If you want to stave off colon cancer, eating walnuts might help.

A study led by University of Connecticut Health researchers suggests that walnuts may alter gut bacteria in a way that reduces cancer growth. The findings were published recently in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Walnuts are a known source of the healthy fats omega-3 and omega-6 — which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease as well as prevent type 2 diabetes and age-related brain decline. The nuts also contain high levels of a type of vitamin E that has anti-cancer properties.

Specifically, the team found that mice that got 7 to 10.5 percent of their daily calories from walnuts were less likely to develop cancerous tumors. The researchers compared the cancer-fighting effects of walnuts on two groups of mice — one fed a standard lab mouse diet and the other given food with lots of fats and carbohydrates similar to a typical human American diet. Some mice in each group also consumed walnuts.

Male mice that ate the high-fat and carbohydrate diet with a higher amount of walnuts seemed to benefit the most, the team noted.

The researchers found that walnut consumption altered digestive-tract bacteria to potentially protect against colon cancer. Although they are not certain how, the team believes that some gut bacteria may convert fiber into anti-inflammatory compounds that can help stop tumor formation.

As part of a longer-term human study, the research team is working with a nutritionist and administering dietary surveys to colonoscopy patients. So if the researcher’s findings hold true for humans, it will be OK to go nuts for walnuts.