Guess what? You have different nutritional needs than the opposite sex. Discover the best foods for you both.
By Maureen Callahan
The Guys
One in five women have a history of painful urinary tract infections. "I had three in one year," says Patty Buxton*, a Colorado middle-school teacher. Reading that cranberry juice may help prevent these infections, Buxton went on a regimen a year ago, and since then she's been infection-free. She thinks cranberry juice did the trick.
Cranberry juice isn't the only food that offers protection from specific illnesses. Here's a list of disease-fighting foods for men and women.
Foods for Men
Just two to three oysters deliver a full day's supply of zinc, a mineral critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system.
1. Tomato Sauce. Men who eat a lot of tomatoes, tomato sauce, or pizza smothered with the stuff may be giving themselves a hedge against prostate cancer. So say researchers at Harvard, who studied the eating habits of more than 47,000 male health professionals. They found that men who ate tomato sauce two to four times per week had a 35 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men who ate none. A carotenoid called lycopene, which tomatoes contain in abundance, appeared to be responsible. But scientists were puzzled: tomato juice didn't seem to have a protective effect. Other research showed why. For best absorption, lycopene should be cooked with some kind of fat. So pizza may be just what the doctor ordered.
2. Oysters. Myth has it that oysters are the food of love. Science may agree. Just two to three oysters deliver a full day's supply of zinc, a mineral critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Scientists are divided over reports that sperm counts have declined over the last 50 years and that environmental factors are to blame. Nutritional deficiencies do seem to be the cause of certain cases of low testosterone. Getting adequate zinc is sometimes the answer (11 mg per day is recommended for men; more than 40 mg can pose risks). In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone levels and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.
3. Broccoli. A recent Harvard study finds that cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, may protect against bladder cancer. It's one of the most common cancers in this country, and affects two to three times as many men as women. Scientists analyzed the diets of nearly 50,000 men and discovered that those who ate five servings or more per week of cruciferous veggies were half as likely to develop bladder cancer over a ten-year period as men who rarely ate them. And broccoli and cabbage were singled out as the most protective foods.
4. Peanut Butter. If you want a healthy heart, spread your morning toast with peanut butter. Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women, but men fall victim at an earlier age. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University compared the cholesterol-lowering effect of the American Heart Association's Step II Diet with a higher-fat diet based on peanuts. The AHA plan included more carbohydrates. The peanut regimen was 36 percent fat. After 24 days both diets lowered "bad" LDL cholesterol. But the peanut plan also caused a drop in blood fats called triglycerides and did not decrease HDL, the "good" cholesterol. The AHA diet raised levels of triglycerides and lowered levels of HDL.
"Peanut butter is a little higher in fat," says Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., the lead author of the Penn State study. "But it's the type that's good for you -- monounsaturated fat." Researchers have predicted that the peanut diet could reduce heart-disease risk even more than could the AHA diet. Just don't go nutty plastering on the tasty spread, since it is high in calories.
5. Watermelon. Until the age of 55, more men suffer from high blood pressure than do women. Research suggests that foods rich in potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. The evidence is so convincing that the Food and Drug Administration recently allowed food labels to bear a health claim about the connection between potassium-rich foods and blood pressure. "There isn't a dietary requirement for potassium," says Kathleen Cappellano, nutrition-information manager at Tufts University in Boston. "But a good goal is about 2000 milligrams or more a day." Watermelon, a rich source of this mineral, has more potassium -- 664 mg -- in one large slice than the amount found in a banana or a cup of orange juice. So cut yourself another slice and enjoy the taste of summer.
The Girls
Foods for Women
1. Papaya. This tropical fruit packs about twice the vitamin C of an orange. Add it to your arsenal against gallbladder disease, which afflicts twice as many women as men.
After analyzing the blood of over 13,000 people, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who had lower levels of vitamin C were more likely to have gallbladder illnesses. One medium papaya (about ten ounces), with its 188 mg of vitamin C and a mere 119 calories, is a refreshing source of the vitamin. The once exotic fruit now can be found in most supermarkets.
2. Flaxseed. Bakers use this nutty-flavored seed mainly to add flavor and fiber. But scientists see the tiny reddish-brown seed, rich in estrogenlike compounds called lignans, as a potential weapon against breast cancer. An exciting report at last year's San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showed that adding flaxseed to the diet of women with breast cancer effectively slowed tumor growth. You can flavor your muffins with flaxseed, but the easiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food stores or in supermarkets on the flour aisle. They're easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder. But get seeds -- there are no lignans in the oil.
3. Tofu. Foods high in soy protein can lower cholesterol and may minimize menopausal hot flashes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soybeans that have a structure similar to estrogen, may be the reason. Though animal studies form the bulk of the evidence, a human study found that 90 mg of isoflavones was beneficial to bone (specifically the spine). And two other studies suggest that 50 to 76 mg of isoflavones a day may offer some relief from hot flashes. A half-cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 mg of isoflavones.
4. Buffalo Meat. Due largely to menstruation, women tend to be anemic more than men. And low iron levels in blood can cause severe fatigue. To get a good dose of iron, try bison. Bison, or buffalo, meat is lean and has what diet-conscious women want -- lots of iron and less fat than most cuts of beef. "The iron content is about 3 milligrams in a 3 1/2-ounce uncooked portion," says Marty Marchello, Ph.D., at North Dakota State University. "That portion contains less than 3 grams of fat." Buffalo meat can help boost energy and lower weight. And you don't have to have a home on the range to get some bison anymore. You can pick it up at many supermarkets across the United States, or through mail order or on the Internet.
5. Collard Greens. This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which afflicts many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses' Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. Researchers point out that dark-green leafy vegetables -- Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli -- are all good sources of the vitamin. But collard greens, with about 375 micrograms per half-cup, are among the best.
There you have it: five great foods for women and for men that can keep both of you well fed and healthy too.
*Name changed to protect privacy.
译文:
男士和女士们的最佳食物
猜猜看是什么呢？和异性相比，你有不同的营养需求。找出适合你们的最佳食物吧。
Maureen Callahan供稿
男孩子们
20%女性有过痛苦的泌尿管感染史。“我一年里就有三次，” Patty Buxton*说道，她是科罗拉多的一名中学教师。得知越橘汁能预防这类感染，Buxton一年前坚持了一个这样的食物疗法，从那以后她就再没感染过。她认为是越橘汁的功劳。
能对特殊的病症起免疫效果的不单只有越橘汁。在这就介绍一些针对男性和女性的具有抗病能力的食物。
男士们的食物
只要2到3个牡蛎就能提供一天所需的锌，锌是女性生殖系统正常运转的重要矿物质。
1.番茄酱。男士多吃番茄、番茄酱或抹有番茄酱的批萨能防止得前列腺癌。哈佛研究人员在调查研究了超过47,000名男性健康专业人士的饮食习惯后也这么说。他们发现男性每周吃两至四次的番茄酱得前列腺癌的机会比那些不吃的人要低35%。这跟番茄中富含的一种叫做番茄红素的类胡萝卜素看起来有很大关系。但令科学家们费解的是：番茄汁看上去并没有这种预防效果。其他研究显示出了这是为什么。番茄红素要和某些脂肪类的东西一起煮过才能被最好地吸收。所以批萨也许正是医生所指定的。
2.牡蛎。神话传说它是爱的结晶。科学也许能证实这一点。只要2到3个牡蛎就能提供一天所需的锌，锌是女性生殖系统正常运转的重要矿物质。关于精子数量在过去的50年里减少了而应该归咎于环境因素的报告，科学家们产生了分歧。营养不良看来确实是睾丸激素偏低的原因。摄取适量的锌有时就能解决这个问题（男性建议每天摄取11毫克；超过40毫克会造成危险）。在一个试验里，让22名睾丸激素及精子数量偏低的男性在45至50天内每天摄取锌，激素水平及精子数量均有上升。
3.花椰菜。最近哈佛一次调查发现十字花科蔬菜，像花椰菜能预防膀胱癌。膀胱癌是这个国家最常见的癌症之一，并且男性发病时女性的2至3倍。科学家分析了将近50,000名男性的饮食习惯并发现在十年间，那些每周吃5份或更多的十字花科蔬菜的人比那些几乎不吃的人得膀胱癌的几率要少一半。而花椰菜和卷心菜据证明是最有效的食物。
4.花生酱。如果你想有一个健康的心脏，在你每天早上吃的吐司上抹上花生酱吧。心脏疾病是男性和女性的头号敌人，但男性在比较早的年纪就容易得病。宾夕法尼亚大学的研究人员比较了美国心脏学会步骤二饮食方法和伴有花生酱的高脂肪饮食对降低胆固醇所起的效果。美国心脏学会的计划包括了更多的碳水化合物，而花生酱食物疗法则含36%的脂肪。24天后，两种方法都降低了(有害的)低密度脂蛋白胆固醇。但花生酱既使得血液中一种叫做甘油三酯脂蛋白的降低也同时并没有减少高密度脂蛋白（有利的）。而美国心脏学会的食谱则反而使甘油三酯脂蛋白有所上升，高密度脂蛋白有所下降。
“花生酱脂肪量稍微有点偏高，”宾夕法尼亚州研究计划的主要负责人Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D.表示，“但这是对你有益的类型——不饱和脂肪酸。”研究人员也预测到花生酱食法甚至比美国心脏学会食法更能降低得心脏病的危险。只要别因为好吃而吃太多花生酱就行了，毕竟它的热量还是很高的。
5.西瓜。在55岁之前，患高血压的男性比女性多，研究表明吃富含钾的食物能够减少患高血压和中风的危险。有充分的证据显示，食品和药物管理局最近允许食物标签上附带有健康常识，告诉人们富含钾的食物和血压之间的联系。“对钾并没有饮食方面的要求，”波士顿塔夫斯大学的营养信息负责人Kathleen Cappellano表示，“但最好的目标是能达到每天2000毫克或更多。”西瓜就是一种富含这类矿物元素的水果，一大块西瓜含大概664毫克，比一根香蕉或一杯橘子汁里含的钾还多。所以再来一块吧，尽情享受夏天的滋味。
女孩子们
女士们的食物
1.木瓜。这种热带水果富含相当于一个橙子两倍多的维他命C。将它列入你对抗胆囊疾病的行列中，那可是女性的发病率两倍于男性的一种疾病啊。
在分析了13,000以上的人的血液后，圣佛朗西斯科加利福尼亚大学的科学家发现体内维他命C含量较低的女性更有可能得胆囊疾病。一个中等大小的木瓜（大约10盎司）就含有188毫克的维他命C而只有119卡路里的热量，是维他命的鲜活来源。这种曾经稀有的水果现在能在大部分超市买到。
2.亚麻仁。面包师傅主要用这种坚果种子调味增加纤维素和加味。但科学家发现这种小小的深红色种子富含一种叫木脂素，类似雌性激素的混合物里，它是预防乳腺癌的武器。在去年圣安东尼奥乳腺癌专题讨论会上一份令人激动的报告显示，在患有乳腺癌的女性食谱中加入亚麻仁能有效地减缓肿瘤的生长。你可以用亚麻仁给你的小松饼调味，但获得有益的木酚素最简单的方法是在你的早餐面包上洒一大汤匙的亚麻仁。你能在健康食物商店或超市的谷物货架上找到这个种子。他们在搅拌机或咖啡豆的磨具很容易被磨碎，但种子如果榨成油木酚素就被破坏了。
3.豆腐。富含大豆蛋白的食物能降低胆固醇，减缓更年期潮红及增强骨质。大豆中和雌性激素有着类似结构的化学成分——异黄酮也许是关键因素。尽管在动物身上的研究形成了大量的证据，一次人类自身的研究发现对骨头（尤其是脊柱）来说90毫克的异黄酮很有益。同时另外两个研究指出每天50至76毫克的异黄酮能相对减缓潮红。半杯的豆腐就含大概25至35毫克的异黄酮。
4.水牛肉。很大程度上因为月经，女性比男性更容易贫血。而血液中含铁量过低容易引起严重的疲劳感，为了摄取适量的铁，试一下野牛。野牛或水牛的肉比较瘦而且有女性所需要的——大量的铁、比大部分牛肉要瘦。“在3.5盎司未烹饪的部分铁大概有3毫克左右”，北达科他州大学的Marty Marchello, Ph.D.说，“那部分只有不到3克的脂肪”。水牛肉能补充能量并不会太增加你的体重，同时你也没必要在家里买很多的野牛肉存着，你能在美国的很多超市买到，或者通过邮件预定或在网上预订。
5.甘蓝蔬。这种不起眼的蔬菜能预防骨质疏松，折磨很多女性后半生的病症。除了能获得适量的钙和维他命D之外，一些研究显示维他命K也同样有保护骨质的效果。基于最大型的女性调查之一的护士健康调查的数据，研究人员发现食用富含维他命K的女性（至少每天109毫克的维他命）比服用少量维他命的女性在十年后髋关节骨折的几率要低30%。研究人员指出深绿叶蔬菜——芽甘蓝、菠菜、花椰菜——都是获得维他命的来源。但甘蓝蔬是其中最好的，它每半杯就含有375毫克。
这样你就知道了：男士、女士都有相对应的五种不错的食物，既保证你们都能既能吃好也能保持健康。
*为保护隐私所以用化名