A Balanced Diet for Men

Overview

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a balanced diet for men includes enough nutrients to promote optimal growth and development. Nutrition that comes from food and drinks should supply the body with enough energy to properly maintain healthy cells, bones and internal organs. The NIH reports that while the life expectancy rate difference between men and women has decreased, men still need to pay more attention to their health, including developing a balanced diet.

Weight

Men need to lose excess weight, especially when it appears in the form of belly fat, say researchers at the Mayo Clinic. Men with excess belly fat are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer. Risk factors increase in men whose waist measurements exceed 40 inches. Typical weight loss recommendations apply to losing belly fat and include reducing calories and increasing activity levels.

Fruits and Vegetables

Men need to eat between six and eight cups of fruits and vegetables every day, depending on their activity levels and age, reports the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Younger, active men who average more than an hour of physical activity daily should consume 4 cups of vegetables and 2 1/2 cups of fruit every day for optimum health. Older, less active men over the age of 51 who achieve fewer than 30 minutes a day of physically exerting exercise need 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables.

Meals

There are simple ways to incorporate the daily recommendations of fruits and vegetables into a man's daily diet, reports the CDC. Adding fruit to cereal and yogurt, snacking on fresh fruit throughout the day and eating salads can help men achieve their requirements. In addition, men should make a habit of filling half their plates with vegetables at every meal.

Bone Health

While osteoporosis typically is thought of as a female disease, the NIH reports that more than two million men suffer from the disease in the United States. Men can receive sufficient levels of vitamin D through regular milk consumption. One quart of low-fat milk each day provides enough of the bone-strengthening vitamins needed by men over the age of 50. Younger men, aged 10 to 50 only need to consume about half as much milk for bone strength, while men over the age of 70 should increase their milk consumption to 1 1/2 qts.

Additions

Nutritionists at Whole Foods Markets report that men have various needs during different phases of their lives. Reproduction health for young men between the ages of 20 and 39 relies heavily on protein consumption. Sufficient protein can be found in daily meals that incorporate fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and legumes. Good zinc levels of at least 15mg per day are needed for prostrate development and sperm counts and comes from eating pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, oysters and beef. Men over the age of 40 should add lycopene, found in tomatoes, to their diet to promote prostrate health and vitamin B6 from meat, eggs and leafy greens to prevent heart disease.