Our approach to nutrition
Plant points: 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 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.
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+ points
Herbs + spices =
1/4 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, 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 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:
Balanced
blood sugar
Improved
immune function
Enhanced
brain health
Hormone
regulation
Vitamin
production
A happy
gut
Putting it into practice:
How to calculate
plant points
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
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
