The 5 best foods for men

The 5 best foods for men

Whether you're trying to lower your blood pressure or fight prostate cancer, protecting your health begins with your diet. Here are the five best foods for men

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5. Tomatoes

For men living in Western societies, prostate cancer may seem inevitable. In fact, it's the most common type of cancer in men. But growing evidence suggests that you can dramatically reduce your risk of this cancer—and slow its progression if you already have it—simply by making moderate changes in your diet.

In the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, an ongoing study of the diet and lifestyle habits of 50,000 men, guys who ate at least two servings of tomato sauce a week lowered their prostate cancer risk by 23 percent. An antioxidant called lycopene, which gives tomatoes their fire-engine hue, helps prevent prostate cancer or slow its growth. Lycopene (a member of the carotenoid family, like beta-carotene) does this by preventing free radicals from damaging cells, including the all-important DNA inside. DNA damage is what leads healthy cells to turn cancerous. Some research suggests that the lycopene in about two daily servings of tomato sauce or juice curbs DNA damage by 28 percent. Aim for at least a half cup (125 millilitres) of cooked tomatoes twice a week.