Overview
Food choices are often less of a concern for younger men than for those above the age of 30, although perhaps, they should be for the maintenance of optimum health and prevention of diseases. Health problems like high blood pressure and obesity are less likely to appear until later on in life.
During the latter stages of early adulthood, the specifics of a man’s diet naturally become much more crucial. It’s empirical to make sure you include immune-boosting foods in your daily intake to fight the effects of health problems, avoid problems from getting worse, and restore health and wellness.
Certain foods are not particularly part of the best diet plan for men over 30. Here are some of the items that you should avoid.
The 7 Worst Foods and Beverages to Avoid
1. Sugar
An excess of sugar has several serious health risks, especially as men age. It can increase the chances of becoming overweight or obese, and obesity increases the chances of developing diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (1).
Consuming too much sugar in itself can cause damage to the heart. A 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that there was a connection between a high-sugar diet and deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases.
There’s some research indicating that high sugar intake can increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes (2). Other studies, however, show mixed conclusions on this point.
Sugar can also harm the skin, causing early aging and wrinkles. According to Clinical Dermatology, rapid aging occurs because sugar causes a cross-link between collagen fibers, leading to damage that is hard to repair.
2. Multi-Grain Foods
Many people assume that any food with ‘multigrain’ written on it is healthy, but this is not the case. Refined and enriched grains are not fit for you. They are stripped of their nutritional value during processing, leaving them free of fiber and healthy nutrients (3).
With whole grains, all of the nutrients remain, so make sure you read labels carefully. Research indicates that refined grains can lead to health problems like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (4).
3. Fried Foods
Fried foods like bacon are high in trans fats, which are very detrimental to your health. They can increase your bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease your good cholesterol (HDL), putting you at risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (6).
Other foods with trans fats include cakes, cookies, margarine, crackers, and frozen pizza. The best diet plan calls for the least amount of foods with trans fats.
4. Salt
Our bodies do require a certain amount of sodium, but too much of it is detrimental to our health. The kidneys have trouble processing sodium. As a result, they retain water to dilute the salt leading to an increased volume of blood in the body, which puts pressure on some of your organs. Increased blood volume can put on more work on the heart and pressure on the vessel walls. It will put you at risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. It may also damage organs like the heart, aorta, bones, and kidneys (5).
5. Carbonated Beverages
Soda contains no nutritional value whatsoever, and it’s very high in sucrose. In one teaspoon of soda, there is an average of 4.2 grams of sugar. Consuming an excess amount of sugar will increase your risk of developing health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It can also negatively impact your bone health (7).
Energy drinks have the same amount of sugar as soda, and they also contain a high amount of caffeine. High doses of caffeine can lead to side effects like headaches, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, frequent urination, fast heartbeat, and muscle tremors (8).
6. Alcohol
There’s nothing overly risky about going out with friends for a couple of drinks sometimes or having a glass of wine with dinner. However, when you start to consume too much alcohol, it can lead to numerous health risks such as heart disease, various types of cancer, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, and digestive problems (9). Try to keep your alcohol consumption to a moderate level to protect your health.
7. Ketchup
There’s a chance you innocently pour ketchup all over different foods, not counting it as part of the meal. If that’s the case, you should look for a new condiment. Ketchup is relatively high in unhealthy sugars, salt, and corn syrup, not to mention all kinds of preservatives (10). If you’re looking for a new condiment that’s healthier for you, try salsa.
People Also Ask
A: Men should eat immune-boosting foods that contain plenty of antioxidants. These slow down the aging process by killing damaging free radicals in the body and lowering oxidative stress. Examples of these foods include berries, broccoli, beef, barley, seafood, beets, pumpkin, avocado, grapefruit, and many others (11).
A: One of the best ways for a man to boost his physical health is by keeping in good shape. The benefits of exercise for the body are numerous. Exercising can reduce your risk of heart disease, keep you at a healthy weight, improve your brain health, and lift your mood (12).
A: Some foods can lower levels of testosterone in the body. A 2018 study published in Nutrients concluded that a diet high in bread and pastries, dairy, sweets, eating out, and low in homemade foods, noodles, and dark green vegetables predicted low levels of testosterone.
A: Three of the worst foods you have to refrain from are hot dogs, white bread, and sweetened breakfast cereals. Any processed food can fall into the category of the worst food (13).
A: Men should consume foods rich in zinc like shellfish, as they enhance sperm production and increase testosterone levels (14). Also, they can help to prevent prostate enlargement and the associated symptoms (15). Another good food for men is dark chocolate, in moderate amounts. There’s evidence to indicate that it can lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease (16). Many men die of heart disease, which is a good reason to consume plenty of fish with omega-3 fatty acids. It will lessen your chances of contracting this deadly illness (17).
The Best Foods for Your 30s
When a man hits the 30s, his body has begun to go through some changes that might require modifications in diet. As testosterone drops, it’s good to eat monounsaturated fats like walnuts or almonds to raise levels.
Another issue may be that by this age, men’s muscles aren’t as strong as they used to be. Eat foods that are high in Vitamin C and E like peppers and broccoli. These will help repair muscle damage faster, so they build more quickly.
Some men begin to have joint and muscle pain when they get into their 30s. The food for this issue is fish oil that comes from any cold-water fish. It contains plenty of antioxidants which can help with the pain and swelling.
Conclusion
Food preference is a factor that can impact a man’s health. During adulthood, men’s bodies go through changes that will require a modification in the types of food choices they make. Maintaining an average weight becomes troublesome, testosterone levels begin to drop, muscles weaken, and the risk of contracting certain illnesses goes up.
There are certain foods and beverages that you should avoid as you get into your 30s, as they can cause health issues. These include sugars, carbonated drinks, ketchup, fried foods, alcohol, salt, and multi-grain foods.
Infuse your diet with plenty of antioxidant-rich foods, fish, monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. Besides, never forget about the benefits of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.
