Why Eating 30 Different Plants a Week Is a Game-Changer for Your Gut Health, Weight-Loss, and How to Get There

I often hear people say, “Eating healthy feels overwhelming.” But here’s a simple, powerful idea that can transform your health without turning your life upside down: aim for at least 30 different plants a week.

It might sound like a challenge, or even expensive, but it’s actually easier and more enjoyable than you’d expect. Eating a wide variety of 30 plants a week helps build a balanced and thriving gut microbiome—which plays a major role in supporting your immune system, boosting energy, regulating hormones, lifting your mood, and improving overall health.

Why Aim for 30 Different Plants? The Science Behind It

Your gut is home to trillions of microbes, each thriving on different types of plant foods. The more variety you provide, the more diverse and resilient your gut microbiome becomes.

The idea that eating a wide variety of plants benefits your gut health comes from groundbreaking research, starting with the American Gut Project, launched in 2014. This large-scale, crowdsourced study collected data from over 10,000 participants worldwide to better understand the gut microbiome and its connection to diet and health. The project highlighted a strong link between dietary diversity—especially plant diversity—and a more varied and resilient gut microbiome.

Building on these broad findings, a more focused study published in 2019 by Johnson and colleagues explored exactly how many different plants people eat each week. They discovered that individuals who consumed at least 30 plants a week had significantly more diverse gut bacteria than those eating fewer than 10. This study helped quantify a practical target and reinforced the powerful role plant variety plays in gut and overall health.

Together, these studies provide strong scientific backing for the simple but impactful goal: eat at least 30 different plants every week to support a thriving gut microbiome and boost your wellbeing.

What Counts as a Plant Point?

To keep it simple and actionable, many health professionals—including myself—use a system to count the number of different plants you eat each week, often called a “plant variety” or “plant diversity” count. The goal? At least 30 unique plants per week.

These come from six key groups, called the Plant Power Six:

Vegetables (e.g. kale, carrots, broccoli)
Fruits (e.g. berries, apples, oranges)
Whole grains (e.g. quinoa, oats, barley)
Legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas)
Nuts & seeds (e.g. almonds, chia, flaxseed)
Herbs & spices (e.g. turmeric, basil, cinnamon)

A few things to keep in mind:

Different colours or types count separately (e.g., red apple and green apple each count as one variety).
Herbs, spices, plus foods like extra virgin olive oil, tea, coffee, and garlic count as about ¼ of a variety each, since they’re usually consumed in smaller amounts but still provide beneficial compounds.
Fresh, frozen, dried, and canned versions all count—just choose those without added sugars or salts.
Highly processed or refined plant foods—like fruit juices or white grains—don’t count toward your plant variety goal. Focus on whole,minimally processed foods for the most benefit.
When you’re starting out, focus on increasing the number of different plants you eat rather than stressing about portion sizes. You can fine-tune portions later once you’ve built variety.

Different colours or types count separately (e.g., red apple and green apple each count as one variety).
Herbs, spices, plus foods like extra virgin olive oil, tea, coffee, and garlic count as about ¼ of a variety each, since they’re usually consumed in smaller amounts but still provide beneficial compounds.
Fresh, frozen, dried, and canned versions all count—just choose those without added sugars or salts.

Highly processed or refined plant foods—like fruit juices or white grains—don’t count toward your plant variety goal. Focus on whole,minimally processed foods for the most benefit.
When you’re starting out, focus on increasing the number of different plants you eat rather than stressing about portion sizes. You can fine-tune portions later once you’ve built variety.

How to Track Your Plant Variety

Keep it fun and simple! Over the week, note each new plant you eat. If you have spinach on Monday and kale on Wednesday, that’s two different plant varieties from the veggie group. Add pumpkin seeds to your salad and a sprinkle of cinnamon on your oatmeal, and that adds even more.

How Eating 30 Plants a Week Supports Your Gut Health and Weight-Loss

Eating a wide variety of plants—ideally 30 different types each week—isn’t about restriction; it’s about abundance. This plant diversity enriches your diet, fuels beneficial gut microbes, and supports overall health. Research shows that aiming to add more plant-based foods, rather than eliminating others, leads to more sustainable improvements in nutrition. Incorporating 30 plants a week can enhance digestion, strengthen immunity, and even support weight management, making it a practical and enjoyable goal for long-term wellness.

A balanced, diverse gut microbiome helps regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion—all key factors that can make weight loss easier and more sustainable. This approach helps you build better habits without feeling overwhelmed or deprived. Even simple swaps—like sprinkling fresh herbs on your meals or adding a handful of berries to your breakfast—can make a meaningful difference over time.

30 Plants a Week: Simple Next Steps to Add More Variety to Your Diet

If you want to support a healthy, resilient gut microbiome and improve your overall health, focusing on plant diversity is a smart, evidence-based approach. An added bonus? Many people find that as their gut health improves, weight loss often becomes easier and more effortless thanks to a more balanced and diverse microbiome.

If you’re not close to 30 yet, no worries—start small and build from there. Any progress in this area supports your microbiome. There’s no need to go from five to thirty overnight. Think of your gut like a muscle: it responds to consistent training and care. By gradually increasing the variety of plants you eat, you’re laying a strong foundation for long-term gut health and metabolic support.

Looking for simple ways to reach your 30-a-week goal? Think variety, not volume—and remember, it all counts: herbs, spices, seeds, even that sprinkle of cinnamon on your oatmeal.

So… how many plant points have we got here? 😄
This is how I load them up fast—rainbow carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, berries… every colour counts as a separate point!

Your turn…

Plant-Rich Recipes to Please Your Gut

Check out my gut-loving recipes packed with plant points — easy, colourful, and full of microbiome-friendly ingredients!

Baked cauliflower salad

Couscous with salsa verde

Chickpeas & Tomato Salad

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