What's the Best Diet for Prostate Cancer?

Question:

I am 67 years old and recently diagnosed with low-stage prostate cancer. I wanted to know what the best diet for cancer of the prostate is.

Answer:

Good nutrition may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, slow the progression of the disease and prevent aggressive disease.

Your diet should be: Primarily plant-based, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, less animal protein more fish

high in fibre, low in fat, and limited in the amount of simple sugars

The importance of maintaining a nutrient-rich diet for overall health is well established, but did you know that eating certain foods (and avoiding others) can significantly impact prostate health? A vegetable-rich diet may decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer in the future, help improve the outlook for men living with this disease and reduce the chances of cancer recurrence.

Foods to enjoy

While diet alone cannot cure or eliminate the risk of any cancer, proactively eating more vegetables, whole grains and plant-based foods has been shown to positively influence prostate health and aid the overall cancer treatment process. Your diet should consist of:

Two servings daily of cruciferous vegetables. Brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, bok choy, turnips and cauliflower are rich in isothiocyanates that may help prevent cancer growth.

Two servings of tomatoes daily. Tomatoes and tomato-based products contain the antioxidant lycopene, which may help protect against prostate cancer. Antioxidants assist in ridding the body of free radicals (unstable atoms) that disrupt healthy cell function.

One or two servings daily of whole grains. This can include fibre-rich oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa and barley.

One or more servings daily of legumes or beans. Low-fat and protein-packed legumes and beans include chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, carob and peanuts.

One or more servings daily of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables. This important group of antioxidants is found in high amounts in oranges, cantaloupes, carrots, sweet potatoes and dark leafy vegetables.

Pomegranates, particularly pomegranate juice, have been shown to slow PSA doubling time and may help prevent prostate cancer recurrence after primary treatment.

Grapes and grape juice are rich sources of resveratrol, a type of natural phytochemical that belongs to a larger group of phytochemicals called polyphenols that possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Berries (raspberries and blueberries) are an excellent source of vitamins C and K, manganese and a good source of fibre blueberries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant power because of the many phytochemicals they contain

Green Tea

Green tea contains polyphenols and flavonoids, which are strong antioxidants. Tea is the best source of catechins being studied for their anti-cancer properties. Green tea has been shown to slow and/or prevent the development of prostate cancer.

Foods to limit or avoid

What you exclude from your diet is just as important as what you include. Your diet shouldn't be more than:

· Two ounces of processed meats

· Two to three ounces of red meat

· One tablespoon of butter

· Two egg yolks

· One cup of whole milk

Reducing or eliminating the following items from your diet can also promote prostate health and reduce cancer risk:

· Sugary sodas and juices

· Foods with added sugars ,Processed foods

· White flour, Alcohol ,Tobacco products.

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.