30 Plants a Week
One of my favorite gifts I’ve received in the past few years was a box of tropical fruit from a girlfriend who knew my health journey. She understood that not only do I love fruit, but I am also on mission to add in as many diverse plant foods into my diet each week as possible.
But why does diversity matter? In very simple terms, the more diverse your diet, the more diverse the gut microbe species will be in your gut. And, the more diverse your gut microbiome, the healthier you will be.
Research has linked our gut bacteria to how efficiently our body breaks down food, the health of our immune system, weight management, heart health, risk for chronic illness like diabetes, and even our brain functions and risk of neurodegenerative disorders. And, as you saw in my case, it has a direct impact on gut and skin health.
So, I challenge you to go forth and try to hit your minimum of 30 different plant species a week. It doesn’t matter if you have them alongside a steak or with your eggs in the morning. You don’t have to give up foods you love. You just have to ADD IN more plants.
What’s a plant again?
Whole unrefined grains like oats, quinoa, rice, farro, etc. Although white rice counts, brown rice or forbidden rice is better for feeding the good gut bugs.
Legumes - Shoot for at least a half a cup a day. Ease in slowly with a TBS a day, if needed to avoid tummy upset. Your gut microbes will adjust and you will eventually be able to tolerate more volume. A cup of beans a day is optimal. Strive for variety. Tofu counts.
An ounce of nuts and seeds a day. Change it up, but watch your portion sizes because they are high calorie. One Brazil nut a day will give you the perfect amount of selenium each day, so be sure to reach for this daily. Raw nuts are best.
And, of course, eat as many different fruits and veg as you can cram on your plate. It’s better to have 10 small portions of different veggies in a dish than one large serving of broccoli.
I can’t wait to hear how you do!
Happy counting!
🌱💕