When talking about foods that cause man breasts, we’re not simply talking about chest fat. We’re talking about a specific condition called gynecomastia, in which boys or men develop excess breast gland tissue.
In this article, we’re going to look at foods that potentially cause man breasts to better help you with your gyno diet.
What is Gynecomastia/Gyno?
Gynecomastia – also known as ‘gyno’, ‘man breasts’ or ‘man boobs’ – is a condition where boys or men develop excess breast tissue.
This can be in the form of excess breast gland tissue and/or in the form of excess breast fat tissue. Many cases of gyno include both excess gland and fat tissue.
In a situation where there is only excess fat tissue, the condition is known to be pseudogynecomastia (or false gynecomastisa). More about that later on.
Gynecomastia may be mild (barely noticeable even to the sufferer) or it can be quite severe (large breasts visible even through thick clothing).
Feel free to learn more about the various grades of gynecomastia, to figure out where you may fall on the spectrum.
What are the Causes of Gyno?
While there are many potential causes of true gynecomastia, they mostly boil down to one thing – hormonal imbalance.
When a boy or man’s estrogen and testosterone levels are higher or lower, respectively, than they should be, it can cause the manifestation of female sexual characteristics. The most distinct of those, are breasts.
There may be various reasonings that can cause this imbalance, which include:
- Certain medications (ulcer, cancer, HIV, antipsychotic and antidepressant meds are the biggest culprits)
- Alcoholism
- Substance abuse (marijuana, heroin, methadone and anabolic steroids)
- Kidney/liver disease
- Testicular dysfunction
- Hypogonadism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Obesity
- Certain genetic conditions (the most prominent of which is Klinefelter Syndrome)
- Tumors of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus
- Aging
There is some debate over whether or not there are foods that cause man breasts, or if diet plays a part whatsoever in the condition.
But it cannot be denied that diet has been shown to affect hormone levels, and hormonal imbalance can be the root cause of many cases of gynecomastia.
Note that many cases of gynecomastia are caused for unknown reasons as well.
Are There Foods That Cause Man Breasts?
While it’s not been definitively proven that your diet can cause man breasts, what is for sure is that your diet affects your hormone levels.
Some foods boost estrogen production and some testosterone, while others may suppress the production of said hormones.
That said, it’s a good idea to try to avoid consuming an excess of estrogen – or progesterone -boosting food, as they can send your hormones out of whack.
Here are some of the biggest offenders.
Soy-Based Products
There has been a lot of fuss over soy-based products in recent years. Soya and its derivatives contain phytoestrogens, which are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants and plant-derived foods.
Phytoestrogens are so-called because they mimic the chemical makeup of estrogen in many ways. Although there are many health benefits associated with them, it’s alleged by some that this pseudo-estrogen effect can cause estrogen levels to rise in men.
If this were true, this would make the consumption of such foods a potential cause of gynecomastia, however there is still some debate over this topic.
Cold Cuts
Cold cuts might be delicious, but they’re absolutely packed with saturated fat. This can lead very quickly to obesity (one of the potential causes of gyno) and they contain many preservatives, some of which can lead to hormonal imbalances.
It’s therefore possible that they are one of the biggest foods that cause man breasts, and are best avoided.
Alcohol
Repeated abuse of alcohol (including beer) is bad for your health for a whole slew of reasons. When it comes to gynecomastia, though, alcohol is particularly bad news.
Beer in particular is high in phytoestrogens and prolactin, and so should be avoided if one is serious about cutting out foods that could cause man breasts.
On top of this, chronic alcohol abuse can cause liver damage. This is one of the underlying conditions that can often contribute to gynecomastia.
Bottom line: alcohol is very much something to be avoided in order to minimize your chances of getting gyno.
Dairy
In the western world, a huge chunk of our estrogen intake is as a result of dairy consumption – up to 80%, in fact. This means that it’s a really good idea to cut out cheese, milk and curds in order to avoid gynecomastia.
Processed Food
Processed food, in addition to all of the other things that make it extremely bad for you, is absolutely packed with all kinds of additives and preservatives to enhance the flavor or increase shelf life.
One of the biggest problems with this when it comes to foods that cause man breasts, is that all of these extra chemicals can really throw your hormones out of whack. Avoid eating processed food wherever possible.
Deep-Fried Foods
Deep-friend foods are incredibly unhealthy even if you’re not looking specifically at foods that cause man breasts.
They are high in saturated fats and increase your chances of heart disease and diabetes. In addition to this, they can cause obesity, which can cause gynecomastia.
Seafood
This doesn’t apply to all seafood, but certain kinds are exposed to pesticides called “endocrine disruptors”. Your endocrine system regulates hormones, and so when you consume these foods, they’re messing with your hormones. The biggest offenders are shrimp, farm salmon and eel.
Farmed Fruits
While organically grown fruit is fine, some farmed fruit has been treated with pesticides than can disrupt your hormones. These include strawberries, apples and peaches.
If you want to avoid foods that cause man breasts, be sure to only get organically grown versions of these fruits.
Food Wrapped in Cling Film and Other Plastics
This applies specifically to meats, which are susceptible to chemicals from plastic wraps leaching into them and thence throwing your hormones off. When buying meat, buy fresh from the butcher and ensure it’s wrapped in brown paper or something similar.
Licorice
This delicious candy-store favorite may taste nice, but one of the main compounds found in this candy has been found to drop testosterone levels by as much as 35%. Definitely one of the foods that cause man breasts to avoid.
Foods Containing Marijuana
Marijuana may also be a potential cause of gynecomastia. This goes equally for marijuana that’s been put in food, with weed brownies and other baked goods commonly used as marijuana delivery mechanisms.
However it’s consumed (smoked or eaten; it makes no difference to your body), marijuana may suppress your testosterone levels and thus can contribute to the development of gyno.
Beets
Beets are normally a great choice for healthy people, as they’re packed with vitamins and are very delicious. However, if you’re experiencing abnormally low levels of testosterone, they’re best kept away.
They can promote estrogen production, and so should be avoided by people with a testosterone deficiency.
What Foods Cause Pseudogynecomastia?
Pseudogynecomastia, AKA excess chest fat, is simply that – chest fat. It can be eliminated in the same way that you might lose weight. As your body fat drops, you’ll likely see the disappearance of your man boobs.
In order to eliminate chest fat, then, simply follow a healthy diet. Avoid processed foods, sugary or processed snacks, fried products and anything high in saturated fats.
Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables, and drink only water and non-processed beverages (unprocessed fruit juices and smoothies are good options).
Are There Any Foods To Reduce Gynecomastia?
While there are no foods that can reduce or eliminate an existing case of gyno, there are several that can help with ensuring that you don’t develop a case in the first place. These include:
(Unprocessed) Meat
Meat – in particular, red meat – is a great source of zinc, which can help with testosterone production.
Shellfish
Shrimp and farm salmon may be examples of marine food that cause man breasts, but the same can’t be said for shellfish, which is great for zinc. The best kind of shellfish to have is oysters, which give you a massive boost to your zinc levels.
Seeds
Many kinds of seeds have high zinc levels. These include squash, pumpkin, sesame and hemp.
Grains
Curiously, refined grains (like white rice and pasta) are actually better than their wholegrain counterparts for zinc – and, therefore, for testosterone production. However, they are not terribly healthy, and they don’t give you enough zinc in order to make the tradeoff worth it.
That said, grains may still be a good way to avoid developing gyno, and so you could try to incorporate them into your diet.
Legumes and Nuts
Particularly good for vegetarians who cannot get zinc from meat (and therefore cannot get a testosterone boost), legumes and nuts are great for the mineral. The best kinds include chickpeas, lentils, cashews, peanuts and any kind of beans.
Vitamin-D-Fortified Drinks
Vitamin D promotes testosterone production, and so it’s important to make sure that you get enough of it. A lot of drinks can be bought with extra levels of vitamin D, so be sure to grab these instead of the regular versions.
Foods That Cause Man Breasts Recap
Again, although there is no direct evidence for the notion that foods cause man breasts, it cannot be denied that diet is a factor in regulating one’s hormones, and that hormonal imbalance is the root cause in many cases of gynecomastia.
It’s therefore key that you look at your diet in order to ensure that you’re doing your bit towards keeping those hormones in balance.