Until more is known about specific food components, the best advice is to eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. 9 Healthful diets contain 6 to 11 standard servings of foods from this group each day. As shown in Table 2, standard portion sizes are defined as quite small, and this number of servings is not difficult to achieve. Grains are an important source of many vitamins and minerals such as folate, calcium, and selenium, all of which have been associated with a lower risk of colon cancer. 19 Whole grains are higher in fiber and certain vitamins and minerals than refined flour products.
Beans are excellent sources of many vitamins and minerals, protein, and fiber.
Beans are legumes, the technical term for the family of plants that includes dried beans, pinto beans, lentils, and soybeans, among many others. Limit your intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources. Choose foods low in fat. Replace fat-rich foods with fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. Eat smaller portions of high-fat foods.