The 10 healthiest foods for men
The 10 healthiest foods for men
1. Garlic
Garlic may be smelly but it has anti-cancer compounds, is antibacterial and has decongestant properties to keep coughs and colds at bay, plus phytochemicals that help lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots. You can add it to practically any savoury dish, or pop a whole clove of garlic in the oven. Roast garlic is soft and can be spread like butter but has a more mellow flavour.
2. Tomato Ketchup
Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is important in helping to prevent heart disease and many cancers – especially prostate cancer. Lycopene is even more potent in cooked tomatoes than raw ones, so adding a dollop of ketchup to those fries isn't a bad idea. However, because of the salt and sugar in ketchup, it's healthier to add tomato puree to a stew or casserole, or eat tomato soup or tomato-based pasta sauce.
3. Broccoli
Folic acid can lower the levels of an amino acid in the blood called homocysteine. High homocysteine levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Broccoli is also loaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium and a phytochemical called sulforaphane, which helps reduce the risk of cancer. Mix it into pasta sauce, cover it with chilli sauce and have with noodles.
4. Oily Fish
Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring contain essential fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, which have been proven to be beneficial in preventing heart disease, some cancers, arthritis and depression. Mackerel is an especially rich source of selenium.
5. Potatoes
Good old spuds! Cheap and cheerful, boiled or baked, they never fail to fill you up. They’re also packed full of vitamin C, along with lots of other vitamins and minerals. Eat the skin for fibre and go easy on the chipped variety!
6. Steak
Red meat is a great source of zinc, vitamin B12 and iron. Zinc is involved in hundreds of body functions, from producing DNA to the sense of taste. Vitamin B12 also has many functions, including energy release, and iron is essential for carrying oxygen from the lungs all around the body. If you're working you need to get these nutrients. But choose leaner cuts of meat and avoid cheaper products such as burgers and pies, as these are very high in saturated fat. Try not to eat red meat more than three times a week.
7. Milk
Low intakes of calcium have been linked with heart disease, colon cancer and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is not just a disease that affects older women – one in 12 men now suffer from osteoporosis, so it’s vital to have an adequate calcium intake. Choose semi-skimmed or skimmed milk for a low-fat source of calcium, with protein too.
8. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are crammed full of vitamins and minerals. Brazil nuts are especially high in magnesium and selenium – an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease and cancer and protects prostate health. Sprinkle seeds such as linseed or flaxseed over your cereal to pack in more goodness, snack on a small handful of nuts instead of crisps, or top your toast with peanut butter.
9. Bananas
This fruit will boost your energy as well as your potassium levels. You need potassium to regulate your nerves, heartbeat and blood pressure. Bananas can also be useful hangover cures after a night on the town!
10. Beer <----MOST IMPORTANT
That’s right! Beer contains phytochemicals that have been shown to help prevent heart disease. It may also aid digestion by encouraging acid production in the stomach, and moderate (yes, moderate) alcohol intake as part of a healthy diet is associated with lower incidence of heart disease.
This doesn’t give you licence to become a lager lout! Remember that these effects are only seen in moderate drinkers – that’s no more than two units per day (one pint of beer). High intakes will undo all the goodness, so try not to get carried away!
