Prevention Diet: Foods for an Enlarged Prostate

• Sesame seeds

• Salmon

• Bell peppers

• Tomatoes

• Avocados

• Vegetables

• Tofu

Playing diet defense

Roughly 50 percent of men over the age of 50 have an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

. By the age of 80, nearly 90 percent of men will live with BPH.

The good news is that a diet rich in certain vitamins and minerals can keep your prostate healthy and lower your risk for BPH. Being overweight is another risk factor for developing the condition. So making nutritious food choices is also a great way to lower both your weight and your risk.

Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are rich in zinc. The mineral is essential to the health of the prostate, according to a study in the Indian Journal of Urology

. Men with either BPH or prostate cancer have lower levels of zinc in their bodies, sometimes up to 75 percent lower than those with healthy prostates.

Zinc that comes from food is easier to absorb than zinc supplements. Help your body by snacking on sesame seeds. Almonds, adzuki beans, and pumpkin seeds are also high in zinc.

A study on rats show that pumpkin seeds may also be beneficial for managing BPH.

Salmon

Obesity may increase your risk for an enlarged prostate, according to the Mayo Clinic. Increasing omega-3s along with exercise to decrease obesity and weight gain. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats can protect you from:

• cardiovascular disease

• cancer

• rheumatoid arthritis

• inflammation

• weight gain

• If you’re not a fan of fish, you can get your omega-3s from walnuts, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, and canola oil. Smaller amounts are found in kidney beans and soybeans.

Bell peppers

According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C found in vegetables may play a role in fighting BPH. Bell peppers contain a lot of vitamin C: One cup of raw bell peppers contains nearly 200 percent of your daily required intake of vitamin C. Other vegetables rich in vitamin C that you may want to add to your diet include:

• broccoli

• cauliflower

• kale

• Brussels sprouts

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, the bright carotenoid, which gives the plant its red color. Lycopene may lower the risk of developing prostate cancer. It can also help men with BPH, according to the National Cancer Institute

One studysaw lycopene slow the progression of BPH in participants. Lycopene also helps lower the prostate specific antigen (PSA) connected to prostate inflammation, BPH, and prostate cancer. Just make sure to include your lycopene rich food with a fat like avocado, nuts, oil or butter to enhance absorption.

You can get lycopene in:

• tomatoes

• watermelon

• apricots

• pink grapefruit

• papaya

Avocados

Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol thought to reduce symptoms associated with BPH. Some men taking beta-sitosterol supplements say they have better urinary flow and less residual urine volume.Besides avocados, other foods rich in beta-sitosterol include:

• pumpkin seeds

• Nuts

• wheat germ

• soybeans

• pecans

Vegetables

Eating more vegetables can help lower your risk of BPH. Green leafy vegetables are especially important because they are rich in antioxidants. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli also reduce the risk of prostate problems, including BPH and prostate cancer.

People who eat onion and garlic regularly may also benefit from a lower risk of BPH. Onions and garlic are often used in natural medicine to fight infection and help strengthen your immune system.

Beta-sitosterol For Enlarged Prostate

Beta-sitosterol may aid in the treatment of an enlarged prostate. This condition is also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and can block the flow of urine. Beta-Sitosterol has a long tradition in the medical treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in Europe. In USA it is extracted from American Pine

Beta-sitosterol is a type of phytosterol. Phytosterols are molecules that make up the cell membranes of plant cells. They are similar to cholesterol, which is found in animals. Beta-sitosterol is the most abundant plant sterol in the human diet. It is also present in several traditional medications, including BestProstate, Saw Palmetto and Devil’s Claw. Beta-sitosterol is present in avocados, nuts, pumpkin seeds

Beta-sitosterol is best known for its potential ability to relieve urinary symptoms that may affect many men as they age. Specifically, beta-sitosterol has been tested to see if it can improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). One review from 1999 looked at four different studies on beta-sitosterol in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The review found that supplementation led to improved urinary symptom scores and improved urinary flow.

It has been reported that Beta-sitosterol obtained from plants inhibits the growth and migration of one type of prostate cancer cell and to slow the growth of prostate tumors in laboratory mice. These data suggest that an androgenic mechanism of action could be involved, since growth of most prostate cancers are androgen-dependent.

Though research is dated, beta-sitosterol has been linked to improved symptoms in males (sex assigned at birth) with BPH. A systemic review of studies totaling 519 males with BPH found that beta-sitosterol improved urinary symptoms. It's not known exactly how beta-sitosterol improves BPH, but it is thought that it works by reducing inflammation in the prostate.