It’s not a secret that following a healthy diet is a must for those who care about their well-being and productivity. The same applies to the male reproductive system: its health depends on the prostate, a gland that surrounds urethra and the bladder. As a man is aging, the gland is gradually growing, but if it becomes too enlarged, it can lead to cancer. Therefore, it’s important to maintain its health.
Although there is no definite proof that good nutrition can prevent prostate diseases, eating healthy goods won’t harm, anyway. Building your meal around fruit, vegetables and protein-rich products is always a smart idea for general health, and prostate in particular. Let’s read a list of super foods for prostate health offered by specialists of Canadian Health&Care Mall.
1. Vegetables
This type of foods is logically enlisted as the first one, because vegetables are the main source of useful substances. Consuming more veggies can reduce the risk of BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia). Dietologists particularly praise the following products:
- Green leafy vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which makes them highly useful for cancer prevention. Add spinach, loosehead lettuce and other greenery to your meals (it’s believed that the darker green leaves, the more useful substances they contain).
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower) also reduce the risk of prostate problems, prostate cancer and BPH. Researchers suggest that sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in these vegetables, can target and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected.
- Onion and garlic not only boost your immune system, but also prevent development of BPH.
- Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (the bright substance that gives it red color). Lycopene lowers the risk of prostate cancer development, and National Cancer Institute suggests it can help men with BPH: it was revealed that lycopene helps to reduce the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) which causes prostate inflammation, BPH, and prostate cancer. To improve absorption, eat tomatoes with some fatty foods like avocado, nuts, oils or butter. Aside from tomatoes, lycopene can also be found in watermelon, apricots, papaya and punk grapefruit.
- Avocados contain beta-sitosterol – a substance that reduces the symptoms connected with BPH. Men who user beta-sitosterol supplements claim they have better control over urination and less urine residues. Other foods with beta-sitosterol are soybeas, pumpkin seeds, pecans and wheat germ.
2. Salmon
Salmon is a super food rich in Omega-3S: when a men consumes it and performs regular physical exercises, the risk of developing obesity and weight gain greatly decreases. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for male health, because they protect from:
- cancer;
- inflammation;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- cardiovascular diseases.
If you don’t like fish, you can obtain Omega-3 from chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts and canola oil. It’s also contained in soybeans and kidney beans.
3. Tofu
Although it’s a pretty exotic product for Western market, tofu is a pure goodness for health. One study proved that soybean isoflavones decelerate BPH development, and decreases the growth of cancerous cells in the prostate. Another study suggested that soy isoflavones relieve the signs of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by BPH. If tofu doesn’t appeal to you, try some alternative sources of soybean isoflavones: tempeh, soymilk, roasted soybeans, soy yoghurt, or edamame (cooked soybeans).
4. Sesame seeds
This product is rich in zinc – an essential mineral for male health and the prostate. It’s proved that men with BPH and prostate cancer have a low level of zinc in their bodies (about 75% lower than those who have a healthy prostate). Note that zinc is absorbed from food easier than from supplements, so help your health by snacking on sesame seeds. Other products rich in zinc include pumpkin seeds, almonds, and adzuki beans.
5. Green tea
If you don’t drink green tea, it’s high time to make it a traditional component of your daily diet. It is a large part of Asian people’s lives, and, by coincidence or not, prostate cancer rates in Asia are much lower than in the USA. Components of green tea are still being researched, but it’s already clear that the product has beneficial effects for health. Green tea includes many precious substances:
- catechin;
- epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG);
- xanthine derivatives;
- epicatechin.
In fact, there is some clear evidence that these compounds can prevent development of prostate cancer: Chinese Medicine published a review describing that men who drank over five cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of prostate cancer.
6. Pomegranate juice
Just like green tea and red wine, pomegranate is a great source of antioxidants that prevents a myriad of chronic diseases. Scientists suppose that the antioxidant in pomegranate can target and destroy prostate cancer cells without touching healthy cells. According to studies, pomegranate juice and its extract inhibits the production of prostate cancer cells.
If you don’t like the intense taste of plain pomegranate juice, you can try it with mineral and sparkling water. Another good idea is adding it to homemade salad as dressing.
7. Berries
Raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants an d Vitamin C that help to prevent damage done to body by free radicals and molecules which attack healthy cells and can cause cancer. Vitamin C helps to relieve the symptoms of BPH by improving urination and reducing swelling.
How to boost the reserve of vitamin C in body with the help of berries? Dietologists recommend mixing berries and greens with milk and protein powder to make smoothies. For example, you can blend blueberries, banana, peanut butter, milk, ice and protein powder, and voila – a perfect tasty smoothie is ready!
One cup of strawberries contains 90 milligrams of Vitamin C, and a cup of blueberries contains 14 mg of Vitamin C. Other good sources of vitamins are spinach, broccoli, citrus fruits, and mangos. An adult man is recommended to take 90 mg of vitamin C daily.
In order to maintain prostate health, you don’t have to buy expensive food supplements – just optimize your diet. With so many useful products around, it’s easy and tasty! If you need more info on how to prevent prostate diseases and maintain male reproductive system, don’t hesitate to visit Canadian Health&Care Mall website – it’s a useful healthcare portal that will educate you on healthy lifestyle and much more.