Being sick is a pain in the butt. But you can reduce your risk of developing serious illnesses by eating healthy vegan foods. One recent study suggests that you can reduce your risk for bowel (or colorectal) cancer by eating whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International and the American Institute for Cancer Research, eating three servings (90 grams) of whole grains a day reduces one’s risk of colorectal cancer by 17 percent.

Pass the popcorn, please!

You can also reduce your risk for colorectal cancer—a disease that can cause abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, and other unpleasant symptoms—by eating other fiber-filled foods, including fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Researchers with Ghent University believe that women who eat lots of soy foods are 44 percent less likely to suffer from colon cancer. Men who eat soy are 40 percent less likely to develop the disease.

That’s likely because wholesome vegan foods tend to be high in fiber and rich in phytochemicals, which knock out carcinogens and fight inflammation—unlike meat, which basically sits there and rots in your colon.

Remember when the World Health Organization warned everyone that bacon and other processed meats are a major cause of colorectal cancer and that red meat—including beef, pork, and lamb—is probably carcinogenic as well?

Well, that hasn’t changed—meat still causes cancer. Scientists from the University of Oxford found that people who eat meat twice a week are nearly 20 percent more likely to suffer from colorectal cancer than vegetarians are.

Why risk it? Changing your diet can be daunting, but would you rather undergo surgery, chemotherapy, and other costly medical treatments or eat delicious, nutritious foods, such as pasta primavera, curried chickpeas with brown rice, marinated tempeh bacon, and spicy black bean and corn chili?

A vegan breakfast platter featuring tofu scramble, tempeh bacon, an English muffin with jam and raspberries, half a grapefruit, and some orange juice.

If you’re concerned about cancer and other health problems—not to mention cruelty to animals and environmental destruction—you might want to check out these vegan recipes. And if you have a favorite vegan meal that’s rich in whole grains, please tell us about it below.