what are plant varieties?

UNLOCK THE POWER OF PLANT DIVERSITY

Plant points: UNLOCK THE POWER OF PLANT DIVERSITY

Our approach to nutrition

Thirty is the new five. Upping your plant count to hit 30 a week is easier than you think and research* suggests it can improve your gut health, immune system and mood.

First things first,

What is a plant variety?

Plant varieties is a simple way to tally plant ingredients as you work towards 30 a week. And it’s not just fruit and veg that count - a plant ingredient is defined as any variety of plant, so anything that is grown naturally! This includes seeds, nuts, herbs, spices, grains, pulses, fruit and veg - ingredients we use in abundance in our meals.

Thirty is the new five. Upping your plant count to hit 30 a week is easier than you think and research* suggests it can improve your gut health, immune system and mood.

First things first,

What is a plant point?

Plant points is a simple way to tally plant ingredients as you work towards 30 a week. And it’s not just fruit and veg that count - a plant ingredient is defined as any variety of plant, so anything that is grown naturally! This includes seeds, nuts, herbs, spices, grains, pulses, fruit and veg - ingredients we use in abundance in our meals.

Grains + pulses =
1 point

Weekly total to aim for = 30+ PLANT VARIETIES

Herbs + spices =
1/4 point

how do ingredients tally?

It’s pretty simple to quickly add up your plant varieties for a meal - each type of plant on your plate contributes one plant variety, with herbs, spices, tea and coffee also adding 1/4 point each. The goal is variety over quantity, so a bigger serving of one plant is still just one point, but two varieties (such as brown rice and wild rice) counts as 2 points.

Fruit + veg =
1 point

Nuts + seeds =
1 point

how do ingredients tally?

It’s pretty simple to quickly add up your plant points for a meal - each type of plant on your plate contributes one plant point, with herbs, spices, garlic, tea and coffee also adding 1/4 point each. The goal is variety over quantity, so a bigger serving of one plant is still just one point, but two varieties (such as brown rice and wild rice) counts as 2 points.

Fruit + veg =
1 point

Grains + pulses =
1 point

Nuts + seeds =
1 point

Herbs + spices =
1/4 point

Weekly total to aim for = 30+ points

Why plant varieties?

It’s all in the name of gut health! Sure, the classic 5-a-day is a good start, but to truly support your gut's 40 trillion microbes, variety is a must! That's why experts recommend the magic number: 30 different plants weekly.  But where did this number come from? Research from the American Gut Project and British Gut Project reveals that those eating 30+ different plants a week had more diverse gut microbiomes than those with less variety in their diets.  


THE HEALTH BENEFITS:

By nurturing your gut with a variety of plant foods, you're setting your body up to truly feel its best, and work at its best. This can then lead to: 

 

Balanced
blood sugar

Improved
immune function

Enhanced
brain health

 

Hormone
regulation

Vitamin
production

A happy
gut

Putting it into practice:

How to calculate
plant varieties

We calculate plant varieties for all of our meals, and include it as a key goal when developing our recipes. Here’s a quick breakdown of how we count:

MEZZE HOUMOUS + RAINBOW VEG GRAIN BOWL - WHAT COUNTS?

1 point:
Quinoa, chickpeas, nigella seeds, red chilli, garlic, tahini, roasted sweet potato, pickled cabbage, green chilli, cucumber + rocket

¼ point:
Paprika, black pepper, coriander, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, cayenne pepper, parsley + cumin

0 points:
Sea salt, rapeseed oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar + cornflour

Why plant points?

It’s all in the name of gut health! Sure, the classic 5-a-day is a good start, but to truly support your gut's 40 trillion microbes, variety is a must! That's why experts like Professor Tim Spector recommend the magic number: 30 different plants weekly.  But where did this number come from? Research from the American Gut Project and British Gut Project reveals that those eating 30+ different plants a week had more diverse gut microbiomes than those with less variety in their diets.  


THE HEALTH BENEFITS:

By nurturing your gut with a variety of plant foods, you're setting your body up to truly feel its best, and work at its best. This can then lead to: 

 

Enhanced
brain health

Improved
immune function

Balanced
blood sugar

How to calculate
plant points

Putting it into practice:

Vitamin
production

Hormone
regulation

A happy
gut

We calculate plant points for all of our meals, and include it as a key goal when developing our recipes. Here’s a quick breakdown of how we count:

SAAG ALOO POTATO PIE - WHAT COUNTS?

1 point:
Potato, Chopped Tomatoes, Chickpeas, Onion, Green Lentils, Spinach, Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilli

¼ point:
Coriander, Nigella Seeds, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Ground Cumin, Black Pepper, Pimento, Cardamom, Clove, Bay Leaves, Cassia, Nutmeg, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek Leaves, Asafoetida

0 points:
Coconut Oil, Coconut Milk, Salt, Stock cube, Cornflour

Interested in more resources on plant points?

We’ve got you covered!

Interested in more resources on
plant points?

We’ve got you covered!