30 Plants Challenge in 7 Days
Kick off summer with our healthy-gut challenge: Pack 30 different plants into your diet in the span of a week for better microbial diversity. We are showing you how simple it actually is to get your fill of vitamins, antioxidants and gut-friendly fiber for optimum health.
Plant based eating is all the rage, and for good reason: Diets rich in minimally processed plant foods are associated with reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity.
Why are plants such powerhouses? They are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and belly filling fiber.
Plant foods are not limited to just fruits and vegetables. Nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, herbs and spices also count. The whole plant kingdom is an incredible source of nutrition for your gut microbiome, that unique microbial community that inhabits your body. The first major results released the American Gut Project, the world’s largest published microbiome study to date, has found that people who eat more than 30 plant types per week have better microbial diversity than people who consume less than 10 per week.
The gut microbiome is dynamic and unique – no two people have the same microbial makeup. Nourishing the good gut bugs can encourage them to produce certain vitamins, neurotransmitters and short chain fatty acids, which may help guard against inflammation and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Build your plate around plants (aim for two-thirds of the plate) and fill in the rest with your favorite protein. We have made getting started on your 30-day-plant-per-week challenge easy – just follow our one-week meal plan and you’ll be well on your way.
One Week 30 Plants:
We have designed this plan with diversity in mind. Get ready to consume these 30 plants this week:
- onions, 2. Limes, 3. Garlic, 4. Avocados, 5. Cilantro, 6. Carrots, 7. Cucumbers, 8. Mangos, 9. eggplant, 10. Basil, 11. Lemons, 12. Cherry tomatoes, 13. Shallots, 14. Chives, 15. Mixed greens (such as kale, chard and or spinach), 16jalapeno chile pepper, 17. Zucchini, 18. Banana, 19. Raspberries, 20. Peaches, 21. Lentils, 22. Organic soy/tofu, 23. Chickpeas, 24. Walnuts 25. Almonds, 26. Cashews, 27. Blackberries 28. Pecans 29. Hemp seeds, 30 chia seeds
