Prostate Cancer is a rapidly growing type of cancer found in males and is the second most common type of cancer as per the report of the American Cancer Society. There have been researches suggesting that your diet plays a vital role in protecting your or decreasing your chances of getting prostate cancer. It is a well-known fact that your body is made up of the food that you consume on a day to day basis. We have curated a well-researched list of some healthy food options that can help you combat the risk of developing prostate cancer.
1) Broccoli: This wonder vegetable belongs to the cruciferous class and is an abundant source of glucoraphanin. This chemical has been observed to reduce cancer-causing toxins in the body. Other cruciferous vegetables that you can include in your diet are cauliflower, cabbage and sprouts. You can add these vegetables to your salads, soups or simply stir fry them.
2) Tomatoes: Tomato is a rich source of lycopene, which is a strong antioxidant. According to studies, lycopene is supposed to reduce cell damage and slow down the production of cancer cells. The best way to include tomatoes in your everyday diet is by either grinding them in a mixer to form a puree or cooking them instead of eating them raw, as lycopene tightly adheres to the cell walls of tomatoes.
3) Green Tea: The benefits of green tea are innumerable and they also have a positive effect on reducing the growth of prostate cancer. Green tea consists chemical compounds like xanthine, epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate and they have amazing benefits on the body. You can easily include green tea in your diet by taking a cup every day in the morning.
4) Legumes: This class of food mainly includes beans, pulses and peanuts. These food items contain a chemical compound, phytoestrogens. If you include an increased amount of phytoestrogens in your diet then according to studies you have at least 20 % reduced chances of developing prostate cancer. Legumes also have antioxidant properties and decrease the amount of cell death.
There are however certain foods that you should restrict or completely avoid in your diet. Let us find out what are those options:
1) Processed Meat: A high intake of meat in your daily diet is directly linked to having prostate cancer. Cooked and processed meat is rich in carcinogens and amines which are harmful to the body. Some examples of processed meat are beef, pork and sausages, you can replace these with better options like chicken, turkey, salmon and tuna.
2) Dairy: Dairy is a huge part of our lifestyle but consuming an excessive amount of dairy poses a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Try to replace whole fat milk with fat-free varieties like almond milk, flax milk, soy milk.
3) Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol is one of the major causes of the development of prostate cancer. You need to be very careful if you are a heavy drinker and try to replace alcohol with sparkling water, tea, fruit juices or non-alcoholic beer.
Prostate cancer is one of the fast-developing types of cancers and your diet can largely help you in reducing the chances of developing cancer.
Main Keyword: Prostate Cancer
Long-Tail Keywords: types of cancers, American Cancer Society, antioxidant properties, benefits of green tea,
References:
1) Healthline; “4 Types of Foods to Avoid for Prostate Health”; accessed on 25th May 2021; https://www.healthline.com/health/prostate-cancer/foods-to-avoid-for-prostate-health
2) Healthline; “6 Foods to Boost Prostate Health”; accessed on 25th May 2021;
