5. Beans and Lentils: Everyday Foods With Important Benefits
Beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils provide fiber, plant-based protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Fiber supports digestive health, and diets rich in fiber-containing foods are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Whole dietary patterns matter, however, and it is not possible to attribute all the benefits to one particular food.
Legumes are especially useful because they are filling, affordable, and easy to include in everyday meals.
How to enjoy them: Prepare lentil soup, chickpea salad, bean stew, or a vegetable dish with lentils. If you normally eat little fiber, increase your intake gradually and drink enough water to help your digestive system adjust.
6. Whole Grains: A Simple Way to Add More Fiber
Oats, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, barley, and other whole grains contain fiber and important nutrients that may be reduced when grains are heavily refined.
Research supports eating whole grains and other fiber-rich foods as part of a dietary pattern associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
