Foods that fight prostate cancer
Studies show that diet can influence your risk of prostate cancer, and even slow its progression if you already have it. Find out which foods you should add to your diet
Tofu, soy milk and other soy foods
People in Asian countries tend to eat a lot of soy, and they don't get prostate cancer as often as we do. Coincidence? Probably not. Tofu and other soy foods contain estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones that are thought to delay the development and growth of cancer cells and encourage them to "do the right thing" by destroying themselves.
In a three-month study at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, blood levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker that signals the possibility of prostate cancer, dropped 14 percent in men who ate two servings of soy a day. Another study of more than 12,000 men conducted at Loma Linda University in California found that men who consumed more than one serving of soy milk each day were 70 percent less likely to have prostate cancer than men who never drank it.
Aim for: At least one to two servings of soy foods daily, such as a cup (250 millilitres) of soy milk or a half cup (125 millilitres) of tofu. Unprocessed soy foods like tofu, soy nuts (roasted soybeans) and soy milk retain more of their isoflavones than processed soy products such as soy-based deli "meats" and soy "bacon."
Helpful hint: Edamame, very young soybeans still in their pods, are another excellent way to get more soy into your meals. You can find them in your supermarket freezer section. Steam them lightly and toss them with a little salt for a healthy snack, or add them to stir-fries.
In a three-month study at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, blood levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker that signals the possibility of prostate cancer, dropped 14 percent in men who ate two servings of soy a day. Another study of more than 12,000 men conducted at Loma Linda University in California found that men who consumed more than one serving of soy milk each day were 70 percent less likely to have prostate cancer than men who never drank it.
Aim for: At least one to two servings of soy foods daily, such as a cup (250 millilitres) of soy milk or a half cup (125 millilitres) of tofu. Unprocessed soy foods like tofu, soy nuts (roasted soybeans) and soy milk retain more of their isoflavones than processed soy products such as soy-based deli "meats" and soy "bacon."
Helpful hint: Edamame, very young soybeans still in their pods, are another excellent way to get more soy into your meals. You can find them in your supermarket freezer section. Steam them lightly and toss them with a little salt for a healthy snack, or add them to stir-fries.
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