Prostate Healthy Food

The core of foods that have clear auxiliary benefits for prostate health are four categories: high in lycopene, highly active zinc, rich in phytosterols, and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. There is no so-called "special gland-protecting food". All foods can only reduce the risk of disease and relieve mild discomfort, and they absolutely cannot replace regular treatment.

When I was rotating outpatient clinics in the Department of Urology, I encountered too many patients whose first question as soon as they sat down was "Doctor, what can I eat to protect the prostate?" Last time, I had a 52-year-old man. His physical examination showed that his PSA (prostate specific antigen) was slightly high, which was in the early stage of benign hyperplasia. I heard from netizens that eating raw tomatoes was useful, so I ate two of them every day. After two months of eating, the recheck did not show any improvement. Later, we suggested switching to tomato scrambled eggs and tomato stewed beef brisket three or four times a week, and I also grabbed a handful of unsalted plain pumpkin seeds as snacks every day. I didn’t take any other remedies. When I checked again after three months, my PSA dropped by 0.8, and the number of times I woke up at night also dropped from three or four times a night to once.

Of course, this does not mean that everyone will have this effect after eating tomatoes. Several doctors in our department have different opinions in private discussions: Some doctors think that the evidence of the benefits of lycopene is very strong. The absorption rate of cooked tomatoes with a small amount of oil is more than three times that of raw tomatoes. The antioxidant effect can directly reduce the oxidative stress response of the prostate.； Some doctors think that individual differences are too great, and they have also encountered patients who did not see any improvement in symptoms even if they ate ripe tomatoes every day. To put it bluntly, don’t take it as medicine. If you like it, just take a few more bites. If you don’t like it, there is no need to force it on yourself.

When it comes to pumpkin seeds, the core is actually the high content of active zinc in them. In addition to pumpkin seeds, shallow sea shellfish such as oysters and scallops also have considerable zinc content. It is good to eat skewers and occasionally order half a dozen oysters to satisfy your cravings in the summer. But don’t show off every day. Too much zinc will affect the absorption of minerals such as copper and iron, which is not worth the gain. And there is also controversy in the academic circles. Some of the latest clinical studies show that for patients who have developed moderate to severe prostatic hyperplasia, the improvement effect of additional zinc supplement is actually very limited. In other words, for healthy people with no symptoms, eating some regularly can help reduce the risk of the disease.

A patient asked me before if it was true that broccoli can prevent prostate cancer. In fact, it is the phytosterols and isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables. Current observational studies show that people who eat cruciferous vegetables more than three times a week have about 20% lower risk of prostate cancer than people who rarely eat them. However, this is only a correlation. It does not mean that you will never get prostate cancer if you eat broccoli every day. Oh, by the way, don’t fry the broccoli too much. The crispy ones retain the most active substances. If you think it’s tasteless after frying, blanch it in water and mix it with some light soy sauce and sesame oil. There are also flaxseeds, which can be ground and sprinkled into yogurt or porridge. It is much easier to absorb than chewing whole grains. I now occasionally sprinkle some for breakfast.

If you are prone to mild inflammatory reactions such as prostate swelling and frequent urination, you can eat salmon or saury twice a week. Just slap a big piece of it each time. The Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in it can help reduce chronic inflammation and relieve the uncomfortable feeling a lot. If you really don’t like to eat fish, it’s okay to buy regular brand of deep-sea fish oil supplements, but don’t buy cheap products that cost more than ten yuan for a large bottle. Excessive heavy metals will harm your body.

Don't believe those claims on the Internet that leeks, beef whip, and lamb kidneys can protect the prostate. It's useless. Most of these foods are high in oil and salt. Eating too much will aggravate prostate congestion. Even if you eat them without problems, they can cause problems. The most harmful things to the prostate are actually spirits, high-sugar ice drinks, and spicy food. Last time, a 28-year-old man drank ice beer and ate spicy crayfish every day for a week. He suffered an acute prostatitis attack. When he came, he couldn't sit still and grinned in pain. It took him three days of fluid infusion to recover.

To be honest, there is really no "ranking list of foods that protect the prostate". You don't have to eat a certain food to death. Eat a balanced diet, avoid things that are too exciting, don't sit for too long and don't hold your urine. It's better than any dietary supplement. If you really experience discomfort such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and perineal swelling, go to the hospital to check the indicators as soon as possible. Don't think that you can get better by eating something. That is purely a waste of time.