Prostate Cancer

Recommendations for Prostate Cancer Prevention from the World’s Leading Cancer Organizations

Modify your diet to decrease your risk of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is cancer of the gland that produces seminal fluid in males¹. It occurs when the cells of the prostate grow uncontrollably into the nearby tissue and destroy it². Worldwide, there are over 1.4 million new cases of prostate cancer every year³.

Methods

The infographic and recommendations described in this article were created based on the combined nutritional information accumulated from some of the largest and most referenced prostate cancer organizations. We also summarize each organization’s recommendations independently.

General Anticancer Eating Habits

For general cancer prevention, see our Cancer Fighting Food Recommendation Article that was created using a similar methodology, but for all cancers.

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Getting Started: Recommendations to Prevent Cancer: A large variety of colorful vegetables and fruits should be consumed daily. Whole grains and seeds should be consumed. Hydration is essential. Fiber and whole food consumption should take up a large percentage of daily intake. Red and processed meats should be limited to 12-18 ounces per week, if not avoided all together. Plant-based food consumption should be favored. Trans fats, foods high in fat, starches, and sugar should be limited or substituted with unsaturated fats and omega-3s. Alcohol should be avoided, but if consumed, it should be limited to 2 or fewer alcoholic beverages per week.

Overall Prostate Cancer Prevention Nutritional Recommendations

Obesity, or a body mass index of 30 or higher, increases the risk of prostate cancer. It is recommended that a healthy weight be maintained through a healthy diet and exercise. A good rule of thumb for food quantities is to fill your plate with at least 50% colorful vegetables and fruits, 25% (or more) lean protein, and no more than 25% of starchy vegetables or whole grains⁴. Another measure would be to consume 7-9 servings of a variety of colorful fruits and (non-starchy) vegetables every day. A diet high in fibre, of approximately 30-45 grams per day, is recommended. Plant-based proteins are preferred. Low mercury fish should be consumed twice a week (or more), and poultry is preferred over red and processed meats. Red meats should be limited to 17.6 ounces (500 grams; ~2.2 cups) per week. Additionally, 1 serving of healthy fats per day is recommended; trans fats should be avoided. Saturated fats and fats from red meat, eggs, and dairy should be limited. Alcohol should be limited if consumed at all.

Explanation, Tips, and Examples

📄 Detailed Prostate Cancer Prevention Notes by Anticancer.ca

Weight Management: A healthy range for body mass index is 18.5-24.95⁵. Weight gain and obesity should be avoided to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer^3,6-9. The best way to maintain a healthy weight is through rigorous exercise within the bounds of fitness level, and consuming a lower calorie diet⁶.

Fruits and Vegetables: Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to ensure that you are getting a variety of nutrients¹⁰. These should make up half of the plate¹¹. In terms of preparation, favor fruits and vegetables that have been steamed, baked, or stir-fried rather than deep-fried, as well as fruits or vegetables without added sugar or salt. Fruits and vegetables are usually not dense in calories, so an increase in fruits and vegetables leads to a decrease in overall calorie consumption; this is linked to a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer¹⁰. Starchy vegetables include beans, legumes, corn, potatoes, green peas, beets, squashes, and turnips.

Fibre: Foods that are high in fibre include whole grain breads (breads should have 3 or more grams of fibre per slice⁴ ), oats, barley, quinoa, millet, wild rice, buckwheat, amaranth, spelt, teff, and bulger^4,10.

Grains: At least half of the recommended servings of grains consumed per day should be whole. Grains should also be low in salt, fat, and sugar¹⁰. Good examples could include whole grain breads or pastas, brown rice, oats, or quinoa¹⁰.

Protein: Plant-based proteins are recommended, with some research even showing that vegan diets can decrease the risk of prostate cancer^3,11. Red meats such as beef, pork, lamb, goat, and wild meats should be limited to no more than 17.6 ounces (500 grams; ~2.2 cups) per week¹¹. Processed meats such as deli meats, bacon, hot dogs, sausages, and meats that are smoked, cured or preserved with nitrates and nitrites should be avoided⁴. Lean meats that have very little added salt and fat should be chosen. Fish is recommended, and good choices include herring, char, mackerel, salmon, or trout. Poultry is also favored¹⁰. At least 25% of your plate should be made up of lean protein every day⁴.

Fats: Omega-3 fats are recommended for preventing prostate cancer^11-14. These can include fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, or sardines, nuts such as walnuts, and seeds such as chia or hemp seeds^6,11,13. Trans and saturated fats are unhealthy and should be limited or avoided^11,13. For the one additional serving of fats, good examples include 1 ounce of nuts, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, or 1/3 of a medium-sized avocado.

Alcohol: Alcohol should be kept to a minimum, if consumed at all^4,11,15.

Vitamins: Recommendations regarding vitamin supplements for prostate cancer prevention are limited. However, vitamin D is important, so supplements might be beneficial if sunlight and nutrition are not adequate.

Dairy: There is limited and conflicting evidence, but the overall research suggests that increased dairy intake is related to increased prostate cancer^9-12,14-16. However, Procure does suggest aiming for 2 drinks of milk (skim, 1%, 2% or fortified soy) each day for vitamin D¹⁰.

Eggs: Eggs may increase the risk of fatal prostate cancer⁴. A study found that men who consumed more than 2.5 eggs per week were 82% more likely to develop fatal prostate cancer¹⁶.

Summary

Recommendation	Amount	Explanation and Tips
Weight Management	BMI of 18.5-24.95	Achieve through regular exercise and a lower calorie diet
Fruits and Vegetables	7-9 servings daily	Make up half of your plate with colorful fruits and non-starchy vegetables
Fibre	30-45 grams per day	Foods high in fibre include whole grain breads, oats, barley, quinoa, and wild rice
Grains	Half of daily servings should be whole	Include whole grain breads or pastas, brown rice, oats, or quinoa in your diet
Protein	25% or more of daily intake	Prefer plant-based proteins; limit red meats to 17.6 oz/week; prefer poultry, fish
Fats	1 serving of healthy fats daily	Include omega-3 fats; examples include walnuts, chia, hemp seeds, olive oil; avoid trans fats
Alcohol	Limited	Minimize or avoid consumption
Vitamins	Adequate Vitamin D	Consider supplements if sunlight and nutrition are inadequate
Eggs	Limited	High consumption (2.5 more per week) may increase risk of fatal prostate cancer

While no prevention strategy for prostate cancer is infallible, risk can be reduced with the lifestyle modifications mentioned in this article¹⁵. It is important to keep your daily caloric intake at the right level to maintain a healthy weight. A variety of fruits and vegetables should be consumed daily, along with proteins that are not red meat or processed. The recommendations listed are consistent with most organizations' recommendations for overall health, general cancer prevention, and anti-aging benefits, as well as personalized prevention plans.

To have your institution recommendations included or to modify the recommendations presented from your institution email To have your institution recommendations included or to modify the recommendations presented from your institution email info@anticancer.ca.info@anticancer.ca.

Subscribe for future work that will include recommendations for other specific cancers. We will also feature the reasoning and evidence behind certain recommendations, and reviews of primary research papers and randomized clinical controlled trials that investigate specific nutrients and supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, yes, these nutrition guidelines are useful even if you already have prostate cancer. Studies show that healthy eating habits can complement your medical treatment and help you in the fight against cancer. You should consult with a health professional and your specific prostate cancer treatment team.

Different experts may focus in on different studies, clinical trials, peer-reviewed studies, or other scientific references. They may place emphasis on data that was performed at their specific institute, so they know that it is reliable. Even when experts focus on the same studies, clinical trials, and peer-reviewed sources, the interpretation of the data could be different. Scientific interpretation is often influenced by an individual’s specific background and experiences, as well as how restrictive they decide to make their recommendations. Thus, our compilation has minimal and aggressive recommendations, a simple guide for you to follow to make sure you have your bases covered.

We began with the largest prostate cancer institutions and societies, but have slowly incorporated additional information. Not all institutions/societies have information for every category.

These are foods that have been shown through scientific research to reduce cancer risk. These foods that fight cancer should NOT be a substitute for any cancer-fighting treatment, such as treatment used to reduce tumor growth or to stop cancer cells, from a licensed medical professional. Instead, these foods should complement your cancer-fighting strategy. They provide potential health benefits and reduced risk.

Yes, there are specific examples as discussed in the article above. In addition, you may wish to consult our Cancer Fighting Food Recommendation Article. In terms of vegetables and fruits, leafy green vegetables should be consumed and in addition, the more variety of colours that are consumed in the diet, the more variety of phytonutrients that the body absorbs. It is recommended that whole foods be preferred over seeking nutrients from supplements such as beta carotene, folic acid, and vitamin C. A diet rich in these nutrients is more beneficial than eating the supplements themselves. Whole foods are always preferred over any form of processed foods, especially in terms of processed meat. Future articles will discuss randomized controlled trials and evidence for specific nutrients. Remember: do NOT use nutrition to substitute for any cancer-fighting treatment recommendations from a licensed medical professional. Instead, these foods that fight cancer should complement your cancer-fighting strategy.

Whole foods are preferred over supplements; we will have future articles discussing possible supplementation.

Medical and dietary restrictions come first. The cancer-fighting recommendations are generally flexible and allow for a variety of choices to adapt to your needs. For cancer-fighting meal examples that might fit your personal restrictions, see our personalized meal planner.

No. Cancer is a complex disease. Research papers often evaluate the effects of different chemicals on cancer cells grown on a dish at much higher concentrations than can be safely achieved in the human body. Further, there are many differences between cancer cells of the same type, and even differences among the different cancer cells within the same person.

References

Prostate cancer - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353087
Lee S. What is prostate cancer? Canadian Cancer Society. Published February 2021. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/prostate/what-is-prostate-cancer
Prostate cancer statistics | World Cancer Research Fund International. WCRF International. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://www.wcrf.org/cancer-trends/prostate-cancer-statistics/
Lagomarcino Ledesma N. Health and Wellness: Living with Prostate Cancer.
World Cancer Research Fund. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: a Global Perpective.
Prostate Cancer Prevention. Prostate Cancer Foundation. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://www.pcf.org/patient-resources/family-cancer-risk/prostate-cancer-prevention/
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle. ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://zerocancer.org/learn/current-patients/maintain-qol/
Lee S. Have a healthy body weight. Canadian Cancer Society. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/reduce-your-risk/have-a-healthy-body-weight
Rock CL, Thomson C, Gansler T, et al. American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020;70(4):245-271. doi:10.3322/caac.21591
Nutrition and healthy body. PROCURE. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://www.procure.ca/en/living-with-cancer/nutrition-healthy-body/
Lok T. NUTRITION FOR PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS.
Prostate Care | Department of Urologic Sciences. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://urology.med.ubc.ca/patient-information/prostate-care/
Prostate Cancer: Prevention. Published August 8, 2021. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-prevention
Prevention. CTCPC. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://www.ctcpc.org/prevention
How to lower your risk of prostate cancer. Mayo Clinic. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/in-depth/prostate-cancer-prevention/art-20045641
World Cancer Research Fund. Do eggs increase risk of prostate cancer? Published September 30, 2011. Accessed February 17, 2023. https://www.wcrf-uk.org/our-blog/do-eggs-increase-risk-of-prostate-cancer/

About This Article

First Published	April 10, 2023
Last Updated	April 10, 2023
Author	Ashiana Sunderji
Fact Checkers and Co-Authors	Aria Panchal and Courtney Leung
Reviewer and Supervisor	Kenneth W. Yip

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