Estrogen is vital in the health of a person, be it a male or female.
Although estrogen is known as the female hormone while testosterone is identified as the male hormone, both hormones are actually found in men and women.
Estrogen plays an integral role in the functions of nearly every part of the body including the heart, brain, muscles, bones, and even the immune system.
That said, if a man’s estrogen levels are too high, their body becomes unbalanced, and they may start experiencing some health problems such as infertility, gynecomastia, and erectile dysfunction.
As revealed in some research, the following foods should best be avoided by men who already have high estrogen levels in order to maintain a healthy balance of both hormones in their body.
Dairy and meat
Just like male humans, male animals also produce the hormone, so all animal products have traces of estrogen on them.
Cows, for instance, are one of the farm animals that are laden with estrogen as this will help in increasing the amount of milk they produce.
That is why eating dairy and meat products can boost a person’s estrogen levels.
Instead of eating them, consider trying out alternate milk and any other sources of protein.
If you still insist on eating meat and dairy products, buy them from farms that do not inject their animals with estrogen.
Grains
Some grains like corn, wheat, and barley contain a zearalenone–a fungus that can increase the production of estrogen.
According to research conducted in Europe, where the said fungus is common, 32% of over 5,000 mixed-cereal samples were colonized with the fungus.
And as of today, there’s no way for ordinary consumers like us to ensure that our grain product is free from zearalenone.
Thus, if you’re looking to avoid high-estrogen foods, then limit your consumption of grains including rice, wheat, maize, and barley.
Legumes
Legumes like red beans, chickpeas, peanuts, and lentils are beneficial to your health in multiple ways.
For starters, they are filled with a high amount of protein, which makes them a great alternative for meat.
However, for those men who have excessive estrogen, you may want to think twice on eating these foods, particularly in high doses, as they could increase your estrogen levels.
Nonetheless, legumes are good at supporting heart health and reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome.
So, rather than avoiding them completely, considering eating in small portions a handful of times a week.
Soy
Phytoestrogens are compounds that naturally occur in plants, and most of these plants–e.g, soybeans, sesame seeds, oats, flax, and etc.–are already engraved in many people’s diet.
Soy is the second highest food that contains these dietary estrogens, packing nearly 104,000 micrograms of the hormone per 100 grams.
Interestingly enough, despite the obvious health benefits of soy, some people fear it due to its possible negative effects according to research.
Alcohol
Unbeknownst to some people, plants that are used to create alcohol have estrogen-like substances.
In fact, researchers found symptoms of feminization and testicular failure in men who heavily consume alcohol.
Wine, bourbon, and beer are linked to heightened estrogen activity in humans.
The bottom line is, alcohol stimulates estrogen levels to increase, which could boost the risk of having breast cancer.