I’m getting older. It happens.
As a diabetic man in his late 40’s I have noticed a drop in energy levels and other symptoms that point to lower testosterone. Over the last few years I have greatly reduced my carbohydrate intake and relied on fats for energy.
It sounds strange but it turns out the human body can use fat for energy. Diets higher in healthy fats and cholesterol can actually lower your blood cholesterol and improve your cardiovascular system. One great book on the subject of sugar, diabetes and fat is Sugar Nation: The Hidden Truth Behind America’s Deadliest Habit and the Simple Way to Beat It
Even better for men, getting the sugar under control and consuming more fats leads to higher natural testosterone. With that in mind, I share a great man salad you can make at home or I even have them make something similar at Subway (more on that at the end).
The Players
1. The base of any salad is of course, the greens. It is always best to vary the greens to meet different nutritional needs you may not be aware of having. I always include spinach in my salads and smoothies. Spinach and other leafy green vegetables contain minerals like magnesium and zinc, which have been shown to aid in testosterone production and weight regulation. (study on magnesium, and another; study on zinc)
2. Next is a half to a whole avocado. Avocado contains some natural cholesterol, which is basically like baby testosterone. Avocados also contain plenty of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are the kind of fats you want to consume, as they’re linked to increased testosterone levels. Finally, avocados contain some of the most basic testosterone boosting vitamins: A, K2, C, and the B-vitamin complex.
3. Meat, particularly beef, provides our bodies with the protein it needs to create muscle (more muscle = more T) and the fats and cholesterol to make testosterone. I like to make lunch for the week so usually I will get some chuck or other steak with fat marbling cook up enough for five days then cube it and put it in the freezer in individual bags. Once it is cooked, there is no muss or fuss in making my lunch.
4. Nuts. A great way to add flavor and healthy fat is using nuts. Brazil nuts are a good source of selenium (great for T). Walnuts and almonds are good choices too. Careful on the Brazil nuts though, too much can be bad, five or so a few times a week are good.
5. Olive Oil. The dressing counts. Using a good quality olive oil cut with some type of vinegar (Balsamic is tasty) to top off the man salad brings more healthy fat. Several studies show that olive oil helps your Leydig cells (which produce testosterone) absorb cholesterol better. Our Leydig cells need cholesterol to make testosterone. The more cholesterol that can be utilized the greater the testosterone you produce.
I won’t go into detail on cholesterol here. I know many of you may think this salad is too high in fat, but I tell you what I saw a difference in just a week!
If you’re interested in learning more about the myths and benefits of cholesterol, I highly recommend reading these in-depth, well-written, and well-researched articles at Mark’s Daily Apple:
- The Definitive Guide to Cholesterol
- The Straight Dope on Cholesterol Part 1
- The Straight Dope on Cholesterol Part 2
There is more to getting your hormones under control than one salad. When you control your diet and get a reasonable amount of exercise you can control diabetes and low T naturally.
Getting the Salad on the Go
If you go out for lunch, here is how to get the man salad on the go.
Subway is one fast food restaurant that lets you build a salad. They do a chopped salad that is basically a sandwich without the bread. The only thing missing from the above ingredients are the nuts and a good vinegar. You can use the Philly meat for the steak, add a scoop of avocado and go heavy on the olive oil. I will say it again, because of the fat content you need an acid to break it up. If you are not crazy about red wine or balsamic vinegar you could use lemon juice. I would also add salt and pepper. Pepper aids in the absorption of many nutrients.
