Six Healthy Foods Men Should Be Eating Right Now

Men love red meat. When the meat-lover’s pizza was created, we’re pretty sure it was a man who looked at the mountain of sausage, pepperoni, ham, and beef atop that pie and said, “Hey, you forgot the bacon.”

Despite its deliciousness, a meat-lover’s slice—and other red meats—should be enjoyed only in moderation.

Luckily there are lots of foods that are not only delicious, but also provide special benefits to keep men healthy.

Oysters

Oysters have long had a reputation for increasing sex drive. Whether or not that’s true, they do provide more zinc, essential for prostate health and fertility, than almost any food. Even canned oysters provide five times the recommended daily allowance for men, in just three ounces.

Salmon

Wild-caught salmon and other fatty fish—like tuna, sardines, mackerel, and trout—are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that actually help to lower bad fats like triglycerides and slow the growth of plaque in your bloodstream. Since they also help to control bad cholesterols, this makes them a powerful preventer of heart disease. Wild-caught salmon are also rich in Vitamin D, important for calcium absorption and preventing erectile dysfunction.

Soybeans

Soy protein can aid in reducing bad cholesterol, which makes it part of a heart-healthy diet. On top of that, the isoflavones in soy help protect the prostate and reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Choose soy in the least processed form possible. Some highly processed soy products come with extra ingredients like salt, sugar, or even fat that may reduce their benefit.

Whole grains

When eating grains for carbs, most men could stand to choose more wisely. Healthy whole grain options are a much better choice when it comes to bread, pasta, and cereal—providing a wider range of nutrition as well as fiber to aid in digestion. When choosing whole grain foods, be sure to look at sugars and fats as well. Some are so over the top, they’re hardly worth the whole grain benefit.

Chocolate milk

We’re not saying you should drink it by the quart, but with a four-to-one carb-to-protein ratio, and the right mix of fluids and sodium, chocolate milk makes a pretty effective post-workout recovery beverage, according to a recent study. We’d better not catch you drinking out of the carton, however.

Fruits and vegetables

When it comes to healthy eating, extra whole fruits and vegetables are helpful no matter who you are. But men, on average, could stand to increase their intake more than most. (Maybe it comes back to that meat-lover’s slice.) The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that men eat two cups of fruit and two to three cups of veggies every day.

That may sound like a lot to most men, though you can certainly enjoy some of those veggies on a healthy whole grain pizza. Just remember to say “not today” to the five kinds of meat.