Healthy Bits · Nutrition & wellness
Thirty plants a week
Research from the American Gut Project found that people who ate 30 or more different plants a week had a more diverse gut microbiome, the community of microbes living in your digestive tract, than people who ate 10 or fewer. A diverse microbiome is linked with better digestive health.
The good news: it adds up faster than you think! Vegetables and fruit count, and so do whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. A handful of mixed seeds can be three or four plants in one go.
Try this: keep a running tally on your fridge this week. Easy wins:
- Swap one grain for a three-grain mix
- Add a can of mixed beans to soup
- Finish dishes with fresh herbs
- gut health
- fiber
- beans
- spices
Healthy Bits are for general education and aren’t medical advice. Check with your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing, take medication, or are managing a health condition.