By Laura Tolle, RDN, LDN, CDE
Let’s celebrate the men in our lives by encouraging them to reduce their risk for prostate cancer. Newly released findings from a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in New Orleans “show that high dietary saturated fat content is associated with increased prostate cancer aggressiveness.”
Saturated fat is found in animal products and dairy products like beef, cheese and whole milk. These foods are found in a typical American diet. These types of foods are also related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. As men get older these risks increase even more.
The study also mentioned that eating higher levels of polyunsaturated fats were associated with a less aggressive prostate cancer. Polyunsaturated fats are found in plant oils, nuts, seeds and fish. These fats are actually good for us if we use moderation. By switching your beef with fish you can significantly impact your risk. Choose nuts as a snack instead of cheese and crackers. These small changes can make a big impact.
The time to change your eating habits is now! It may just mean you need to reduce your portion size. Consider having vegetables as your main entrée and meat as your side dish. You can also reduce your cheese by half in all of your recipes. This will help reduce the saturated fat content without affecting the dish.
To mark Men’s Health Month this June, try this guy-friendly recipe to get you started: Grilled Salmon and Kale Salad.
Pan-Seared Salmon
Ingredients:
- 4 5-ounce center-cut salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
- Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper on the salmon.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Raise the heat to medium-high. Place the salmon, skin-side up, in the pan.
- Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes.
- Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch, about 3 minutes more.
- Sprinkle with the fresh lemon juice to serve.
Kale Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
- ¼cup dates
- 1 Honeycrisp apple
- 3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Whisk together the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Add the kale, toss to coat and let stand 10 minutes.
- While the kale stands, cut the dates into thin slivers and the apple into matchsticks.
- Add the dates, apples and almonds to the kale.
- Season with pepper, toss well and serve.
Laura Tolle is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator with Mission Health MyHealthyLife Wellness.
