Q.How can I help protect my husband against prostate cancer? Are there foods I can add to his meals to keep him healthy?

A. Absolutely. An estimated 75 percent of all prostate cancers might be prevented by easy-to-accomplish dietary additions and changes. Here are 25 foods that could help keep your husband's prostate healthy.

Give him some nuts. Just a couple of Brazil nuts contain about 140 micrograms (mcg) of selenium, a trace mineral that suppresses prostate cancer cell growth. A study conducted at the Arizona Cancer Center of the University of Arizona proved this mineral's benefit: When 974 men took either 200 mcg of selenium or a placebo daily for more than 4 years, those in the selenium group developed 63 percent fewer cases of prostate cancer. Other selenium-rich foods include cod, tuna, shrimp, and turkey.

Encourage onion breath. Adding just a tablespoon or so of garlic, shallots, scallions, or chives, or 1/4 cup or more of chopped onions or leeks, to your husband's meals every day could drop his risk of developing prostate cancer by as much as 50 percent. Cooking tip: Don't. The cancer-fighting power of these veggies is more potent when they're served raw, so add them to salads or toss them in just at the end of cooking.

Hook him up with fatty fish. Men who eat fish three times a week have a lower risk of prostate cancer; the omega-3 fatty acids in fish, especially wild salmon and sardines, may suppress the growth of tumor cells.

Make him see red (and green). Tomatoes and tomato products, red grapefruit, and watermelon contain lycopene, an antioxidant that colors these fruits red; it's linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer and other cancers. In one study, African-American men who ate 3/4 cup of tomato sauce daily for 3 weeks reduced DNA damage linked to prostate cancer by 28 percent. The cruciferous vegetables broccoli, kale, and cabbage contain other helpful phytochemicals that also ward off prostate cancer.

Treat him to green tea. Japanese men, who commonly drink 4 to 6 cups of green tea a day, have a significantly lower mortality rate from prostate cancer than Western men do; Chinese men, who also drink green tea regularly, have the lowest rate of prostate cancer in the world. A Mayo Clinic study found that a compound in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Sneak in some soy. Whole soy foods such as tofu, soy milk, and tempeh contain isoflavones, plant estrogens that appear to help protect against prostate cancer. Try a soy-based ground meat substitute in your next chili or spaghetti sauce, and he might not even notice that you've eighty-sixed the beef.

Add flaxseed. A couple of tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed (refrigerate for freshness) add a nutty flavor to his cereal or yogurt in addition to omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent prostate cancer. Avoid flaxseed oil, however: Lab studies suggest it may increase the growth of prostate cancer cells.