all posted if I taste anything else.

Interesting about the zinc...how much is recommended?

That's great Karen. Peanut butter is a great taste!!! Maybe next time just get a peanut butter one!!
Kathy

Try Peanut Punch,...ice, cup milk, Tbs condensed milk, Tbs peanut butter, dash nutmeg, cinnamon, if desired, can put banana in it too. Blend.

Karen, could you tell if it was the peanut butter that was nasty or was it the milk? My husband is about 5 weeks post-radiation and his taste is very, very slowly starting to come back, and anything milk-based is extremely chalky. He can't taste peanut butter at all and he can't handle the texture yet but it's such a good source of protein that I make him smoothies using powdered peanut butter (this kind: http://amzn.to/W2oirG). Because of his milk aversion I use vanilla-flavored soy milk, a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter powder, a scoop of vanilla whey powder (why he can drink this and not milk, I don't know, but the taste doesn't bother him), a Boost Plus (higher calories), and a packet of Benecalorie (this stuff: http://bit.ly/ZFUssj). Altogether it's like 900 calories so he gets a couple of those a day. Sometimes I throw a banana in, too.

He's also very anxious for his taste to return. He spends a lot of time on the internet looking up recipes he wants me to try when he can eat normally again.

Heather, thanks for the powdered peanut butter suggestion! I didnt know there was such a thing.

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Thanks Heather for the recipe. Milk was one of the only things I did like for awhile, so I think it was the peanut butter. Isn't it interesting how different each one of us is when it comes to our taste returning! I was craving chinese food last night, and even though I couldn't really taste it, I was able to distinguish between the sweet and savory. I keep experimenting with "solid" foods because I really want to be off the liquid diet. Best wishes to your husband as he continues his recovery. I just finished radiation on February 8th, so we're close to the same schedule. And thank you for your support of your husband. I don't know what I would have done without a loving supportive husband to see me through this. You are appreciated more than you could know, I'm sure

It seems any nuts can be pulverized in a blender, especially a Vita-Mix and you can create any custom nut power you want to add to blenderized drinks.
don

I think you need to cook the nuts first, if not already done. The pulse rate may be different, in short bursts, as not to release oils to make it butter.

Will pulverized nuts dissolve in fluid or will they stay as little bits of nuts? That can be annoying if you are trying to swallow them with a sore throat and may clog up the PEG if you put it through the tube.