MAN FOOD What to eat for health and energry

 

ManFood by Ian Marber

Why men put on weight in midlife — and why it matters
We all start to lose muscle mass as we age, with inactive men over the age of 30 losing between 2 and 5 per cent each decade. More active men may delay this process, but even they will generally start to lose some muscle mass by their late forties. In turn, there tends to be a corresponding increase in the amount of fat in our bodies. This matters because muscle is far more efficient than fat in terms of using the energy that is generated from the food you eat.

Another factor in age-related weight gain is the gradual decline in testosterone levels. These peak during puberty and young adulthood, plateau for a few years, then start to decrease by about 1 per cent a year from the age of 30. Testosterone plays an important role in protein synthesis and also encourages the production of growth hormones — two factors that are related to maintaining and building muscle mass. In addition, as levels fall, fat storage tends to increase.

Excess weight is linked to many health issues. For example, hypertension is twice as likely to affect an overweight or obese man than a man with normal BMI. To put it another way, carrying more fat than you should means you have a 43 per cent chance of developing high blood pressure.

Cholesterol is also likely to be raised if you are overweight, as are blood glucose levels. We know that excess weight is a significant risk factor in developing type 2 diabetes as well as some forms of cancer, including colon and kidney cancer, and there is some evidence that the risk of pancreatic cancer is raised too. In addition, partly because there is more weight for the joints to support, arthritis and other forms of joint pain are likely. Gout is also more common in men who need to lose weight.

So, if you are carrying some extra weight, you should think about addressing the problem sooner rather than later.

ManFood — the rules

The ManFood plan comprises familiar, enjoyable foods and meals that you can mix and match to suit yourself, so it provides almost limitless flexibility as well as flavour. And it delivers the right balance of protein, fats and fibre-rich complex carbs as well as all of the nutrients you need for a healthy life. There are a few key points to bear in mind:

● Always combine protein with complex carbs in the form of grain/starch and vegetables (or just vegetables, if you prefer).

● The protein serving should be less than the size of your clenched fist, while the grain/starch should cover no more than the area of your fingers (held together) when your palm is turned upwards. The vegetable portion should cover your whole palm and thumb or more.

● You should aim for no more than 2,500 calories each day, with the two main meals each accounting for a maximum of 600-700 calories. Depending on the amount of weight you want to lose, you can reduce those calories — about 1,800-1900 calories per day would see you lose two and a half to three pounds a week.

● It can be useful in the early stages of the ManFood plan to download an app to log your calorie intake and offer guidance on appropriate portion sizes. Using an app can help you to scale down portion sizes at meals and gain a greater appreciation of the amount of calories in every meal.

ManFood — what to eat

Breakfast
Your breakfast should be easy to make, appetising, provide consistent energy throughout the morning and, of course, contain many of the essential nutrients you need for optimum health. First and foremost, I recommend combining at least two food groups (in this case protein and complex carbohydrates), since this slows digestion, which in turn stabilises blood glucose, provides consistent energy, and suppresses appetite for longer.

Eggs are a wonderful breakfast staple, not least because they are a great source of protein. They are also naturally good sources of choline, which is required for transmission of signals between nerves, as well as vitamin D, which benefits prostate, sleep and testosterone health.

A simple breakfast of a couple of boiled eggs with some complex carbs is a reasonable option, but lacks many of the nutrients that are found in fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it’s a good idea to add avocado, spinach or tomato. A slice of toast will provide the requisite amount of fibre, or crumble an oatcake on top.

You might add two generous teaspoons of seeds, such as a mixture of pumpkin and sesame, or three Brazil nuts, to provide protein, fibre and crunch along with selenium, which helps to maintain prostate health and supports cognitive function. You can cook the eggs any way you like, although poaching or boiling means no fat is involved, which keeps calories down.

Porridge can aid heart health and cognitive function, reduce inflammation and help with weight management, but only if you restrict yourself to a modest bowlful, rather than the huge portions that seem to be the norm. Opt for no more than a teacup-sized serving with a tablespoon of plain or Greek yoghurt stirred in for their probiotics and calcium. Add some walnuts for their omega 3, minerals and fibre, plus berries. As a guide for proportions, almost fill a teacup with the berries, then fill to the brim with the nuts, which will help to keep the calories in check.

Meal suggestions
● Porridge, plum, walnuts
● Poached egg, granary toast with avocado
● Wholegrain cereal, mixed toasted vanilla seeds, banana
● Greek yoghurt, blueberries, blackberries
● Smoked salmon, tomato, cream cheese on two oatcakes
● Omelette, peppers, tomato paste, mushrooms, spring onions
● Sausage, baked beans, poached egg, granary toast

Lunch and dinner
Every meal should contain a little protein, some complex carbs and vegetables as this combination will give you consistent energy and should help with weight management.

The protein source of a main meal can be anything from poultry, meat or fish to tofu or beans. However, bear in mind that the Department of Health recommends eating no more than 70g of red meat each day. I suggest eating no more than 90g (cooked weight) of red meat a maximum of four times a week (although less would be preferable). For guidance, 90g of meat equates to three small slices, each of which is about the size of half a slice of bread.

Research suggests that there is a small but significant increase in the risk of colorectal cancer if you exceed the recommended upper limit of 50g of processed meat per day. For reference, a slice of ham, a rasher of bacon or a sausage weighs about 30g.

Complex carbohydrates differ from simple carbs in that they contain more fibre because they have not been refined or overly processed. Fibre plays a crucial role in maintaining good cardiovascular health and cognitive function, keeping weight under control, providing consistent energy, reducing inflammation and ensuring your digestive system remains in tip-top shape. Most of the UK population get about 18g of fibre per day, but ideally we should all be eating at least 30g to reap its many benefits.

Complex carbs are found in all grains, fruits, vegetables, beans (otherwise known as pulses or legumes) and tubers. If you include plenty of lightly cooked vegetables (so they retain some crunch) in your diet, you can get by without eating any grains at all, although the latter are an easy way to boost fibre intake for most people. For guidance, 100g of cooked broccoli contains 3.3g of fibre, whereas the same quantity of cooked brown rice has 1.8g, quinoa 2.8g and spinach 2.4g.

Vegetables are also great sources of potassium, carotenoids, antioxidant vitamins, zinc and magnesium.

Non-animal foods that are categorised as protein-rich, such as chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils, also contain relatively high levels of carbohydrates as well as fibre. Therefore, ideally, your diet should include at least some plant-based protein, and if you can manage to eliminate all animal-based protein from at least three meals a week, all the better.

Meal suggestions
● Miso soup, salmon and tuna sushi, edamame beans, seaweed
● Rib-eye steak, baked potato, spinach, leeks
● Vegetable soup, cannellini beans, parmesan
● Cod, ratatouille, brown rice, green beans
● Roast lamb, sweet potato, cabbage, broccoli
● Blackened salmon, stir-fry vegetables, rice noodles
● Baked chicken, cherry tomato, garlic, black beans, quinoa
● Onion soup, lentil curry with brown rice
● Sardines, sauerkraut, new potato
● Squash soup, black beans, drizzle of truffle oil
● Tricolore salad, seafood pasta, green salad

What to drink
● Water
● Green tea
● Coffee
● Black tea

You can drink alcohol, but bear in mind the effects on the body and the amount of calories consumed. The same goes for soft drinks

Snacks

Up to two a day — one in the morning, one in the afternoon. As a rough guide to portion size, the whole snack should fit neatly in the cupped palm of your hand

● Almond butter with oatcakes
● Apple and gouda cheese
● Guacamole with carrot
● Salmon pâté on a rye cracker
● Watermelon and brazil nuts
● Greek yoghurt with blackberries
● Tahini with pitta bread
● Banana and pumpkin seeds
● Crudités and tuna pâté
● Parmesan and pear
● Feta cheese and celery

Male and over 40? Eat more of these...

Poultry
Chicken, turkey, quail, goose, partridge, guinea fowl, pheasant

Red meat
Beef, veal, lamb, mutton, liver, pork, venison

Dairy and eggs
All yoghurts, all cheese, milk (cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s). All eggs

Fish
Oily fish contain pollutants that may accumulate in the body. Limit yourself to a maximum four portions per week: anchovies, herring, carp, mackerel, whitebait, trout, sardine, cod, salmon, halibut, pollock, snapper, flounder, tuna, swordfish, dab, monkfish, turbot, mullet, plaice

Other seafood
Squid, mussels, oysters, crab, scallops, prawns, cockles, langoustines, lobster, octopus

Beans (legumes and pulses)
Cannellini beans, kidney beans, black broad and butter beans, lentils (all varieties), chickpeas, soya beans (and tofu), black-eye peas, split peas, green peas, mangetout, peanuts

Nuts and seeds
Eat as a small handful or sprinkled over salads and soups: pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, pine nuts

Vegetables
Aim for three to four portions of the following a day: asparagus, radish, spinach, chard, mushrooms, lettuce, peppers, kale, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, rocket, watercress, pak choi, cabbage, celery, onions, cucumber, Romanesco, artichoke, swede, celeriac, leeks, spring greens, bean sprouts, garlic, tomato, avocado, seaweed, chilli peppers, courgette, green beans, aubergine, runner beans.

The following contain large amounts of starch, so in the ManFood plan they are treated as a vegetable and a carb. Eat one portion less than five times a week: beetroot, carrots, pumpkin, squash, peas, potato, sweet potato, corn, parsnips

Grains
Quinoa, wholewheat pasta, millet, couscous, egg noodles, bulgar, rice (wild, brown, white, red or bran)

Fruit
Orange, peach, apricot, cherries, melon, blackcurrants, kiwi, berries, apple, mango, banana, plum, guava, watermelon

ManFood by Ian Marber is published by Little, Brown.