Man, Oh Man...

Have you heard of Taco Bell's Big Bell Box value meal?

According to the nationwide chain, it's "the meal that's made for men"!

Gender roles defined by fast food companies. How... evolved.

Anyhow, for as little as $4.99 (or as much as $5.99, depending where you live), hungry men all over the United States can feast on a volcano taco, a burrito supreme, a crunch wrap supreme, a side order of cinnamon twists, and a large drink.

Or, if you want to talk numbers:

1,670 calories
19 grams of saturated fat (suggested daily maximum*: 20 grams)
2.5 grams of trans fat (no suggested daily maximum, guidelines call for 0 grams)
3,470 milligrams of sodium (suggested daily maximum: 2,400 milligrams)

* = for a 2,000 calorie diet

Calorically speaking, this is equal to THREE Big Macs!

You know, this could very well be the nutrition version of Pandora's box...

Me Man. Me No Eat Fiber

If you were visiting Earth from another planet and relied on media and advertising to fill you in on the intricacies of the human species, you would probably think masculinity is defined, among other things, by taking pride in eating unhealthy foods.

In 2006, Burger King's Texas Double Whopper television ad had men admitting to "being fed quiche" and rebelling against "chick food".

Now, the folks at Hormel offer another slice of ubermasculinity in this ad for Dinty beef stew (which I scanned from my latest copy of Entertainment Weekly; be sure to scroll all the way down at the link to read the text at the bottom of the ad).

While not high in calories (a 7.5 ounce can of Dinty beef stew registers at a mere 190 calories), it's the exorbitant amount of sodium (900 milligrams; almost half a day's worth) and lack of fiber (a paltry two grams) that taint the nutrition profile of this "manly" product.

Especially ironic considering that one of the biggest risk factors for developing prostate cancer -- a condition so many men fear yet develop at high rates -- is a low-fiber diet.

You Ask, I Answer: Soy Protein & Men

[Your newsletter on protein] was your best Small Bites issue to date.

One thing that I was wondering about with regard to soy protein: I've heard it is much more beneficial for women and that there are actually some negative health benefits for men who have diets high in soy protein.

I think it had something to do with the "estrogen" similarities. Any info?

-- Fred Mursch
Brooklyn, NY

I have heard this “if I’m eating soy I may as well put on lipstick” worry from other men before.

If anything, men can actually greatly benefit from including soy protein in their diets, since their diets are generally higher in saturated fat than women’s.

Replacing some animal protein with soy-based ones provide healthier fats (tofu and tempeh provide some Omega-3 essential fatty acids) along with fiber, phytonutrients, and vitamins and minerals not found in animal meat.

Here’s the best news, though. Recent research indicates that soy protein’s isoflavones have protective properties against prostate cancer.

A study published in the Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention Journal earlier this year analyzed soy consumption and prostate cancer risk among 200 Japanese male subjects.

The results were pretty clear – those with the highest isoflavone consumption also had the highest decrease in prostate cancer risk.

It is worth adding that these men were eating nutritiously overall. They weren’t having just half a cup of vegetables a day and getting their sory by munching on soy crisps and dining on soy burgers smothered in ketchup and accompanied by French fries.

What was made very clear was that the addition of soy to an already healthy diet proved to be a valuable tool for lowering one's risk of developing prostate cancer.

Yes, very large doses of soy protein can cause breast enlargment and even a small decrease of testosterone in men, but to experience these side effects, you would have to down a handful of soy protein supplements, as it would be very hard to get such amounts in a diet that includes a few soy protein options.

Popping a cup of edamame in your mouth or ordering tofu with your pad thai does not mean you need to start thinking about going bra shopping.