By now you’ll know that eating plants and plant-based foods is really good for your health.
A plant-based diet has so many benefits for your overall health.
It has been shown to help lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and protect against health problems like heart disease and stroke.
But did you know that a plant-based diet is also incredibly beneficial when it comes to having good gut health?
In fact, there is a certain number of different plant-based foods you should consume in one week for incredible gut health benefits.
Specifically, the number we should all be seeking to achieve when it comes to our plant intake is 30.
A lot of people in recent years have tried to incorporate a wide variety of plants into their diet to get a healthier gut.
Here’s why you should try eating 30 plant based foods a week.
What is the 30 plant based foods a week challenge?
The 30 plant based foods a week challenge came about after a study by the American Gut Project demonstrated that this number contributed to a much more healthy gut microbiome.
The American Gut study of over 10,000 people around the world showed that those who ate 30 or more different plant based foods a week had a much more diverse gut microbiome than those who consumed 10 or less per week.
Therefore, since consuming 30 plant based foods a week has been shown to significantly improve gut microbiome diversity, a challenge arose online to see who is able to fit this many plant-based foods into their diet in 7 days.
The good news when it comes to this challenge (aside from the obvious health benefits) is that the plant-based foods do not just include fruits and vegetables.
There is such a large variety of plant foods that you can eat for this challenge so you will never run out of ideas.
Why is gut health important?
The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microbes that include bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Many of the bacteria are beneficial for health and play a crucial role in keeping the body healthy.
These good bacteria have different roles to play from each other.
Some bacteria help with digestion, others play a role in breaking down toxins, and others help to protect the immune system or help to prevent disease.
Without gut bacteria we would not survive.
It is important to have diverse gut microbes so that lots of different functions can be performed by different microbes, which in turn help to both protect and promote bodily health.
The 30 plants a week checklist
To facilitate the growth of different species of bacteria and have a really healthy gut microbiome, try the 30 plant based foods a week challenge.
There are so many different types of plant foods that you will find it easy to consume at least 30 different plants and plant-based foods in one week.
Here is a helpful 30 plants a week checklist to help you increase the amount of plants you eat in 7 days.
Remember that you can only eat anything from this list once in a 7 day period.
Many of these are vegan fermented foods that contain beneficial probiotics.
You must eat at least 30 different plant based foods in a week in order to diversify your gut microbiome.
List of whole grains:
Quinoa
Oats
Millet
Brown rice
Rye
Barley
Buckwheat
List of beans and legumes:
Fava beans
Kidney beans
Broad beans
Mung beans
Lentils
Chickpeas
Black beans
Haricot beans
Butter beans
Cannellini beans
List of starchy vegetables:
Sweet potatoes
White potatoes
Squash
Pumpkin
Corn
Turnip
Swede
Parsnips
Peas
List of leafy greens:
Spinach
Arugula
Kale
Swiss chard
Lettuce
Collard greens
Cabbage
Watercress
Mustard greens
List of nuts and seeds:
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Brazil nuts
Cashew nuts
Peanuts
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Walnuts
Macadamia nuts
Pine nuts
Pecans
Sunflower seeds
List of fruits:
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Pineapple
Avocado
Melon
Grapefruit
Berries
Dates
Coconut
Grapes
Kiwi fruit
Papaya
Apricots
Olives
List of other vegetables:
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Tomatoes
Artichoke
Radish
Mushrooms
Eggplant
Peppers
Chillis
Onions
Beetroot
Leeks
Zucchini
List of herbs & spices:
Cilantro
Parsley
Cumin
Garlic
Mint
Nutmeg
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Pepper
Ginger
Dill
Chives
Basil
Turmeric
You can also include extra virgin olive oil as one of your 30 plant based foods a week. Another great way to incorporate plant-based foods into your week is by growing sprouts at home to add to meals.
By following the guidelines of eating 30 different types of plant-based foods in a week you will ensure that your body has a significantly more diverse microbiome.
There are so many different foods to choose from in this challenge.
You can easily incorporate different fruit, fresh herbs, whole foods, and plenty of vegetables into a variety of recipes for special occasions such as a Valentine’s Day picnic.
There are so many different types of plants we can eat that it can never be boring or monotonous and you can find a delicious plant-based recipe for any of the plant foods above easily online.
An easy way to ensure you are finding enough fresh vegetables and portions of fruit is to order a local fruit and veg box or pop down to your local farmers market to stock up each week on the best seasonal produce.
You’ll reap the incredible nutritional value of these foods and sustain a healthy gut microbiome at the same time, which will contribute to natural protection against chronic diseases and a better functioning body.
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