23/04/2026
How many different types of plants should you be eating each week for your gut microbiome?
Research has found that the best levels of gut microbiome diversity and highest levels of healthy gut bacteria come from consuming over 30 different types of plants/veggies/fruit each week. People consuming less than 10 had much less microbe variance and lower levels overall. Different plants contain different fibres, prebiotics and phytonutrients that all support different types of gut bugs- so variation is key!
I quote this study a lot when discussing gut health with my patients! It’s so easy to get into the habit of having the same foods every day. An apple and a banana as your fruit. Broccoli, carrot and potato with dinner. The same simple salad at lunch. This may only get you to 10-12 different plants in a week which is not enough!
Consuming different plants every day of the week is key. Here are some ways to do it-
- aim for 2-3 different fruits each day. Vary between all that is in season and available, so rather than buying 6 apples for the week buy 2 red apples, 2 green apples (different colours of the same plant counts!), 2 plums, 2 banana, 2 mandarins, 2 oranges, 2 kiwi etc etc and split them up over the week.
- For your veggies, aim for different ones every day. If you have green beans, zucchini and broccolini one day, then the next aim for roasted pumpkin, sweet potato, potato and carrot the next, and a salad with mixed lettuce leaves (lettuce, rocket, baby spinach) with red and yellow tomatoes, cucumber, green and red capsicum. You get the idea!
- beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds count too!
- so does herbs, onion and garlic.
It’s easier than you think when you adjust to food shopping in a way that means you get small serves of lots of things!
How many plants do you think you have been consuming in a week?
