“We are what we eat,” is a phrase attributed to Hippocrates that perfectly reflects the ideal relationship of a person with food. Of course, a fan of fast food will never turn into a potato or burger, but it will definitely affect his health in the long term.

Consuming healthy foods gives us the opportunity to prevent chronic diseases, including stroke, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. The latter are the main factor of mortality among men, equally strongly associated with both age-related changes (slow metabolism) and diet. In this material we have collected products that will help improve the health of men of any age.

Green vegetables

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and brussels sprouts are excellent sources of folic acid. A study conducted at Harvard University ( Harvard University ) showed that men who had more folates in the menu were 30% less likely to suffer from peripheral artery disease, a condition in which blood vessels constrict, making it difficult for the blood to flow to the extremities. This is because folic acid lowers the blood level of homocysteine , an amino acid that makes the walls of blood vessels loose, so that cholesterol and calcium remain on them, forming atherosclerotic plaques.

Vitamin C

Men who eat at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C per day have better sperm quality and more mobile sperm, unlike their “colleagues” who do not. This conclusion was made by scientists from the University of Texas ( University of Texas ), which conducted a series of relevant experiments.As a result, they managed to find out that a group of smokers with sperm of poor quality, which daily took vitamin C in supplements, showed a noticeable improvement in the results for the control period. Recall that vitamin C is not only grapefruits, oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits, but also rosehips, bell peppers, parsley and black currants.

Burger with avocado

A small experimental study conducted at the University of California ( University of California ) in Los Angeles, made it possible to say that avocados are very good for men’s health. It is unlikely, however, that someone doubted: as you know, avocados are rich in beneficial fatty acids, which can provide you with a mass of pleasant bonuses (from excellent vision and alleviating the symptoms of arthritis to losing weight and protecting against cancer). But another is interesting here. American scientists have found that avocado in a hamburger for the stronger sex works more noticeably in terms of improving blood flow than just avocado.

Tomatoes

According to research, men can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by about 20%, consuming about 10 servings of tomatoes each week. This is indicated by the data from an experiment conducted at the University of Bristol ( University of Bristol ), during which it was also found out that 5-6 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits per day reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases by 24% in just a few days. As for the magical properties of tomatoes, the researchers believe that the whole thing here is lycopene – carotenoid pigment, which not only gives the fruit color, but also protects cells and DNA from damage.

Beans and Peas

In men who regularly include legumes in the diet, the risk of a heart attack is almost two times lower than in those who do not. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health ( Harvard School of Public Health ) showed that only one serving of legumes per day reduces the risk of a heart attack by almost 38%. Important: two servings of legumes per day or more give the same result. Add to this a noticeable decrease in the level of low-density lipoproteins, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, and you will understand why it is sometimes reasonable to replace chicken soup with bean.