Make Room on Your Plate for These Prostate-Friendly Foods
by RYAN MILECZAK
The prostate is one of the smallest organs in the human body, about the size and shape of a walnut. But this tiny organ can have major implications for your health, especially after the age of 45.
While prostate issues can occur at any age, they become more common as you get older. Common problems include an enlarged prostate, infections, and prostate cancer — the second-most common type of cancer in men in the U.S.
While men can get screened for prostate cancer, stop smoking, and get adequate exercise, there are other steps that could ensure a healthy prostate. One way is through a healthy diet that is low in fat and rich in vegetables, whole grains, and fish.
Here are some recipes that incorporate foods that support prostate health.
Maple Glazed Salmon
Adapted from Simply Whisked
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets
- ¼ cup authentic maple syrup
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, dijon, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Coat salmon evenly on all sides with about ⅓ of the glaze, then place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, add more glaze, then bake for another ten minutes. Remove the salmon from the oven, apply the remaining glaze, and enjoy.
Goat Cheese and Asparagus Frittata
Adapted from In Fine Balance
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Begin by preheating your broiler. Next, heat olive oil in an oven safe skillet such as cast iron over medium heat. Add red pepper, saute for 2-3 minutes, and then add green onion and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes, then remove veggies and set aside.
Beat your eggs with salt and pepper. Add a squirt of oil to the pan and add the eggs. Once the bottom has slightly set, add in the veggies, spreading evenly. Continue cooking until the top of the eggs begins to set, around 10 minutes. Sprinkle goat cheese over top and transfer to the broiler. Broil until the top is browned slightly, a few minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes
Adapted from Cook For Your Life
Ingredients
- 6 ripe large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup scallion, chopped
- ½ cup mint, chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded basil leaves
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
Meanwhile, prepare your tomatoes by cutting the tops off of the tomatoes, then gently squeezing them over a bowl to remove the seeds and excess liquid.
Next, mix parsley, scallions, mint, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper into your quinoa until well mixed. Stuff tomatoes with quinoa mixture, then place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and drizzle olive oil over top. Bake until tomatoes are very soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove, let cool slightly, and enjoy.
Blueberry Flax Pancakes
Adapted from Prostate Cancer Foundation
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries, plus extra for topping
- ½ cup flax meal
- ¼ cup crushed walnut, plus extra for topping
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Dash of cinnamon
Instructions
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add wet ingredients and mix until a lumpy, thick batter forms.
Let rise for 5 minutes, then heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a squirt of oil or pat of butter and cook the pancakes by adding about 1/8th of the batter for each pancake. Wait until bubbles break through the top of the pancake (3-5 minutes), then flip and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and serve topped with blueberries, walnuts, and maple syrup or jam.