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Diet for prostate cancer

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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A diet for prostate cancer is characterized by the fact that it is able to both help reduce the likelihood of the disease and, to a certain extent, prevent the development and progression of such a pathological process.

Today, there are enough results of various studies of the dependence of the appearance of malignant tumors in the prostate gland on the characteristics of the menu and diet of a person to state with good reason the existence of a correlation between diet and the appearance of oncology. In particular, a factor favorable for reducing the risk of developing such an ailment is following the principles of healthy eating, which involves eating foods and dishes that do not contain a large amount of fat. In addition, it is necessary that the daily menu include a significant amount of fruits and vegetables. Their expediency and benefit are obvious, since they bring with them vitamins and all sorts of substances of plant origin that prevent the occurrence and development of many types of malignant pathologies.

The need for a low fat diet for prostate cancer is justified by the fact that fatty foods provoke a tendency to produce large amounts of testosterone in the body, which is largely responsible for the development of prostatitis. A high probability of developing prostate cancer can be caused by the presence of a large amount of saturated fat in the diet, a significant amount of which is found in dairy products - cream, mayonnaise, margarine, as well as in red meat.

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What is the diet for prostate cancer?

How nutrition should be organized in the presence of this disease in order to prevent, or at least help minimize the possibility of the occurrence and development of all kinds of complications will be discussed below.

Any disruption of normal healthy functioning entails greater energy expenditure by the body, since during the disease, the protective functions are activated, and resources are required to restore tissues subject to pathological transformations, to ensure resistance to the disease and to implement the appropriate immune response. Based on this, the issue of diet is of considerable relevance, which is especially important in the case of oncological diseases. The fact is that the body affected by cancer has to both resist the spread of cancer-affected cells and restore tissues that were damaged by the use of radiological and chemotherapy. If, as a result of these treatment measures, the patient's stool has acquired a liquid consistency, it is necessary to drink decoctions of oak bark, bird cherry, rice grains, pomegranate peels. Mint drops are used to combat the attacks of nausea that arise.

When considering the question of what diet for prostate cancer, we note that its fundamental principles are the recommendations of nutritionists and relevant medical specialists to minimize the content of heavily fried and baked food in the diet. This method of cooking food is associated with the formation of trans fats, which are one of the factors leading to the development of malignant neoplasms. Fruits and vegetables, which should be present in large quantities in the diet of a cancer patient, are preferably eaten raw, but they can be subjected to heat treatment. Vegetables and fruits contain fiber, which helps optimize peristalsis, which helps to better absorb nutrients.

Due to the presence of a large amount of vitamin C in its natural form, it is recommended to eat citrus fruits, berries, sour fruits, spinach, and sweet peppers.

Prostate Cancer Diet Recipes

The following recipes for a prostate cancer diet can be a great way to diversify your menu without deviating from the instructions and recommendations for organizing proper nutrition in the presence of such a serious disease as prostate cancer.

Baked chicken (turkey) breasts in lemon juice will require from half a kilogram to 800 grams of this chicken or turkey meat, which, while in a baking container, are poured with a previously prepared sauce of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and spices. Alternatively, leave the chicken in this marinade overnight. Cover with foil and bake for at least 40 minutes, until done, in an oven preheated to 200 degrees. The amount of ingredients in the recipe is calculated for 4 servings. Before serving, you can use herbs and lemon wedges as a decoration for the dish.

Brussels sprouts are known as a real storehouse of a large number of vitamins, so it is recommended to eat them more often. But since in its natural form it is quite bland, to improve its taste you can cook, for example, Brussels sprouts in garlic sauce. The cabbage needs to be washed and cut lengthwise in half or 4 parts, after which it should be boiled over medium heat for 5-10 minutes in salted water. To prepare the sauce, olive oil is heated in a frying pan, chopped garlic is simmered in oil for 1 minute. When the cabbage is ready, it is thrown into a colander, and after all the water has drained, it is seasoned with garlic oil, salted and peppered to taste. After mixing everything, you need to let it stand for a quarter of an hour. To make it tastier, it is recommended to pour the juice of half a lemon into the finished dish.

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Prostate Cancer Diet Menu

Some of the studies of recent years aimed at finding ways to strengthen men's health, which also implies the prevention of prostate cancer, have found out, in particular, that regular consumption of onions and garlic helps to reduce the risk of developing this disease by almost half. In the event that the pathological progress of such oncology in the body of a man has already begun, it is also recommended to include in the diet menu for prostate cancer all types of cabbage: white cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. To achieve a positive effect, you need to eat them at least three times a week.

An important factor is also the correct way of cooking vegetables with anti-cancer properties. Otherwise, many useful substances and elements, or even all of them, can be destroyed during cooking. The rules for cooking cabbage are that it should be served raw or slightly steamed. The water in which the cabbage was boiled can be used to make sauces or gravies.

The diet menu for prostate cancer may look something like the following.

  • The day begins with breakfast of oatmeal with soy milk, raspberries and honey. An alternative option is to have an omelette with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes.
  • For lunch, the first course is tomato soup with garlic and onion, followed by boiled rice with a beef cutlet. The combination with the same soup can be made up of beans and chicken shashlik.
  • Afternoon snack consists of pancakes with walnuts and raspberries.
  • For dinner, we suggest eating beans, tuna salad, avocado, or bean lobio with onions.

What can you eat if you have prostate cancer?

The main foods that can be eaten with prostate cancer are, first of all, vegetables and fruits. They are characterized by a high content of vitamins and essential microelements, the deficiency of which in the body with oncological pathology in the prostate gland can contribute to the uncontrolled reproduction and growth of malignant cells, which is a factor that aggravates the course of the disease. Vitamin A-containing products are apricots, beef liver, lettuce and spinach. Vitamin C is present in large quantities in citrus fruits, black currants, sauerkraut and red pepper. Sources of vitamins B, D, E, as well as minerals calcium, zinc, selenium are pumpkin, carrots, various types of dairy products. Regarding dairy products, it should be noted that mainly those that have a low fat content are useful.

What can you eat with prostate cancer? Repeating about the unconditional usefulness of a large amount of fruits and vegetables in the daily menu, we note that the leading role in this case is given to tomatoes. The special position of tomatoes in the list of products that are allowed to be consumed in the presence of malignant neoplasms in the prostate is explained by the fact that these vegetables are distinguished by the content of lycopene in their composition. Lycopene is a natural antioxidant of the carotenoid group, and as evidenced by the results of studies, often consuming ketchup and other tomato sauces during meals, one can note a tendency to slow down the progress of oncological pathology. Lycopene contained in one glass of tomato juice, if you drink it at least once a week, is enough to become a completely effective preventive measure against the occurrence of oncology and help slow down the progress of an existing malignant neoplasm. In addition, this substance is not prone to provoke any side effects.

General improvement of the condition of men who have prostate cancer is also promoted by the inclusion of cabbage in the diet in all its varieties. Both white cabbage and Brussels sprouts, cauliflower contain a large amount of the compound sulforafin, which exhibits its properties in preventing the development of cancer cells.

The consumption of garlic also has a beneficial effect, manifested in the activation of the functioning of the immune system and the strengthening of the protective resources of the body affected by a malignant disease.

What should you not eat if you have prostate cancer?

Along with what products are acceptable and recommended for consumption in the diet in the presence of this oncological disease, there are a number of restrictions and prohibitive dietary prescriptions regarding what cannot be eaten with prostate cancer. Nutritionists and medical specialists are mainly unanimous in the fact that the main rule of nutrition in this case should be the exclusion of red meats from the patient's menu and minimization of the amount of food consumption containing a large amount of fat, especially of animal origin.

Red meat in its connection with the risk of malignant neoplasms in the prostate gland should be understood, first of all, as lamb, beef and pork, the consumption of which in immoderate quantities can provoke the development of such oncology in the male body. Fish and poultry can be an equivalent replacement for red meat. Since the main fat content is in the skin of poultry, it is not recommended to eat it together with the "white" meat of poultry. It is also better to choose chicken breast for cooking - it contains very small amounts of fat.

When talking about what you can’t eat with prostate cancer, you can’t do without mentioning the meat product so beloved by many as sausage. Even though there are types of sausages and sausage products without the obvious addition of lard, which is practically pure fat, they still certainly contain “hidden” fat. Hidden fat, for example, is found in cooked sausages, frankfurters, and wieners. In addition, it can be found in cakes and pastries with cream and other confectionery products, in fatty cottage cheese, cream, sour cream, and cheeses.

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