There is now overwhelming evidence that diet has a profound influence on the risk of colon cancer and eating the right foods appears to be a simple way to safeguard your colon health.

According to California researchers, brown rice, legumes, green vegetables, and dried fruit should regularly make their way onto your plate if you want to reduce your risk of colon polyps (the precursor to colon cancer). Based on this new study, the protection these foods can offer to reduce the risk of colon polyps is as follows:

• Brown rice at least once a week – 40 percent reduction
• Legumes (beans, peas, lentils) at least three times a week – 33 percent reduction
• Cooked green vegetables once or more a day – 24 percent reduction
• Dried fruit three or more times a week – 26 percent reduction
  (Nutrition and Cancer, online August 2011)