How many different fruits and veggies do you think you eat in a week?

We all know eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is good for our health, but it turns out variety matters.

A few years ago, a study came out citing that eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables (two of fruit, three of veg) per week was related to lower mortality than those who didn't consume as many. But, it turns out there's more to your health than the number of servings on your plate.

Although five is better than zero, to truly optimize health, specifically gut health, a serving of blueberries every morning isn't going to cut it.

This is how many plants to eat a week

If you want to improve your healthy gut bacteria, increase your fibre intake, and improve your anti-inflammatory response, pile your plate up with at least 30 different types of plants per week.

In a study of 10,000 citizen scientists participating in the American Gut Health Project, people who ate 30 or more servings of plants produced stool samples that contained healthy chemicals produced by 'good' bacteria.

A more diverse microbiome full of these 'good' bacteria has widespread effects throughout your body, physically and emotionally. Better sleep, a strong immune system, and more stable mental health are just a few of the positive impacts. 

How to eat 30 types of plants a week

Luckily for us, plants aren't just contained to fruits and vegetables. Your coffee beans count and so does your quinoa salad.

As a general rule, plants are considered the following:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Grains
• Fresh herbs and spices

So, now that you know the importance of diversifying your diet, here are some recipes that can help:

• Fresh Salads Featuring Fruit
• 31 Summer Berry Recipes Bursting With Fresh Flavour
• Hearty & Nutritious Quinoa Recipes
• 34 Garden Fresh Recipes For Farm-To-Table Meals
• 40 Mediterranean Recipes For A Bright, Plant-Forward Meal

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