Men should eat more vegetables, more lean protein and less fat and red meat to avoid developing prostate enlargement, a new study suggests.
Prostate enlargement is a benign but bothersome condition that typically comes with age.
In this study, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle followed 4,770 healthy men for seven years. During that time, 876 men developed benign prostate enlargement. Their diets were compared to the diets of men who didn't develop the condition.
Men who consumed at least four servings of vegetables daily had 32 percent lower risk of developing prostate enlargement than those who ate less than one serving per day.
Men who ate the most fat were 31 percent more likely to develop enlarged prostates as compared to their peers with lighter palates.
Eating red meat every day increased the likelihood of benign prostate enlargement while men who ate the most protein cut their risk by 15 percent.
This finding suggests that men should eat more lean sources of protein - fish, bean and legumes - to keep their prostates healthy.
One Food Guide serving of vegetables is one cup of raw salad greens or half a cup of cooked leafy greens or fresh non-leafy vegetables.
Health Canada recommends that men consume 8 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Canadian men are also encouraged to have lean meat alternatives more often, and to enjoy them with little or no added fat.
Prostate enlargement affects about half of men in their 60s and up to 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s. The presence or absence of prostate gland enlargement is not related to the development of prostate cancer.
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