What foods are good for an enlarged prostate?

What foods are good for an enlarged prostate?
Last reviewed Wed 28 February 2018
By Nicole Galan
Reviewed by Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C

The prostate gland is a small, walnut-shaped gland that sits behind the bladder in men. During sexual activity, the prostate gland helps produce semen, the nutrient-rich fluid that carries the sperm during ejaculation.

As some men get older, the prostate gland can become enlarged, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.

In this article, learn what foods to eat to ease the symptoms of BPH.

Diet and an enlarged prostate

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are recommended as part of an enlarged prostate diet.

The prostate gland is controlled by powerful hormones known as the sex hormones, including testosterone. In the prostate gland, testosterone is converted to another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High levels of DHT cause the cells in the prostate to enlarge.

Certain foods and beverages are known to have an impact on prostate health because of their effects on testosterone and other hormones.

Research has found that a diet primarily consisting of meat or dairy products can increase the risk of prostate enlargement and cancer. This is especially true if a person does not incorporate enough vegetables into their diet.

Foods to eat

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats is thought to protect the prostate.

Specific foods known to benefit the prostate include:

• Salmon: Salmon is rich in healthy fats that contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent and reduce inflammation within the body. Other cold-water fish, such as sardines and trout, are also rich in these types of fats.

• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that may benefit prostate gland cells. Cooking tomatoes, such as in tomato sauce or soup, helps to release the lycopene and make it more readily available to the body.

• Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are excellent sources of antioxidants, which help to remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are the byproducts of reactions that occur within the body and can cause damage and disease over time.

• Broccoli: Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, including bok choy, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, contain a chemical known as sulforaphane. This is thought to target cancer cells and promote a healthy prostate.

• Nuts: Nuts are rich in zinc, a trace mineral. Zinc is found in high concentrations in the prostate and is thought to help balance testosterone and DHT. Besides nuts, shellfish and legumes are also high in zinc.

• Citrus: Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are all high in vitamin C, which may help to protect the prostate gland.

• Onions and garlic: One study found that men with BPH tended to eat less garlic and onions that men without BPH. More research is needed to confirm these results, but onions and garlic are healthful additions to most diets.

Also, some studies on plant extract therapies, such as an extract from a type of palm tree known as saw palmetto, have been shown to have a positive impact on the prostate size and urinary flow. More research is needed, however.

Foods to avoid

Caffeine should be avoided as part of a diet for an enlarged prostate.

A healthful diet for an enlarged prostate is more than just eating good foods. It also means avoiding other types of foods that are not good for the prostate.

Some foods to avoid include:

• Red meat: Research suggests that going red meat-free may help improve prostate health. In fact, daily meat consumption is believed to triple the risk of prostate enlargement.

• Dairy: Similarly to meat, regular consumption of dairy has been linked to an increased risk of BPH. Cutting out or reducing butter, cheese, and milk may help reduce BPH symptoms.

• Caffeine: Caffeine may act as a diuretic, which means that it increases how much, how often, and how urgently a person has to urinate. Cutting back on coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate may improve urinary symptoms of BPH.

• Alcohol: Alcohol can also stimulate urine production. Men with BPH may find that their symptoms are improved by giving up alcohol.

• Sodium: A high salt intake may increase the urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH. Following a low-sodium diet by not adding salt to meals and avoiding processed foods may be helpful for some men.

Managing an enlarged prostate

Dietary changes can be quite effective in managing some of the symptoms of BPH, but other basic lifestyle changes can help as well.

Some strategies that may ease BPH symptoms include:

• managing stress

• quitting smoking

• avoiding fluids in the evening to reduce nighttime urination

• emptying the bladder completely when urinating

• doing pelvic floor exercises

• avoiding medications that can worsen symptoms, such as antihistamines, diuretics, and decongestants if possible

• trying bladder training exercises

• limiting fluid intake to 2 liters of liquids each day

If these lifestyle changes are not effective, medication or surgery may be recommended by a doctor.

好的脂肪，坏的脂肪

好脂肪和坏脂肪有什么区别？

“好”脂肪预防心脏病，“坏”脂肪对心脏和血管造成损害。

选择对心脏有益的食品及保持健康体重，可以预防和治疗心脏病。过多进食任何脂肪都对健康无益，但对心脏而言，有些脂肪对心脏更加有益。那么，如何进行明智的选择呢？让我们如何鉴别什么是好的脂肪，什么是坏的脂肪。

“坏”脂肪

饱和的，氢化的和反式脂肪

严格限食： 室温下呈固体状态

动物脂肪（饱和脂肪）
• 肉类，奶酪，奶油，黄油
• 猪油，鸡皮 植物油

热带油
• 椰子油和棕榈油

氢化油（反式脂肪）
• 人造黄油，起酥油，快餐，加工食品

“好”脂肪

单/多不饱和脂肪

适量限食： 室温下呈液体状态

• 橄榄油，红花油，菜子油
• 葵花籽油，豆油，花生油

坚果和牛油果

欧米加-3脂肪
• 三文鱼，鲭鱼，鲱鱼
• 亚麻籽，核桃，黄豆
• 菜子油

了解“坏”脂肪

“坏”脂肪对心脏和血管系统造成危害，是因为它们增加身体的胆固醇生成。“坏”脂肪还可以造成血栓或动脉粥 样硬化。如果心脏血流受阻，就会造成心肌梗塞；如果脑部血流受阻，就会造成中风。“坏”脂肪增加冠心病的危险，一定要少吃：

• 饱和脂肪
• 氢化脂肪
• 反式脂肪

饱和脂肪，通常来源于动物，室温下呈固体状态，例如猪油， 奶油，奶脂，肉类，鸡皮和猪皮，冰激凌和奶酪。注意，椰子油和棕榈油这些热带油也含有大量饱和脂肪。

氢化脂肪，通过化学反应，可将液体植物油转变成室温下呈半液体或固体状态的氢化脂肪。氢化反应有时将油变成反式脂肪, 一种很不健康的产品，但却常见于包装零食，烤货，块状人造黄油，膨化食品和快餐。避免进食用氢化油或部分氢化油做成的食品。好消息是市面上越来越多的商品“不含反式脂肪”，建议选择这些食品。

辨别好脂肪和坏脂肪。

了解好脂肪

有些脂肪不增加心脏病的危险，因为这些“好脂肪”降低胆固醇水平，从而预防心脏病。但即便“好”脂肪也富含高热量，大部分会升高甘油三酯。所以一定要限量进食。“好”脂肪指： 好脂肪指不增加心脏病危险的脂肪，因为它们降低胆固醇水平从而可以预防心脏病。但即便“好”脂肪也富含高热量，会升高甘油三脂。所以，即便是“好脂肪”，也一定要限量进食。“好”脂肪指：

• 多不饱和脂肪
• 单不饱和脂肪
• 欧米加-3脂肪酸

多不饱和脂肪: 指室温下或超市的货架上呈液态的植物油，例如红花油，玉米油，豆油，棉籽油和葵花籽油。软桶人造黄油，蛋黄酱和沙拉酱也含多不饱和脂肪。用这些脂肪替代饱和脂肪、氢化脂肪和反式脂肪，可以改善好脂肪(HDL)和坏脂肪(LDL)的比例。

单不饱和脂肪： 也是室温下呈液态的植物油，例如橄榄油（和橄榄），牛油果，菜籽油和花生油（和花生）。 用单不饱和脂肪替代饱和脂肪。可在不降低好脂肪(HDL)的前提下降低坏脂肪(LDL)的含量。

欧米加-3脂肪酸： 从海洋生物来源，是一种健康的脂肪，因为它降低甘油三酯含量，也能减少血循环中的胆固醇含量, 并防止多余的凝血发生。好的来源是富含脂肪的鱼类—特别是三文鱼，大比目鱼，鲭鱼，金枪鱼，沙丁鱼，海鲈鱼，鲱鱼，鲳鱼和湖鲑鱼。建议每周吃鱼2到3次。欧米加-3脂肪酸也可以从植物中来，如亚麻籽，核桃，菜籽油。黄豆和豆制品，但植物源的欧米加-3脂肪作用不够强。

不要进食太多脂肪，即便是“好”的脂肪。

关于胆固醇

膳食中的胆固醇可升高血液中的胆固醇含量，增加冠心病风险，所以要限制进食高胆固醇食物，选择小量的份数。所有动物来源的食物，如肉，蛋黄，鱼，虾，乌贼，鸡和奶制品，都含胆固醇，植物来源的食物不含胆固醇。糖尿病人每天的胆固醇限量是200毫克。记住，低脂肪的食物不一定低胆固醇。要定期查胆固醇，选择瘦肉，将进食量限制在手掌大小，一天两次。

更多关于胆固醇和脂肪的知识

食物胆固醇含量表

什么是植物性固醇？

植物性固醇阻断胆固醇的吸收，每天进食2克植物性固醇可降低“坏”胆固醇（LDL）和总胆固醇。植物性固醇的来源，包括降胆固醇的人造奶油，如Benecol和Take Control，各超市的人造奶油专架有售。

自我测验

自我测验包含本网页内容。要想知道你对了解脂肪和油脂了解了多少，在读完本节后请做自我测验。测验为多选题，请选择唯一最准确的答案。在测验的最后，得分会自动显示出来。如果得分超过70%，表明你掌握得不错，如果得分低于70%，你可以重温本节内容。

(源自UCSF)