The prostate, which is part of the male reproductive system, is a gland that surrounds the bladder and urethra. It is about the size of a walnut and grows throughout a man’s life. As you age, it’s important to maintain a healthy prostate. The gland can become enlarged, and prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men.
There’s no definitive evidence that good nutrition can prevent prostate problems, but eating a healthy balanced diet may reduce your risk. “Building a meal and snack around veggies and fruit is a smart idea for health in general, and particularly a healthy prostate,” says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, nutrition expert for New York Times bestseller LL Cool J’s Platinum Workout and advisory board member for Men’s Fitness magazine.
Here are six foods you can eat to boost your prostate health.
Berries
Berries like strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Antioxidants play an important role in the body as they prevent damage from free radicals, molecules that attack healthy cells and can contribute to cancer risk. Vitamin C may also help ease benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms by promoting urination and reducing swelling.
So what’s a quick easy way to whip up a healthy vitamin-C rich snack? Dr. Mohr recommends blending a variety of berries and greens into a smoothie with milk and protein powder. “Blueberries, banana, milk, protein powder, peanut butter, and ice is a perfect smoothie with lots of flavor and nutrition but simple to make.”
There’s about 90 milligrams of vitamin C in one cup of strawberries and about 14 mg in one cup of blueberries. Other great sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, spinach, broccoli, and mangos. For most adult men, 90 milligrams of vitamin C is recommended daily.
Fatty Fish
There are plenty of reasons to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Omega-3s help lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels, lower high blood pressure, help with weight loss, and can reduce the risk of heart attack. Although experts typically recommend cutting down on animal fat for prostate health, a diet high in omega-3s can help boost prostate health. In fact, omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like lake trout and herring, may actually help lower prostate cancer risk.
“A review paper published last year discussed how omega-3 fats modulate prostate cancer development, likely because of their anti-inflammatory effects, and ultimately inhibiting tumor growth. So it’s important to suggest maybe replacing some other animal fats with that from fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, tuna, for the beneficial omega-3 fats,” says Mohr.
Most adults should aim to get two servings (one serving is 3.5 ounces) of omega-3 rich fish a week. Worried about mercury in your fish? Anchovies, herring, sardines, and freshwater trout are good sources of omega-3s with lower levels of mercury.
Nuts
Healthy fats like those found in nuts can help lower your cholesterol and promote brain health. “Nuts are one of the best go-to snacks. They’re portable, convenient, and give you a lot of bang for your buck,” says Mohr.
Brazil nuts are not only a good source of vital nutrients like vitamin E and calcium, they’re also full of the mineral selenium. A 2010 study suggests that selenium along with soy may help fight prostate cancer, though more research is still needed.
One Brazil nut has more than 100 percent of the daily value of selenium, which can be harmful in high doses, so watch your portions. Other great nuts for men include pecans, almonds, and walnuts. Nuts can be pretty fatty, so remember more is less.
“For fat, it’s not as much about quantity as it is quality. If we could shift our focus to more omega-3s and monosaturated fats, we’d certainly improve [our] health significantly,” says Mohr.
Beans
Here’s one swap that will boost prostate health: Replace red or processed meats with plant protein. Beans, chia, and hemp seeds are chock-full of protein and other vital nutrients, says Mohr.
Black beans, for example, pack a lot of nutritional punch. Just one cup has about 15 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber, which may promote prostate health. Hemp and chia seeds, on the other hand, have roughly 5 grams of protein per ounce. Hemp seeds also contain all essential amino acids, while chia seeds contain about 10 grams of fiber per ounce.
“Beans can be added to a salad or used to replace traditional meat on a burrito or wrap, and hemp and chia can be used on oatmeal, shakes, and Greek yogurt,” says Mohr. Most adult men should aim to get about 38 grams of fiber and 56 grams of protein per day.
Green Tea
Research suggests that green tea can help protect against prostate cancer. The benefits of consuming green tea doesn’t stop there though, it also helps lower cholesterol and even improves memory and attention spans.
Although the obvious way to consume green tea is to brew and enjoy it, there are other ways to get your fix. Try these recipes for iced mint green tea and green tea rice. Other ways to enjoy green tea include adding it to a smoothie or using it to create a marinade.
Watermelon
This staple of summertime eating is fat-free, sodium-free, and high in vitamins A and C. Watermelon is also an excellent source of lycopene, the antioxidant that gives whole foods like tomatoes and watermelons their color.
Research suggests that lycopene may help lower prostate cancer risk. Lycopene can be found in foods like tomatoes, apricots, pink grapefruit, guava, and papaya. There’s about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene in a cup and a half of watermelon.
Most adults should aim for about 10 mg of lycopene a day, which shouldn’t be tough considering a tablespoon of ketchup and a half cup of tomato puree contain about 2.5 mg and 25 mg, respectively.