Say hello to the power of
Plant Points
The new way to load up on goodness
30’s not a lot when you think about it over the course of a week. And it includes a whole range of plants – not just the typical fruit and veg we’ve been told to eat (cabbage on repeat? No thank you).
Yep, Plant Points are all about getting a variety of foods into your diet. So alongside your usual fruit and veg, you can count spices, herbs, nuts, grains and seeds. Basically, anything that’s natural and unprocessed. The reason this is so good for you is that eating more fibre-packed plants makes your gut happier. And when your gut is happier, it can lead to better immunity, brain function and blood sugar balance, bags more energy and less of the dreaded grogginess (note: very important).
Get this: different colours of the same ingredient count as separate points. So if you’ve got yellow and red peppers on your plate. Or orange and purple carrots. Each colour counts as 1 point. Nice.
Don’t worry, you won’t need to get a calculator out just yet. To help you count your Plant Points, we look at foods in three groups: whole foods, such as fruit, veg, seeds and wholegrains, which are worth 1 point. And herbs and spices, which are ¼ of a point.
To make things even easier, our latest ranges tell you exactly how many points you’ll be getting (and we’ll make sure any new products tell you, too – so watch this space). Take our Protein Veg Bites. Stack them on top of something delicious, such as edamame, rice, carrots and radishes, and you’ve not only got yourself a seriously great dish. But you’ll have smashed those points out the park.
No, really. Because a whole host of studies show that eating 30 different plants can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. It’s all about adding the goodness in rather than cutting stuff out.
Back in 2012, the American Gut Project found that eating 30 different plants per week boosts microbiota diversity (in plain English, adds lots of the good stuff to your gut to make it happy and healthy). As a result, they’ve seen obesity and diabetes prevented, as well as cravings curbed due to people being full and satisfied. All through the power of plants.
And they’re not the only ones to think this. Professor Tim Spector, an author, nutritional scientist and co-founder of the personalised nutrition company ZOE, is a firm believer in plants for gut health. Take a look at his top 5 tips for a healthier gut – and you’ll find that eating 30 plants a week is on his list.
Not convinced yet? Here are some more benefits.
