TAKE THE CHALLENGE
Boost up your plant consumption for the sake of your health, writes Annabel Langbein
It can often feel overwhelming to know how to approach eating well. One rule of thumb that I try to live by is the 30-plant challenge. Every week, I try to eat at least 30 different plants in my diet. It might sound like a lot, but the fact that I can include seeds and nuts, grains and legumes, and herbs and spices makes the challenge remarkably easy to achieve. Even tea, coffee, and chocolate count.
The only rule within the rule is that no matter how often you have a food, it only counts once in your weekly tally. It can be quite satisfying to add everything up at the end of the day and realise how easy it is to sneak in more plants.
Achieving a high botanical diversity with
30 (or more) different plant foods a week in your diet, is a powerful strategy for enhancing nutritional intake, supporting gut health, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Each plant contains a unique combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. By consuming a diverse range of plants, you maximise your intake of these essential nutrients, supporting various bodily functions and promoting overall wellbeing. For instance, leafy greens provide calcium and vitamin K for bone health, while berries offer potent antioxidants that combat inflammation and oxidative stress.
Added to this, a diverse diet is beneficial for gut health, a topic of increasing interest in scientific research.
The gut microbiome, comprised of trillions of microorganisms, plays a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and even mental health. Consuming a variety of plant foods nourishes diverse microbial communities in the gut, fostering a balanced microbiome associated with reduced inflammation and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
There are a few simple things you can do to help achieve the goal of eating 30 different plant foods per week. Start by writing down everything you eat every single day. That way you can see where you are repeating foods and where you could add in extra plant foods. Think of ways you can boost a meal before you eat it — instead of just serving avocado on toast, choose a multigrain bread and add sliced radish or tomato and a sprinkle of dukkah one day, and a spoon of pesto another. Try different toppings on your morning porridge — sliced apple, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds one day, and banana, sunflower and pumpkin seeds another. Ensure your pantry is stocked with plant foods like canned beans, lentils and chickpeas, canned tomatoes, seeds and nuts, olive oil, rolled oats, and different herbs and spices. In the freezer, keep a stash of berries, corn, and spinach. Embrace seasonal produce, as it naturally introduces variety into your diet throughout the year.
Once you start adding things up it can be almost addictive, in the same way that getting your 10,000 steps a day in is.
Let the challenge begin!