How Many Plants Should I Eat Each Week?

Science Says

ICYMI, eating plants is good for people and the planet. By leaning into foods like beans, nuts, legumes and whole grains, we can reduce our carbon footprint. Studies show that eating five cups of fruits + veggies every day is linked with both physical and mental health benefits. But what about variety? Will sticking to your tried-and-true produce on the daily do the trick?

Eating any type of plant food is better than having none at all, but dietary diversity is key to maintaining good health. It’s important to mix up your routine because a more diverse diet means more diverse nutrients on your plate. So, just how diverse are we talking here?

Research from The American Gut Project (now part of The Microsetta Initiative) holds at least one possible answer. The findings show that people who ate 30 different types of plant foods a week came out on top in certain measures of health.

As part of a larger study on gut health, scientists analyzed gut bacteria from about 1,600 people living in the United States and compared that data with what people reported they ate. Results showed people who said they ate more than 30 different types of plants each week had more favorable indicators of gut health compared with people who said they ate ten or fewer plants a week.

The 30-plants-a-week group had:

More diverse gut bacteria
Fewer antibiotic resistance genes
Greater production of helpful fatty acids from bacteria in the gut

…All very good things.

It makes sense that eating a variety of plant foods does right by the gut. Since different plants offer different nutrients that feed gut bacteria (think dietary fibers and resistant starches), having a wide mix of these foods helps support a healthier, more diverse microbial community.

These findings are important because gut health doesn’t just mean good digestion. Though the science is still fairly new, we’re learning that the bacteria in our guts (aka your microbiome) can affect many other aspects of health. Your gut can impact everything from mental health to heart health to kidney health—it all comes back to the gut. It’s important to treat it well.

A Few Caveats

Would we say that 30 plants a week is the end-all be-all for good health? Not necessarily. Does it still make a solid, achievable goal for most people? Abso-freakin-lutely. Here’s why…

This study isn’t perfect. For starters, the research was conducted with a small group of people, around 1,600, deemed “citizen scientists” – meaning they’re just like us. While 1,600 isn’t a large sample to begin with, some of the specific analyses researchers looked at involved just a couple hundred of those folks. On top of that, the data was self-submitted and self-reported, meaning there is room for error, and the participants themselves weren’t the most diverse bunch. The results could be biased and/or not apply to everyone.

Plus, this study just looked at a few markers of gut health. We know gut health is important for other aspects of health and disease prevention, but we can’t say for sure that 30 plants a week will do it all, all the time.

The Challenge: Eat 30 Types of Plants a Week

Given what we know, do we think 30 plants a week is still a great goal? 100%. Most people need more plants in their lives, and it’s so easy to get in a rut of eating the same fruits + veggies week after week. Banana at breakfast, lettuce at lunch, snacking on apple, broccoli with dinner—does this sound familiar? Mix it up.

Eating 30 different types of plants a week is measurable and attainable, and having a specific goal to meet can help keep you on track.

So how can you get your whole 30 each week? Make a note every time you eat a different plant. Sure, you can eat cauliflower three times a week, but it only counts as one type of veggie. But if you mix it up with white, orange and purple cauliflower, you can put down three veggies. Different varieties offer different nutrients.

You can add fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains to your plant count for the week. Herbs and spices count too! Keep your count to whole or minimally processed foods. You want to eat plants you can recognize, not ultra-processed protein isolates and other alleged (read: lab-made) plant foods.

If you’re thinking 30 sounds like a lot of plants, rest easy. It’s simpler than it seems. With a little help from Daily Harvest, you can consume 30 plant foods in one day – for real. Peep this sample menu:

Incorporating a diverse array of plant-based foods into your daily meals is essential for optimal nutrition.

By incorporating these diverse, plant-based meals and snacks into your day, you can effortlessly enhance your nutrient intake and enjoy a variety of flavors and textures.

Is every single day going to look like this? Eh, probably not. There will be days you’ll have three slices of pizza for dinner without a veg in sight, and that’s okay.

As long as you have plants on your plate most of the time, aim to eat five cups of fruits + veggies most days, and mix up your plant rotation for the most part, you’ve got this. Because, balance people.

Now you know how to get in 30 a day, so you can definitely do it in a week.
With Daily Harvest in your corner, you can crush your plant-based goals for the long haul.

Important Notes: Unless otherwise noted, nutrition information is sourced from USDA FoodData Central and reflects the reference amount customarily consumed. These are standardized servings and not necessarily the amount present in the highlighted Daily Harvest recipes. Nutrition information for Daily Harvest products can be found on packages and under "Nutrition Facts" for each product at "daily-harvest.com". Vitamin and mineral functions are sourced from Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.