Why the trendy 30 plants a week diet might NOT be as good as you’ve been led to think… and the surprising foods that count (yes, chocolate is one!)

The nutritional advice is given by respected health experts, who claim it will boost digestion, the immune system and even brain health.

But cramming 30 different ‘plants’ into your breakfast, lunch and dinner every week isn’t the holy grail you’ve been led to believe.

So say dietitians, who have warned that it is essentially a glorified version of the five-a-day advice that has been trumpeted for decades.

Others warn that following the 30-plant challenge can become so overconsuming that disciples forget to eat enough of the essential nutrients that are not found in plants at all, or only in small amounts.

The concept, which is now all over TikTok, was initially promoted by Professor Tim Spector, a world-renowned gut health expert based at King’s College London.

Although this sounds intimidating, Professor Spector insists this is not the case, as in addition to fruit and vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grains such as brown rice, oats and whole wheat flour also count.

He authored a 2018 study involving more than 10,000 people in the UK, US and Australia, who shared detailed information about their eating habits.

Intriguing results showed that participants who ate at least 30 different plants each week were more likely to have ‘good’ gut bacteria – species thought to ward off infections and fight disease.

Furthermore, their microbiome – the term for the trillions of insects living inside us – was more diverse and therefore healthier compared to people who ate just ten.

According to Professor Spector’s ZOE platform, a diverse microbiome has been linked to increasing the body’s ability to break down food, boosting the immune system, improving brain function and even lowering the risk of cancer.

Although this sounds intimidating, Professor Spector insists this is not the case, as in addition to fruit and vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grains such as brown rice, oats and whole wheat flour also count.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and large baked potato with skin on

Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower fat and lower sugar options

Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish every week, one of which should be oily)

Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell guide

Even coffee, dark chocolate and air-popped popcorn can be included in the total, as long as they don’t contain too much salt or butter.

And count different colors. Eating red, yellow and green peppers count as three plants because they have different micronutrients and thus have health benefits, according to the diet’s logic.

Fellow gut health expert Dr Megan Rossi, another leading figure in the sector, has also praised the target, labeling it as enriching and inclusive.

The 30 Plant Challenge is a popular approach not only among health fanatics, but also on social media.

TikTok is flooded with wellness influencers preaching that the approach is the answer to gut health and sharing their supermarket purchases and meal plans that fit the bill.

However, other experts warn that there is not enough reliable evidence to support this trend A “difficult” goal that “sets people up for failure” and is just an overcomplicated version of five-day advice.

Others say there is no definitive number of plants we should eat.

‘There is obviously no reason not to do it, but as far as I know there is no reliable evidence behind the claim that you should eat so many different plants,’ says Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a food scientist at the University of Reading.

‘The recommendation is already to eat a wide range of different fruits and vegetables, so the “30 different ones a week” just tries to add some to that in some ways (and largely matches the 5 recommendation per day) .

“I don’t think it will do any harm, but I doubt it will be any more beneficial than fewer different types of plant foods per day.”

There are many ‘bioactive compounds’ in plants – and there is strong evidence that some of these have beneficial effects on health, explains Professor Kuhnle.

For example, flavanols found in apples, berries, plums and dark chocolate are thought to help protect the heart and boost memory.

But he emphasizes that there isn’t enough data on how much an individual needs and which combination improves a person’s health.

He fears that the challenge of 30 plants a week will make healthy eating too complicated for many.

“Most people struggle to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day – adding an extra layer of complexity can be difficult,” he said.

‘Making the task more difficult (30 different ones per week instead of simply five per day) can set people up to fail and possibly give up altogether.’

A video posted by @glutenfreeemma, who has 5,107 followers on TikTok, shows her counting the fruits, vegetables and other plants she eats throughout the day. Keeping track of the plants she has eaten, @glutenfreeemma lists the ingredients of her lunch and dinner

TikTok creator @livewithjamielee records salad making and keeps track of the number of new plants added to each meal. This video from @livewithjamielee shows their meal preparation

He suggests that buying and eating 30 different plants a week could also cause “issues with accessibility, affordability and possibly taste.”

However, Professor Kuhnle said the challenge is unlikely to have any “adverse effects”, apart from the risk of eating disorders from following a rigid dietary recommendation.

‘If people focus on different types of fresh fruit and vegetables, this can be quite expensive and difficult to incorporate into your diet, and make it very difficult to eat an overall balanced diet,’ says Dr Duane Mellor, dietitian at Aston University in Birmingham.

That’s not to say that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables isn’t beneficial.

Eating a wide variety of foods increases the variety of compounds, nutrients and fiber that feed the bacteria and other microbes that keep the gut microbiome healthy, Dr. Mellor said.

London-based nutritionist Kim Pearson said packing fruit and vegetables into meals has been linked a reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

But she emphasizes that it is important to eat a varied diet, and not just fruits and vegetables.

‘Consuming a diet focused solely on vegetables can lead to nutrient deficiencies,’ says Ms Pearson.

‘Vegetables alone will not provide all essential nutrients in optimal amounts.

‘While vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet for most people, they are not the only part.’