“Which food items should I avoid?” is one question that men with an enlarged prostate frequently ask their doctors. Let’s find the answer today.
The prostate is a gland located directly below the urinary bladder, surrounding the top portion of the urethra. Urethra helps carry urine from the bladder out of the body.
When the prostate is enlarged or swollen, it puts pressure on the urethra and blocks the flow of urine. This condition is called BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia.
What’s in your diet holds the power to worsen or lighten the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, your diet can also help slow the progression of the enlargement.
In this blog we have listed all the types of foods to avoid with an enlarged prostate gland. You will also find a list of foods to prevent prostate enlargement.
Alcoholic Drinks
Which is the top item of food not good for prostate enlargement? Alcohol. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of getting prostate cancer.
Researchers found that heavy drinkers were twice as likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer as moderate drinkers using data from more than 10,000 men who took part in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial in the 1990s.
How many drinks is too many drinks? For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as more than three drinks per day or more than 20 drinks per week.
Here is a list of non-alcoholic drinks you can reach for instead:
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Sparkling water or water mixed with fresh juice extracts
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Alcohol-free beer or wine
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Mocktails
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Kombucha, etc.
Red meat and processed meat
A diet high in meat, may be associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This may be due to heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These are carcinogens (cancer causing agents in foods) found in cooked meat. HCAs are formed when meat is cooked at a high temperature. HCAs have been linked to the development of several cancers.
The World Health Organization has stated that both red and processed meats may increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. Avoid:
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Pork
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beef
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lunch meats
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pepperoni
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hot dogs
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sausage
Any meat that is dark red in colour before its cooked is red meat. Instead of red or processed meats, try these protein sources instead:
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lean poultry, meats with a relatively low-fat content, like skinless chicken
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fresh or canned fish
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beans and legumes
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whole grains
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nuts and nut butters
Try making a chicken salad sandwich if you’re craving for cold cut sandwiches. Also try your hand at meat alternatives like tofu or tempeh to create a savoury sandwich filling. You can also go meat-free for some meals.
Dairy foods & Dairy Products
Second in the list of BPH foods to avoid with enlarged prostate gland is dairy foods and dairy products.
Dairy foods are a core element in our day-to-day life, from the morning coffee to the haldi doodh we drink before bed, staying away from dairy products might seem impossible but we must definitely try.
Consuming large amounts of dairy products may increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. According to research published in the Journal of Nutrition, drinking whole milk may increase the risk of progression to fatal prostate cancer. Skim and low-fat milks also increase the risk of low-grade stages of the disease. Try to limit dairy consumption. At the very least, stick to fat-free and low-fat varieties, as they can be healthier for your prostate.
Instead try soy milk or coconut milk instead of dairy milk. You can also find non-dairy products that use these non-dairy milks as a base.
Saturated fats
Saturated fats have been linked to heart disease, but their association with prostate health is still unconclusive.
Reducing your intake of saturated fats may benefit your prostate and your overall health, since it creates more room for fibre and nutrient-dense plants.
Saturated fats are found in:
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meat and meat products
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dairy products like cheese, butter, yogurt, etc.
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salad dressings or sauce for salads
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baked goods like breads, cookies, cakes, etc.
You can replace the saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated fats, such as:
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Olive oil
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Avocado
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Nuts
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Seeds
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Tofu
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Fish
Caffeine
Caffeine is the top foods to avoid with BPH. Caffeine is a diuretic and can cause increased urination. It’s advisable to avoid caffeine if you have BPH as caffeine also increases urinary frequency and urgency. It also triggers a rapid heart rate, anxiety and insomnia.
Caffeine is most commonly found in:
Coffee
Tea
Cocoa beans and chocolates
Energy drinks
Sodas
Some medications
Sodium
Sodium intake is known to be associated with hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure, which indirectly affects lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). LUTS in turn can cause voiding symptoms, problems in storing the produced urine and nocturia.
Sugary foods
Your blood sugar has an effect on your prostate gland. Studies have shown that men with high blood sugar levels are three times more at risk of developing an enlarged prostate. Obese men are also at a much higher risk.
Spicy foods
Spicy foods can cause inflammations in the prostate and can cause pelvic, back or perineal (between your vagina and anus) pain and burning during urination. Try to include more non-inflammatory food like berries, avocado, tomato, etc.
