The seven worst foods for prostate health

There are more cases of prostate cancer than ever, so how can you adapt your diet to mitigate the risk? Here’s the foods to avoid

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with more than 150 cases diagnosed every day in the UK. Rates vary around the world with the most cases recorded in the United States followed by China, with the UK coming seventh. Some experts believe diet plays a role in the disparity between nations while a 2016 paper concluded that rates are higher in countries with higher development.
Experts say there is not enough evidence to conclusively identify specific foods that cause prostate cancer, although some studies appear to suggest correlations between certain types of food and increased risks. The diet advised makes the same recommendations for anyone wanting to mitigate the overall risk of cancer, says Claire Moore, a specialist oncology dietitian at City Dieticians. 
“Choose lots of different colours,” she says. “A variety of different coloured fruit and veg on your plate provides you with a spread of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.” This can reduce inflammation and protect against cell damage.
Here’s a summary of what you should avoid in your diet to try to reduce your risk of cancer including prostate cancer.
Cancer Research UK states: “We know for definite that processed meat is a cause of cancer. We are as sure of this link as we are for other proven causes of cancer, like tobacco and alcohol. Red meat is classed as a probable cause of cancer. This means there is lots of good evidence of a link between eating red meat and some types of cancer, but we need a few more of the best quality studies to be certain.”
The Prostate Cancer Foundation advises keeping amounts of fat from red meat to a minimum and it is recommended not to have more than 500g of red meat in a week, which equates to two portions.  
Moore says: “If you can, keep red meat as high quality as possible, choosing lean, organic, local, grass-fed cuts with the visible fat trimmed off.
“Avoid processed meat where you can because the studies show it is carcinogenic. It’s not the same with most processed fish, however. Many smoked fish for example have lots of health benefits so while it’s not good to have processed fish as your only source of fish, smoked salmon or smoked mackerel once or twice a week is fine.”
There has been speculation of potential connections between calcium, dairy foods and prostate cancer.
In the US the Prostate Cancer Foundation tells sufferers that consuming whole milk is linked to increased risk of prostate cancer progression and lethal disease, but this could be due to high saturated fat content.
Prostate Cancer UK is more circumspect and states: “Some studies suggest that eating a lot of calcium might increase the risk of your prostate cancer growing and spreading. Other studies have found no link, but it may be an idea to avoid eating more than 1500mg of calcium – the amount in about 1.6 litres of milk – a day.”
More than three to five servings of dairy per day may be a problem.
For dairy alternatives such as oat milk or nut milks, Moore advises soya as it has a higher protein content.
Alcohol is a risk factor in many different cancers and several studies suggest links between increased alcohol consumption and prostate cancer.
A 2018 study found a link between early-life alcohol consumption and aggressive, high-grade prostate cancer. The same was true for heavy cumulative alcohol consumption over the course of a man’s life. Meanwhile, a 2022 study found that alcohol combined with obesity, smoking and an excessive high-fat and red meat diet was linked to the development of prostate cancer.
“Look at the amount of alcohol that you are drinking,” advises Moore, “and stay in line with the government recommendations which are no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more. Ensure at least two alcohol-free days a week.”
A 2014 study found men with the lowest saturated fat intake had a decreased risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to those with the highest saturated fat intake. It concluded: “In most cases, there is limited evidence linking dietary fat and prostate cancer; however, some trends do emerge. Dietary fat, and high intake of animal and saturated fats, may be associated with prostate cancer risk.”
Eating too much fat can also contribute to obesity, which can increase visceral fat in men, which increases inflammation which then increases cancer risk.
For this reason, Prostate Cancer UK recommends replacing animal fats with vegetable oils.
Healthy fat sources, such as olive oil, nuts, avocado and oily fish can be beneficial although Moore cautions against using olive oil in cooking.
“If you heat it up too much it turns into something like a trans-fat, so when people are cooking, I encourage them to use rapeseed oil or even coconut oil and butter, which are technically saturated fats, so they’re not very good for you but they’re very stable when heated. Use olive oil in dressings instead.”
It is frequently speculated that sugar directly fuels the growth of cancer cells. This is true only in as much as sugar, in the form of glucose, fuels all cells in the body.
However, excess sugar may influence cancer cell growth because sugar increases insulin and many types of cancer cells respond more than normal cells to insulin’s ability to promote growth.
Carbonated sugary drinks have also been linked to increased risk of chronic disease in studies.
“Excess sugar causes inflammation, which causes cell damage, which then can increase your risk of developing a cancer because there’s the potential for cell mutation,” says Moore, who recommends including a source of protein when eating sugary foods, carbohydrates and fruits.
“Protein will naturally slow down the absorption of the sugar which stops you having peaks and troughs in your blood sugar levels,” she says.
Trans-fatty acids are produced during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils, often in the production of ultra processed foods. We already know about the harmful cardiovascular effects of trans-fatty acid. But is there a connection with prostate cancer? A systematic review of trans-fatty acid intake in relation to cancer risk published in 2021 found there was a significant positive association between trans-fat intake and prostate cancer. However, other studies give mixed results. One case review published by Harvard Medical School pointed to research that found that men with the highest blood levels of trans fats were 50 per cent less likely to have developed aggressive, high-grade prostate cancer compared with those who had the lowest levels.
Researchers called the findings “disconcerting”. Experts, however, advise steering clear of trans-fat laden processed food because the associated increased risk of dying from heart disease is much higher than the risk of dying from prostate cancer.
Advice on spicy foods is mixed. Some spices may reduce the risk of developing cancers and a 2010 paper published in the journal Future Oncology stated that capsaicin, the pungent agent in chilli peppers, has been shown to suppress the growth of human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Several studies have also indicated that turmeric has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
People with prostate cancer, however, are advised to cut down on spicy foods if they suffer hot flushes as a side effect of hormone treatment. And some experts say spicy foods can make urine more acidic and irritate the lining of the bladder, aggravating symptoms such as frequent urination and difficulty urinating.
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