Foods You Should Avoid For Prostate Health + What To Have Instead

Of course, many of us already know that the ultra-processed food that fills American grocery stores is chock-full of salt. We should be getting sodium naturally through things like sea salt, but when it comes to prostate health, too much sodium can aggravate urinary and prostate function.

3. High Sugar

I expected to add artificial sweeteners to this list because they’re often harmful, but excess sugar intake actually seems to be worse for prostate health than artificial sweeteners. (Don’t take that as a suggestion to use artificial sweeteners — they have plenty of side effects besides prostate problems.)

Most studies that show sugar consumption increases prostate cancer risk point to sugar-sweetened beverages. (7) Other studies found links between prostate cancer risk and fruit juices or added sugar. (8)

Researchers also connected higher prostate cancer incidence rates with higher-income countries where men had easier access to unhealthy diets.

4. Excess Saturated Fats

I am a fan of healthy saturated fats in moderation. Low-fat foods are one of America’s biggest scams, but excess saturated fats may cause prostate problems.

Saturated fats have long been demonized in our society, but over time, we have realized that a healthy intake of certain fats like omega-3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish can be extremely beneficial to overall health.

When it comes to prostate health, the problem has been more so correlated with excess saturated fat intake from specific sources, such as dairy and meat products, that have also been linked to poor prostate health in other ways. (9)

5. Dairy

Studies have shown an increased risk of prostate cancer correlated with higher dairy consumption. It’s important to still get your bone-healthy calcium, though.

One systematic review found that consuming dairy products elevated insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which plays a role in the development of prostate cancer and could even cause an enlarged prostate. (10)

Instead, I recommend trying coconut, cashew, or almond milk substitutes for cheese, ice cream, milk, and other dairy products.

6. Eggs

Eggs are a nutrient-dense superfood high in choline, which is needed for mood regulation, memory, muscle control, and more. While choline is essential for your holistic health, there can always be too much of a good thing, particularly for your prostate.

Studies have found that increased choline intake resulted in a 70% increase in prostate cancer risk. (11)

However, meat and milk — two other foods that are linked to prostate cancer — also contain high levels of choline. Limiting your intake of these and choline overall, without cutting it out completely, could be just as beneficial for mitigating your risk.

7. Refined Carbohydrates

Consuming refined carbohydrates may contribute to prostate health problems.

Now, not all carbs are bad. Sweet potatoes and other forms of clean carbohydrates can be great additions to your diet in certain amounts, depending on your health conditions. 

Refined carbohydrates, however, include foods like white flour, cookies, baked desserts, cereals, and bread, which are not as good for you. These are all considered high-glycemic foods that can significantly spike your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is elevated, it can stimulate the production of sex steroid hormones that have been shown to contribute to the development of prostate cancer. (12)

8. Alcohol

High alcohol consumption doesn’t have many benefits for any area of your health. Prostate health is no exception. I find it necessary to remind people that alcohol is officially a neurotoxin.

Currently, there are limited studies that directly look at the link between alcohol and prostate cancer. Less than 10 years ago was some of the earliest research definitively linking drinking and prostate cancer. (13)

Alcohol is also bad for prostate health beyond just cancer. Alcohol is a diuretic, increasing urine in the bladder and causing the bladder to constrict, which makes urination more difficult and stops the prostate from relaxing. This can further aggravate prostate problems like BPH.

9. Caffeine

Although there is some evidence that caffeine consumption may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, caffeine may result in non-cancerous BPH symptoms.

Similarly to alcohol, caffeine acts as a diuretic, putting excess pressure on your bladder and prostate, which can be aggravating for BPH sufferers or those with prostate cancer. Caffeine has been shown to increase the risk of BPH development, too. (14)

I recommend switching from coffee, caffeinated tea, and sodas to non-caffeinated herbal tea.

READ NEXT: The Truth About Caffeine & Cold Brew

10. Spicy Foods

Spicy foods don’t increase your prostate cancer risk, but spicy foods like salsa and peppers can trigger prostate inflammation and exacerbate BPH symptoms.

One study recommends avoiding spicy food and caffeine to prevent lower urinary tract pain. (15)

6 Foods That Benefit Prostate Health

Just like there are less-than-optimal foods for prostate health, there are foods that have been clinically shown to be beneficial for prostate health.

Below are some of my favorite prostate-friendly, healthy diet foods.

1. Wild-Caught Seafood

Instead of loading up on dairy and meat products, eat more wild-caught seafood like sardines or salmon that contains beneficial forms of saturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids.

The omega-3s in wild-caught fish are considered anti-inflammatory and beneficial for your brain health and hormone production. (16) Inflammation is a key contributor to prostate cancer development, so reducing inflammation should be central to cancer treatment and prevention.

2. Cruciferous Vegetables

This diverse veggie group may be good for your prostate health. Remember the studies about red meat increasing prostate cancer risk? The same study showed that eating 4 daily servings of veggies may decrease your prostate cancer by 32%. (3,4)

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are high in sulforaphane, which has been linked to a decrease in cancer risk. One study showed that sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts could delay prostate cancer formation and decrease its severity. (17)

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes and low-sugar tomato sauces are high in the antioxidant known as lycopene. Multiple studies have looked at the relationship between lycopene and prostate cancer and found that a higher consumption of lycopene from tomatoes could lower prostate cancer risk. (18)

I suggest cooking your tomatoes in olive oil, which may help your body absorb lycopene. Avoid processed tomatoes, such as canned soups and sauces, which contain a lot of added sugar and preservatives.

Be aware that tomatoes have a higher level of acidity and can aggravate bladder function in some individuals. Also, a small number of people may be sensitive to nightshade vegetables, and tomatoes are a major nightshade.

4. Berries

Berries and dark-colored fruits contain prostate-supporting plant pigments known as anthocyanidins and anthocyanins. I recommend eating blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

A 2022 study concludes that these berry compounds seem to reduce prostate tumor weight, as well as prostate inflammation. (19)

5. Dark Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens have all sorts of health benefits, but I don’t have time to list them all here. Let’s focus on prostate benefits.

Non-starchy vegetables like kale, spinach, and mustard greens are low-glycemic and loaded with micronutrients that are linked to prostate cancer prevention. (20)

Dark leafy vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, lutein, and vitamin C, which may benefit prostate health. (21)

6. Green Tea

Green tea offers countless benefits, and a positive impact on prostate health is one of them.

Unsweetened green tea or green tea extract supplements are anti-inflammatory, which support a healthy prostate with or without cancer.

Green tea has also demonstrated clear mechanisms that can halt the progression of prostate cancer cells. (22)

READ NEXT: Beetroot Powder Benefits

3 Ways to Support a Healthy Prostate

While the foods you eat or don’t eat are important, that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Examining your overall wellness, as well as ensuring all parts of your body are working together to form a solid foundation of health, is crucial in promoting positive prostate health.

Below are three steps I recommend that you take to maintain proper prostate health.

1. Get tested

If you are over 45 years of age, get yearly prostate examinations. If you struggle to maintain a healthy weight or you have a family history of prostate cancer, I would recommend testing sooner.

Getting tested can help detect prostate cancer in the earliest stages to help facilitate a fast, total recovery.

Health deteriorates if you ignore it.

2. Switch to an anti-inflammatory diet

A lot of the foods listed above that increase prostate cancer risk are also highly inflammatory. Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet will incorporate more nutrient-dense foods into your day that have their own cancer-fighting properties.

Plus, since cancer and BPH have roots in inflammation, an anti-inflammatory diet should help alleviate symptoms and prevent initial development.

3. Heal your gut

It all comes back to the gut. My colleagues and I have found that people with prostate health problems often have gut dysbiosis — AKA an imbalanced ratio of good to harmful bacteria strains in the gut microbiome. (23)

Although the gut-prostate relationship is still being explored, a healthy gut will only offer numerous benefits to your health in the long run. 

Adding a daily probiotic like The Probiotic from my supplement line, The Art of Being Well Collection, can ensure your gut gets enough good bacteria to combat dysbiosis.

READ NEXT: How To Heal Your Gut Naturally

Seeking Help From A Functional Medicine Expert

Ultimately, everyone’s biochemistry is unique. Find a functional medicine professional who helps you identify and treat the underlying causes of your prostate and overall health.

In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, we run labs that look at all areas of your health — nutrient levels, gut function, etc. — to see where there could be gaps contributing to poor prostate health.

My job is to help men reclaim their health and have the knowledge to prevent systemic problems before they begin. If you are struggling with your prostate health and want to take a more natural approach to healing by getting to the root cause, schedule a telehealth consultation appointment today. 

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.