When it comes to healthy eating, for years we’ve all lived by (or at least tried to do) the golden rule of “five a day,” that is, five different servings of fruits and vegetables, some of which may surprise you. But it seems there’s a new mantra in town: 30 plants a week, sometimes called the ’30 plant challenge’ or ‘plant points’.
Yes that’s true! The game has changed (or is about to change) according to specialist dietitian and NHS Clinical Lead Catherine Rabess (who has a new book out). 30 Plan(launching in February), ZOE’s Dr Tim Spector, and high street health giants Holland & Barrett, who recently launched their own food range with ‘plant points’ on the label so you know exactly how many bites each snack, dip or sausage is worth.
This doesn’t mean that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is a goal to throw away; Eating these foods still has incredible health benefits, helping our bodies stay full of vital nutrients and so much more. But the idea behind the 30 plants a week (also known as the ‘diversity diet’) has a slightly different focus: gut health.
Based on various studies on gut health and the gut microbiome, we know their effects on gut health. far Beyond our stomachs (from energy levels to mental health), eating as wide a mix of plants as possible is said to contribute to a more diverse gut microbiome, and some studies even link it to a longer lifespan.
Another important difference between 30 plants and 5 plants a day? These 30 ‘plants’ for the week aren’t just limited to oranges, apples and broccoli, but also include nuts, seeds, grains and some herbs and spices (even though they don’t make complete sense).
Here, Holland & Barrett’s retail healthcare leader, Dr. We ask Anojan Arulanmathan everything you need to know about factory hotspots, the 30 plant challenge and beyond…
Is the ‘5 a day’ rule being replaced by ’30 herbs a week’?
OK, so while there’s a lot of hype and excitement from experts encouraging us all to diversify our diets by aiming to eat 30 plants a week, the 5 plants a day rule isn’t dead and is still a great eating mantra to maintain. Be careful when doing your weekly shopping.
“Eating 5 meals a day remains the key recommendation for better long-term health and is a globally recognized guideline known in many countries around the world,” says Dr Arulanthan. “While eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day has been shown to have a positive impact on health, such as reducing the risk of chronic disease, new evidence is emerging that eating a wide range of plants can affect the diversity of our gut bacteria.” And a happy gut equals a happier body.
What are plant points?
“A ‘plant score’ is a point that helps identify foods that contain plant-based ingredients; each food or dish is given a score based on the number of plant-based ingredients it contains,” says Dr Arulantha. “To help customers, Holland & Barrett offers plant-based “Selecting foods is the first high street retailer to add plant-based points to its food packaging range.” But we predict that more will follow suit over time…
What counts as a plant point?
Vegetables such as:
- aubergine
- broccoli
- carrot
- spinach
- cabbage
- onion
- pepper
- tomato (okay, yes it’s technically a fruit but…)
Fruits such as:
- Avocado
- fruits
- banana
- oranges
- fig
- kiwi
Some legumes, such as:
- chickpeas
- lentil
- broad beans
- kidney bean
- soybeans or edamame
Some grains, such as:
Some nuts and seeds:
- cashew nuts
- Almond
- brazil nuts
- chia seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- walnut
- pistachios
Herbs and spices (whether fresh or dried):
- mint
- basil
- parsley
- sage
- ginger
- nutmeg
- Red pepper
- saffron
- turmeric
Why is eating 30 plants a week so important?
Dr Arulanthan says it’s good to increase the amount of unprocessed, whole foods in your diet, such as fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes. “Research shows that plant-based diets help lower body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They may also help reduce the risk of broader chronic diseases such as heart disease.”
How easy is it to eat 30 plants a week?
Fortunately, this is easier than you might initially think, as ‘herbs’ are classified not only as greens but also grains, legumes, herbs and spices. Additionally, you can also eat different varieties of the same vegetable; for example, if you eat green peppers, red peppers and yellow peppers, these count as three different herb points (different colors = different health benefits).
“This may sound scary, especially when eating 5 a day is a challenge for many people. But 30 plants a week doesn’t necessarily mean eating ’30 servings’ of different plant foods,” says the doctor, noting that with 5 a day: The rule While we’re all encouraged to aim for 80g per serving, just a pinch of herbs can count towards herb points (but more is definitely encouraged!).
“The idea is to mix plant foods in varying amounts throughout the week, choosing from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes to provide different types of plants for the bacteria in your gut to digest.”
Bonus news: coffee, dark chocolate, and popcorn can also count as plant points (if they’re as close to their natural state as possible).
There you have it, happy plant pointing friends!