Colon cancer is a harrowing disease that completely alters the life trajectory of anyone who is afflicted by it. Colon cancer occurs when the lining of the small intestine begins to grow abnormally. This is a common form of cancer that is treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy depending on the stage of the illness. Colon cancer symptoms include irregular bowel movements, pain in the abdomen, and blood in the stool.

Luckily, several foods aid in colon cancer prevention:

1. Beans and Legumes
These are the two most common foods that reduce the risk of advanced colon cancer. In particular, black beans are lauded for their ability to raise the levels of specific fatty acids in the body. These acids break down and prevent the formation of cancer cells.

2. Berries
Antioxidant rich foods such as berries are another great way to prevent colon cancer. They also contain a lot of phytonutrients that bolster your overall health. For the most effective prevention, try eating some blackberries. These contain anthocyanins that are great at stopping malignant cells dead in their tracks. That said, berries of all varieties contain useful nutrients that keep you healthy and cancer-free.

3. Coffee
Caffeine lovers will be ecstatic to know about the wonderful effects of coffee. The more coffee you consume, the lower your recurrence rate is. Even a single cup of coffee each day can reduce the mortality rate of stage 3 colon cancer patients by 20 percent. If you aren’t already pounding a cup each morning, now would be a great time to start.

4. Carrots
The beta-carotene that is abundant in carrots has been shown to eliminate the expansion of abnormal cells within the body. There are plenty of additional nutrients packed into each carrot. These all work in conjunction to reduce the risk of cancer in all of its forms.

5. Nuts
Consistently adding nuts to your diet is a great way to reduce the risk of colon cancer. If you are already afflicted by the disease, nuts can still be used to drastically lower your recurrence rate. All patients stage 3 and lower can benefit from additional nut consumption.

6. Spinach
This green vegetable offers high levels of fiber and folate. Fiber helps your colon process foods and eliminate waste efficiently. This helps promote overall health in a variety of ways. To top it all off, the carotenoids found in spinach work to lower the risk of colon cancer specifically. For those who don’t like the taste, there are tons of ways to blend this vegetable into other foods.

7. Cruciferous Veggies
Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, cauliflower, and cabbage all have potent cancer-fighting characteristics. Mixing as many of these veggies into your meals is a great way to prevent colon cancer or reduce colon cancer symptoms if you are already battling the disease.

8. Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the best foods you can use to eliminate your chances of getting colon cancer. The large amounts of sulforaphane minimize cancer threats in addition to strengthening the enzymes of your body that ward off other ailments. This is one superfood that everyone should incorporate into their diet.