Men who consume colourful fruits and vegetables on a regular basis are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC), according to new research from the University of South Australia.

The findings, from two studies published in the journal Cancers, highlight the importance of a Mediterranean or Asian diet that include a rainbow of foods rich in certain micronutrients, including lycopene.

Researchers studied micronutrient plasma concentrations of prostate cancer patients, revealing low levels of lycopene, selenium, and other micronutrients in comparison to a healthy control group.

Increased DNA damage after radiation exposure was also associated with low levels of lycopene and selenium.

Foods that are rich in lycopene include tomatoes, melons, papayas, grapes, peaches, watermelons, and cranberries, while selenium-rich foods include white meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, and nuts.

Study co-author Dr Permal Deo says eating foods that are naturally rich in lycopene and selenium is preferable to taking supplements.

“Our recommendation is to adopt a Mediterranean diet, enlisting the help of a dietician, because people absorb nutrients in different ways depending on the food, the digestive system, the person’s genotype and possibly their microbiome,” he says.

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common and fatal cancers in men, but the nutritional deficiencies associated with it remain largely unknown.

Other risk factors, such as ethnicity, family history and age have previously been linked to prostate cancer.

 “There is strong evidence that being overweight and tall increases the risk of prostate cancer. Diets high in dairy products and low in vitamin E may also increase the risk but the evidence is less clear.”

Vitamin E is found in plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.