How To Get Your 30 Plant Points A Week
Article by Jessica Noon
Plant-based, wholefoods, plant points; these are all phrases you may have heard being used recently, but why?
There is a plethora of reasons to increase your intake of plant-based foods. Some may wish to progress from a more animal-based diet towards a more plant-based approach due to the greater environmental sustainability however, there are also a range of health impacts. Research has highlighted that an increase in plant consumption is associated with the followed health benefits, and these are just a few of many.
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Improved gut health
Improved skin health
Better weight management
Better control of blood pressure
Research has suggested that we should be aiming for 30 plant points a week but let’s consider how easy is it to actually achieve this number.
So, why 30?
First off let us consider the number 30. It may seem random and a little daunting for some, however, this number actually stems from the historic ‘5-a-day,’ which may seem more manageable. However, aiming for 30 plant points has the added bonus of incorporating not only fruit and vegetables but wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds as well. This may make reaching 30 plant points a week seem a little bit easier that you may think.
Now let's consider what a plant point is and where we find them. A plant point is earned from each different variety of plant that is consumed across a week. As previously mentioned, these include not only fruits and vegetables but also seeds and nuts, legumes and pulses, wholegrains and even herbs and spices. The below diagram may help you to consider some examples and their plant point value.
What is so special about plants?
Western-style diets, which is the type that most of us follow in the UK, are characterised by high intake of saturated fat, animal protein, and salt most likely from a range of ultra-processed foods and refined carbohydrates. Western-style diets can contribute to the development of a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancers and diabetes.
In comparison, plant-based diets are generally characterised by a higher intake of wholegrains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits and a lower intake of salt, animal protein and saturated fats. Plant-based diets are generally nutrient dense, meaning they contain a range of vitamins and minerals, as well as being high in fibre. These are the attributes of plants that contribute to the previously mentioned health benefits.
Getting started with plants
The key to eating more plant-based foods is by thinking about variety, so here are two questions to get you to start thinking.
What plants can I add to this meal?
How much variety is there in this meal?
Sometimes it can take a little time to get to grips with adding more plants into your day so here are some easy ideas to get you started.
Mixed seeds – These make a great breakfast and salad topper and could get you pushing that plant score up by 4 or 5 points.
Frozen mixed berries – Once again you could add these to your breakfast, add them to a smoothie or even top a yoghurt with them for a great snack.
Mixed beans – These are store cupboard saviours which make great addition to salads or chilli.
Mix up your salad greens by combining rocket, spinach and lettuce and that's 3 points right there.
Mixed nuts - A great snack for on the move or you could even use them to top a yoghurt for a snack or breakfast.
Soup – Soup provides so many options for mixing up your plant intake. You could make a blended soup and throw in any veg you wanted or even make a chunky soup and add some beans and pulses to really drive up those plant points.
Smoothies - These are a great way of getting in your plant points with the ability to add whatever fresh, frozen or dried fruit and vegetables you want, and you could even add some nuts or seeds for that extra boost.
If you want to branch out a little more and start building plant-based meals, try out the 1, 2, 3 guide. When building a meal, add 1 wholegrain, 2 nuts or seeds and 3 fruits or vegetables. For example, at breakfast this could mean a bowl of porridge with chai seeds and hemp seeds, topped with raspberries, banana and blackberries. Another example for dinner would be a bulgur wheat salad with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, tomatoes, rocket and cucumber.
Things to consider
So, what may we want to consider before reaching for these 30 plant points?
By adding in a variety of plant foods, we are also adding in more fibre which in turn will provide our excited gut microbes with more food. This may lead to an increase in gas production and some temporary digestive discomfort whilst the body adapts. In order to minimise this discomfort whilst the body adapts, here are some simple tips.
Slow and steady - Try not to add in too many new plant foods at once, start by adding one and go from there.
Chew well and sit up straight - Chewing your food completely and sitting with your back straight helps to aid digestion.
Hydrate well - Staying well hydrated will boost digestion and minimise bloating.
Move to motivate – A bit of gentle stretching or physical activity will help to strengthen digestive muscles helping with digestion.
So, in summary, eating more plants than you normally do, starting with some small steps, such as simply adding a handful of seeds or an additional portion of veg, is a great start and as you can see, with the wide variety of foods included in a plant-based diet, adding in some plant-based extras may be more exciting and easier than you think.
This blog post was written by Jessica Noon @noontrition, a master’s Dietetics student at Manchester Metropolitan University. Jessica holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from The University of Sheffield and a postgraduate certificate in human nutrition from The University of Chester. Jessica has particular research interests in the areas of intuitive eating and gut health. Personally, Jessica loves to run and bake.
References:
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(2) Fulgoni, V. L., Brauchla, M., Fleige, L., and Chu, Y., 2020. Association of whole-grain and dietary fiber intake with cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents, Nutrition and Health, 26(3), pp. 243–251
(3) Herpich, C., Müller-Werdan, U., Norman, K., 2022. Role of plant-based diets in promoting health and longevity, Maturitas, 165, pp 47-51.
(4) Satija, A., Malik, V., Rimm, E.B., Sacks, F., Willett, W., and Hu, F.B., 2019. Changes in intake of plant-based diets and weight change: results from 3 prospective cohort studies, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 110(3), pp. 574–582.
(5) Vivien, W.F., Charoenwoodhipong, P., Sivamani, R.K., Holt, R.R., Keen, C.L., and Hackman, R.M., 2022. Plant-Based Foods for Skin Health: A Narrative Review, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 122(3), pp. 614-629.