An easy guide to men’s nutrition

An introduction to men’s nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, the best way to make sure you’re getting a balanced and healthy diet is to make sure you’re getting enough of each of the five food groups. These food groups are fruit & veg, carbs, protein, dairy or dairy alternatives and fats and we’ll be taking you through exactly how much of each group you need in order to make sure you’re in optimum health.

Fruit and vegetables should make up a significant part of your diet and the best way to do this is to make sure that you eat five portions of fruits and veggies per day. These should also vary so as to give your body a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates should make up a third of your diet as they give you slow releasing energy – but you have to make sure they’re whole grain. Dairy and dairy alternatives are mostly important for their high levels of calcium to keep your bones and teeth healthy. Beans, pulses, eggs and fish are some of the best sources of protein so make sure you’ve got plenty of those in your diet too. And not forgetting the unsaturated fats such as oils and spreads (in smaller amounts) as they are high in energy. 

Snacking in between meals can be beneficial – as long as you’re snacking on the right things! It’s best to stay away from any snacks with added sugar or salt as these are not nutritionally beneficial. The good news is that TREK bars are completely free of added anything, are full of protein and are 100% plant based! They taste delicious and will give you the boost of energy you need to keep you going throughout the day. Why not try our Peanut Power Energy Bar if you’re looking for a 3pm boost or maybe our Coconut & Raspberry Bar with a cuppa for your elevenses snack?

But there are other variables specific to men’s nutrition that are important to take into consideration. For example, cisgendered men don’t need as big an iron intake as women as they don’t menstruate and are therefore not losing as much iron every month. There are also foods that can aid men’s nutrition such as testosterone boosting foods. 

Testosterone boosting foods

Testosterone is best known for being the male sex hormone, however it’s also responsible for bone, muscle and hair growth. You can lose testosterone as you age so it’s important to make sure you consume a well-balanced, nutrient dense diet. Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for men as is the mineral zinc as they’re both precursors to testosterone. 

1. Tuna – our first testosterone boosting food is tuna! It’s really high in vitamin D and it’ll also keep your heart healthy. Make sure not to overdo it though – stick to two or three servings a week to minimise your mercury intake. 
2. Low fat milk with vitamin D – milk is full of calcium to keep those bones strong and milk that’s fortified with vitamin D will keep those testosterone levels in check too. Try and stick to low fat options as they have lower levels of saturated fats.
3. Egg yolks – egg yolks are a great testosterone boosting food and even though egg whites are seen to be ‘healthier’, it’s actually the egg yolk that holds the nutrients.
4. Beef – we know it’s not ideal to eat a lot of red meat but if you choose the leaner cuts and only eat beef in moderation, it can do wonders for your testosterone levels. 
5. Fortified cereals – certain cereals are fortified with vitamin D and these are great, heart healthy testosterone boosting foods! 

Protein powders for men

Men also tend to want to make sure they’re getting their optimum protein intake – especially if they’re focussing their exercise routine on building muscle. But not all protein powders have the same effects! Let’s take a look through all the best protein powders for men and which one would best suit your needs.

1. Whey protein – this milk based protein is quickly digested and easily absorbed into your body making it great for a post workout protein powder. It’s high in amino acid leucine which activates the processes for building muscle. This protein powder is also super filling making it great if you’re also trying to achieve fat loss. 
2. Casein protein – casein is also a milk based protein but it’s absorbed at a slower rate, giving your muscles a slow and steady supply of amino acids generally over the course of 5-7 hours. This makes it a great protein to consume before bedtime as it promotes overnight recovery. 
3. Whey-casein protein blend – this protein combination brings the best of both proteins together to create a spike in muscle protein synthesis from the whey and a prolonged decrease in muscle breakdown from the casein. 
4. Soy protein – this soy protein is a great plant based alternative to other proteins if you’re following a vegan diet or if you’re trying to cut out dairy. This vegan protein is lower in some key amino acids but it still contributes to the building of muscle. 
5. Pea protein – just like milk based proteins, pea protein contains all the essential amino acids making it a great plant based protein. There is evidence to suggest it works just as well as the milk based proteins!
6. Rice protein – just like soy and pea proteins, rice protein is another vegan protein option! While this plant based protein isn’t superior to whey, it still contributes to an increase in muscle size and strength. 

Thanks for joining our in depth look into men’s nutrition. We hope you’ve learned more about how important it is to fuel your body with the right nutrients and the right amount of them. There’s nothing more important in terms of nutrition than making sure your diet is balanced and you’re staying as active as possible. If you’re looking for more information on nutrition, keep your eyes peeled for our women’s nutrition and general nutrition blogs!

Find our general nutrition blog here: https://eattrek.com/blog/making-nutrition-simple/

Find out women’s nutrition blog here: https://eattrek.com/blog/an-easy-guide-to-womens-nutrition/