WATERLOO - Healthy eating may be the recipe for fending off disease.

And sneaking the daily dose of nutrients into your diet may be easier than you think.

The Food Fighters Club met for the first time last week at the Covenant Cancer Treatment Center to explore the benefits of low-processed foods.

Sure, vitamin supplements never hurt, but they can't replace the interaction of compounds harbored in fresh produce. According to the American Cancer Society, consuming fruits, vegetables and other plant foods reduces the risk of cancer, but the same can't be said of pills.

"There's so many things we've yet to discover," said Mary Steffensmeier, a Covenant Medical Center dietitian who helped lead the session. "We've isolated some of the known vitamins and minerals and what we call plant nutrients, but there may be more that we haven't yet identified."

Tomatoes starred in last week's cooking demonstrations. The vegetable's natural red pigment, lycopene, is a highly ranked opponent against cancer, physical signs of aging and declining vision.

And a small amount of fat - a few nuts, a slice of cheese or an avocado - can enhance lycopene absorption. Heart-healthy olive oil should be used in moderation as it still contains calories.

"With a salad like this, throw on as many tomatoes as you want," said Covenant dietitian Michelle Busch, dicing up ingredients for a bruschetta dip. "Measure the olive oil."

Cooked tomatoes pack an even stronger punch of lycopene. Two tablespoons of tomato paste, for example, contain more than three times the lycopene as five cherry tomatoes.

While fresh produce isn't a medicine or a cure, proactive cancer patients were hungry for tips to prevent a relapse.

Gary Hanks, 69, has battled prostate cancer, a heart attack and diabetes, but the tomato lover's not giving up.

"There's a lot that I don't like, so I thought I'd come see what I don't eat that's good for you, you know?" said Hanks of Waterloo, with his wife, Marlys. "My wife can't have anything made of wheat, so I thought maybe this might be something that would help her, too."

Hanks couldn't drum up the nerve to sample a black bean and nectarine salsa, although Steffensmeier delivered a convincing pitch on the value of fiber-rich beans. Draining liquid and rinsing canned beans can help cut gas-producing side effects.

"You want to keep eating like a chicken but pooping like a goose," she told a giggly crowd. "Fiber will help pull things out so they don't stay in your digestive track to cause disease."

October's meeting will cover squash, and future ideas are welcome.

"I was thinking for the month of November maybe pumpkins or turkey," suggested Joyce Fay of Waverly, a breast cancer survivor. "I've heard that pumpkin seeds are very, very good for you as a snack."

Food Fighters meets at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Covenant Cancer Treatment Center, 200 E. Ridgeway Ave., Waterloo. The event is free. Call 272-2265 for more information.

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained

1 nectarine, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped (use plastic gloves when handling)

1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoon lime juice

salt and freshly ground pepper

In mixing bowl, combine the beans, nectarine, tomato, pepper, onion, cilantro, zest and lime juice. Toss with a fork to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 3 cups.

Source: Today's Diet & Nutrition, July/August 2008

Contact Tina Hinz at (319) 291-1484 or tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.

Black bean and nectarine salsa