30 Plants a Week: The New 5-a-Day?

When it comes to the advice on fruit and veg consumption, we’re all familiar with the phrase “eat at least 5 a day”, but recent research suggests a new approach may be more beneficial. Researchers found that people who consume at least 30 different plant-based foods each week had a higher diversity of microbes in their gut, which may contribute to improved overall health and well-being.

Diversity in our diet is important because different plant-based foods contain different nutrients that our bodies need. By consuming a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, we are more likely to meet our nutritional needs and support our immune system. Eating a diverse range of plant-based foods is also an easy and effective way to support a healthy gut microbiome, which is associated with better health outcomes, including a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease. So, with that in mind, what do we mean when we say “plant-based foods” and which ones count towards our “30 a week”? Unlike the 5-a-day guidelines, plant foods are not just restricted to fruits, vegetables, and legumes. They include whole grains such as brown rice and oats, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices- all of which count towards the 30 a week. And it gets better- tea and coffee count too! The catch is that each plant food you consume only counts towards your goal once, over the whole week- this is what helps to encourage variety. Some examples of plant foods are shown below:

Whilst we love the idea of increasing the variety of plant-based food in our diet, as with any kind of dietary or lifestyle change, we also know small changes are the most sustainable. Simply increasing the number of plants we’re eating by consistently adding an extra portion of veg to our dinner, or a small handful of nuts as a snack can have a big impact longer term. So, although aiming for 30 a week may be helpful for the target-focused amongst us, we think adding any extra plant-foods into our diet is a win- why not give it a go?

Eating 30 plant-based foods each week might sound a little daunting, but it can be easier than you think. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Go slow and steady: Try not to add in too many plant foods at once- start with one and go from there.

Shop the rainbow: When grocery shopping, make sure to choose a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables- different colours represent different nutrients.

Try new recipes: Experiment with new recipes that incorporate different plant-based foods. This can help expand your palate and keep meals interesting.

Add nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats and protein. Try adding them to salads, smoothies and porridge or on top of curries and stews.

Choose whole grains: Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and barley are a great source of fibre and nutrients. Try swapping out refined grains for whole grains in your meals- or do half and half.

Go plant-based for a meal: Try having a completely plant-based meal at least once a week. This can help you discover new plant-based foods and expand your culinary skills, as well as keep costs down.

We’re all looking to make our food budgets go further at the moment and buying 30 different plant foods a week can quickly add up. A few helpful ideas to keep costs down include shopping for in-season produce, buying staples like grains and dried beans/legumes in bulk, buying frozen or canned fruit/vegetables, meal planning, batch cooking and making use of your freezer.