Good-for-Your-Colon Hors d’Oeuvre

What’s the perfect party food for better colon health? Easy -- a veggie platter with zesty bean dip. 

Why? Because beans, onions, celery, radishes, cucumbers, and peppers are great sources of flavonols -- a type of antioxidant that may help stop colon polyps from coming back in a more advanced state. 

The Flavonol Factor
In a recent study, researchers tracked the diets of close to 2,000 adults who had been treated for colon polyps -- little benign tumors that have a chance of becoming cancerous. After 4 years of healthy living, the people whose diets were highest in flavonols were 76 percent less likely to have a recurrent polyp in an advanced stage than those with the lowest intake. Even if you’ve never had a colon polyp, onions and other flavonol-rich produce still do good things for your body -- because they’re often full of fiber and other vitamins and nutrients as well. Cheers to that! 

Recipe Corner
Want to give your party guests the gift of health? Serve up some of these quick and fancy appetizers.

Black Bean Dip Ingredients1 19-ounce or 15- ounce can black beans rinsed,1/2 cup prepared salsa, hot or mild 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro,1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Directions 1. Combine black beans, salsa, lime juice, cilantro and cumin in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

Source:  RealAge

Trans Fat Could Cause Colon Cancer

When Bad Fats Go Badder

Researchers recently reviewed the health of 622 colonoscopy patients and came up with plenty of fuel for the down-with-trans-fats fire. People who ate the most trans fat -- an average of 6.5 grams per day -- were 86 percent more likely to have potentially precancerous colon polyps compared with those who consumed the least trans fat -- about 3.6 grams or less per day. Seems trans fats can mess with the colon’s normal, healthy balance of bile and fatty acids and damage the mucus that protects this organ. 

Less Is More

For heart health, the American Heart Association recommends that no more than 1 percent of your daily calories come from trans fat. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 2 grams should come from trans fat. Since trans fat is found mostly in packaged sweets, frozen dishes, and fried foods, steering clear of them will help. Your other option is to closely read the list of ingredients, keeping in mind that even products labeled trans-fat-free can still have up to 0.5 grams of the stuff per serving. So cut down on anything that lists hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils among the ingredients, too -- "hydrogenated" is a red flag for trans fat. 

Source:  RealAge