Improve Colon Health with This Oil

Which is better for your colon -- corn oil or canola oil? Recent research suggests that canola may have the edge.

In an animal study, including canola oil in the diet seemed to do a better job of suppressing the growth of colon tumors, compared with when corn oil was included in the diet.

Omega Matters
Canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, while corn oil is richer in omega-6s. And it turns out that this omega difference may really matter when it comes to stifling tumor growth. In the animal study, researchers recorded the size and number of colon tumors in the test subjects and analyzed their blood for its fatty-acid composition. Compared with the corn oil diet, the canola oil diet was associated not only with fewer colon tumors but also with much smaller tumors on average. (Related: Here's more on why omega-3 fatty acids are so good for you.)

Further Study
Research needs to be done in people next to see whether the colon benefits of canola oil translate to humans. But we already know that omega-3 fatty acids -- found not just in canola oil but also in walnuts, flaxseeds, and olive oil -- have lots of other health benefits besides cancer prevention. They may help prevent heart disease, help control cholesterol, and help control your appetite better, too. So think of more ways to add omega-3 fats in your diet. Like these ideas:

Eat something fishy. Cold water fish, such as salmon, haddock, trout, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and cod, are rich in omega-3s. Plan a romantic dinner with your honey tonight with this Smokey Mustard Maple Salmon for Two recipe.Go nuts. Nuts and seeds -- as well as oils made from them -- are another great source. Give your holiday side of green beans an unusual twist with this Green Bean Salad with Walnuts, Fennel, and Goat Cheese recipe.

Did you know? Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States? Find out why colon cancer screening saves lives.

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