12 Foods To Eat For A Healthier Colon

We're willing to bet that pretty much everyone wants a healthier colon. Okay, sure, it may not be at the top of most people's priorities list when it comes to their bodies (bulging biceps and toned legs, we'd imagine, are a little more glamorous to work toward), but trust us when we say that whether you're aware of it or not, your colon health is something you should consider. The colon, which along with the rectum and the anus forms the large intestine (per the Cleveland Clinic), plays an enormous part in your overall gut health, continuing your digestion from your stomach and small intestine and moving your stool through to the other side (i.e., the toilet bowl).

But it can be susceptible to a wide range of health concerns and conditions, with everything from constipation to excess gas, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diverticulitis manifesting in the large intestine and creating issues. And one of the most serious colon conditions, colon cancer, affects more than 100,000 new people every year, according to the American Cancer Society. It's for these reasons that it's vital that we treat our colon well, and what we eat can have a huge bearing on how well our large intestine functions. In this list, we'll show you all the foods you need to have on your plate.

Most people are aware of the link between eating beans and subsequently having a gassy gut (via Healthline). But don't be put off by this, as beans are one of the best things you can eat if you want to take care of your colon. Beans are naturally super-high in fiber, a vital nutrient for colon health, as the Mayo Clinic discusses. When we eat sufficient amounts of fiber, our stools become a healthy weight, shape, and consistency, and can move through our colon with ease. This means less constipation, a lower chance of diverticular disease and hemorrhoids, and even a potentially smaller chance of developing colorectal cancer.

And when it comes to the fiber content in beans, it's hard to go wrong with the humble pinto. One cup of pinto beans contains over 15 grams of fiber, as Healthline notes, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake for women under 50, and just shy of half the amount needed daily for men under the same age. If pinto beans aren't your thing (which we wouldn't get, because they're delicious, but to each their own), kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and lentils also provide an ample amount of fiber per serving, with haricot beans delivering even more fiber per cup — over 19 grams.

When it comes to oily fish, salmon tends to occupy the throne in the health stakes. But spare a thought for the mackerel. These underrated, tasty fish are absolutely jam-packed with nutrients, with an abundance of minerals and vitamins that aid your body in a variety of functions (per WebMD). And that's before you consider their omega-3 fatty acid content, which not only rivals other seafood sources, but could keep your colon very happy. As a meta-analysis published in the journal Cancers shows, regularly consuming fish (including fatty fish like mackerel) as part of a balanced diet is associated with a lower overall risk of colorectal cancer.

It's worth bearing in mind that not all studies are uniform in their findings around omega-3 fatty acids and colorectal cancer. One study, published in JAMA Oncology, found that adding an omega-3 supplement to an already healthy diet did not appear to reduce the chances of developing precursors to colorectal cancer. Nonetheless, it's always a pretty good idea to try and boost your omega-3 intake thanks to their benefits to a range of other considerations, like brain and heart health (per the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).

Anyone who's ever absentmindedly eaten a few too many prunes and then found themselves sitting hunched over a toilet bowl pretty soon after will attest to their powerful ability to get your colon moving (via Kitchn). But trust us when we say that this quality is good news for your gut, provided that you're eating them in moderate quantities. Prunes are especially abundant in fiber, which is instrumental in keeping the gut and colon healthy, as registered nutritionist Nicola Shubrook points out via BBC Good Food. But they're also rich in phytonutrients and sorbitol, both of which work to move food through your system and keep your bowel emptying while also delivering the food for the friendly bacteria that live there.

Bear in mind, though, that it's entirely possible to have too much of a good thing. While prunes can serve as an efficient natural laxative and can be super-helpful for people with constipation, eating too many may loosen your stools too much, resulting in diarrhea (per WebMD). This can also happen when eating other sorbitol- and fiber-rich dried fruits, like figs.

Protein can be a difficult nutrient to get exactly right. While we must get enough of it, it's also the case that a lot of proteins out there also come with a host of other nutritional factors that we need to consider. Oftentimes, protein sources like red meat contain higher amounts of fat, which can prove troublesome to the colon — this is because fat causes it to contract and create irregular bowel movements, especially for folks who already have conditions like IBS that affect their bowel (per Johns Hopkins Medicine). Eating red meat may also lead to the production of harmful colon bacteria that can affect other parts of your body.

But other protein sources could prove way more beneficial to your colon, and the simple chicken breast is one of them. A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology examined the effects of eating different proteins on colon health and found that when people ate more chicken and white meat, they were less likely to develop colorectal adenomas, an early indicator of colorectal cancer. Individuals who ate more processed meats in their diets, on the other hand, appeared more likely to have adenomas form (per Science Daily).

Seeds can provide a nutritional punch to our meals and snack times (as well as great flavor), but they've had a bad rep in the past for their potential effects on the gut. Once upon a time, seeds were thought to contribute to the development of diverticulitis, a condition that's caused by the infection of pouches in the colon called diverticula (per Harvard Health Publishing). It was reasoned that seeds could get lodged in the diverticula, thereby leading to infection.

However, we are pleased to announce that is not the case, and in fact, seeds such as chia, flaxseed, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds could be a worthwhile addition to your diet for your colon health. They all contain fiber, an essential component to keep your food moving through your system and your colon healthy. Not only that, seeds are also well-stocked vaults of nutrition, providing protein and healthy fats, states Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Nutrition director and registered dietitian Kathy McManus to Harvard Health Publishing. Alongside seeds, adding nuts to your diet could also provide a similar benefit to your colon health and your overall dietary quality, thanks to their fiber content and an abundance of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

We don't think we'll ever stop singing the praises of olive oil, and not just because it tastes so, so, so good. With its super-healthy fat, phytochemical, and antioxidant content benefitting a range of things in your body, this is one oil you're going to want to have on your table (per WebMD).

But while we don't often associate olive oil with gut and colon health, it turns out that it could be a powerful ally there too. Consuming some of the oil daily could act as a softener for the passage of your stool, by working to line your bowel to make your poop move through easier, and to keep water inside it to stop your feces from drying out (per Medical News Today). It's thought that consuming olive oil first thing in the morning, before you've eaten anything else, would have the most effect on constipation. Importantly, though, you shouldn't consume more than this on an empty stomach, as it might just create more digestive issues like cramping or diarrhea. It's also vital not to view olive oil as a constipation cure in itself — primarily, you should focus on an overall healthy diet, including ample fiber.

There are plenty of foods out there that will have your colon feeling pretty happy, but there are also some dietary choices that are less beneficial for your large intestine. If you're trying to eat for colon health, it's advisable to limit your red and processed meat intake. Both red and processed meats have been observed to be detrimental to colon health, and could increase your risk of developing colorectal or stomach cancer, as WebMD points out. Drinking bigger amounts of alcohol can also have a negative impact on your colon, with regular heavy drinking corresponding to a higher cancer risk.

It also might be worth trying to watch how much fried food you're eating. Foods fried in a large amount of unhealthy fats can make your gut and your colon feel pretty bad, with gas and diarrhea being some of the symptoms that can occur (per Medical News Today). Foods that are abundant in saturated or trans fats may also cause an imbalance of your gut bacteria, which may lead to digestive and colon issues.