If you had to choose one fruit to keep your colon happy, which would it be?

If you said apples, that's not a bad choice. The kind of fiber in apples -- called pectin -- appears to both bump up colon-protective compounds and clamp down on cancer-causing ones.

The Power of Pectin
In a lab study, apple pectin increased levels of butyrate, a fatty acid that not only keeps colon tissue healthy but also slows the production of a cancer-causing substance. Apple juice extracts amped up butyrate as well. If you opt for apple juice, find out why cloudy trumps the clear kind.

3 More Keys to Colon Health
To keep your colon in good shape, get screened for colon cancer on a schedule recommended by your doctor. And here are some specific diet do's:

• Load up on whole grains for fiber. Find out the real colon-cancer deal regarding fiber.
• Drink milk instead of soda. Calcium and vitamin D protect your colon, but sugar seems to do the opposite. Here are the sugars you'll want to steer clear of.
• Add sliced onions to a salad or sub. You may need to carry breath mints everywhere, but boosting your cancer defenses is worth it! For sweet onion taste, try these Pear, Walnut and Gorgonzola Pizzas for dinner.

Ah, the perfect apple . . . find out why this one is tops when it comes to antioxidants.