Food and Nutrition Tips Specifically for Men

We can all agree that in general, men and women are physically different. So, it makes sense that nutritional needs are different between men and women as well. For example, men have higher requirements for certain micronutrients (such as vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin K) in relation to their body weight. Even though an average man’s caloric need may be greater than a woman’s, the extra intake of calories needed should consist of nutrient-dense food.

Here’s one unique to men: prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men4, is related to chronic inflammation which is impacted by diet. High consumption of plant proteins may decrease multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and T regulatory cells. Increasing intake of legumes (as well as vegetables and grains) is the key to protection.

You may have heard about soy containing phytoestrogens. Don’t be alarmed — they do not pose a health risk or affect male sex hormones5,6, especially in normal food quantities which provide far below the research levels of 40-70 mg/day of soy isoflavones. Men: it’s not only safe to include soy foods, such as soymilk, tofu, soybeans/edamame, soy meat replacements and soy yogurt in your diet, but in fact, these foods are beneficial for your heart when they replace other high-fat proteins that you might eat instead.

For you “wanna-be” fathers out there, nutrition can also impact your reproductive health! Dietary intake of vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, as well as folate and zinc7, are important for a man’s reproductive function. A daily multivitamin/mineral at levels no higher than the RDAs may increase sperm quality and pregnancy rates8. Getting enoughomega-3 fatty acids9 (found in salmon, herring, mackerel, and tuna) may help keep sperm healthy. Furthermore, increased fruit and cereal grain consumption may help sperm concentration and motility for couples undergoing fertility treatment.

Below are some excellent sources of micronutrients:

Beta-carotene: dark green leafy vegetables, orange-colored fruits and vegetables

Vitamin C: citrus fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, tomato, strawberries, kiwi, kale

Folate: beans/legumes, citrus fruit, dark green leafy vegetables, fortified cereal

Niacin: meat, fish, poultry, peanut butter, oatmeal, brown rice, beets, baked potato

Vitamin E: wheat germ, nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados, fish

Vitamin K: dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, Brussel sprouts

Zinc: meat, fish, shellfish, pork, poultry, whole grains, milk products, beans/ legumes

To read this article in its entirety, please click on the following link:

http://blog.lafitness.com/2016/07/11/food-and-nutrition-tips-specifically-for-men/

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