To prevent colorectal cancer, controlling your diet is very important — especially the first meal of the day: breakfast. Therefore, Dr. Xu recommends four foods to eat on an empty stomach in the morning if you want to cleanse your intestines, boost digestive health, and prevent colorectal cancer:

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is especially rich in fiber; about 100 grams of oatmeal contains 5.3 grams of fiber. Fiber can promote bowel movements and accelerate intestinal transit. Therefore, eating oatmeal properly can help prevent constipation and colorectal cancer.

However, Dr. Xu notes that oatmeal is a whole grain that requires more time to digest and absorb in the intestines. Thus, you should not eat too much at once, especially if you have digestive disorders.

2. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain many beneficial nutrients, including fiber, starch, vitamin A, carotene, selenium, iron, potassium, and copper. These nutrients play a significant role in improving constipation.

But because sweet potatoes are high in starch, you need to reduce other starchy foods when eating them, especially diabetic patients, who should limit intake to avoid increasing blood sugar levels.

3. Lotus Root

Lotus root contains a lot of fiber (1.2 grams per 100 grams) and protein. These nutrients can bind with cholate, cholesterol, and triglycerides in the body to reduce lipid absorption. However, lotus root also has a relatively high starch content, so you shouldn’t consume excessive starch, and when eating it for breakfast, eat slowly and chew more thoroughly than usual.

4. Corn

Corn is also rich in fiber, with 2.9 grams per 100 grams. Additionally, corn is high in magnesium, which can speed up the intestinal wall’s motility and promote the body’s waste elimination. Therefore, it helps prevent colorectal cancer.

However, Dr. Xu warns that corn is easily moldy, so you should only buy as much as you can consume. If corn becomes moldy, discard it immediately, as moldy food can produce carcinogenic aflatoxins, which increase the risk of liver cancer and other diseases after consumption.