How to Break Out of the Produce Rut and Increase Plant Diversity
Photo by Blair Horton
“All disease begins in the gut” said the Ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, nearly 2500 years ago. But the opposite is equally true - all health begins in the gut. I’m sure you’re aware that the gut is the place where our food gets digested and absorbed. But that’s not all! Not even close. Your health of your gut also plays a role in the health of your immune system, metabolism, hormones, brain, mood, skin, sleep, genes and more.
For optimal health, we want to foster a healthy gut microbiome (i.e. the trillions of organisms – bacteria, viruses, fungi and more – that live within us). While there are many diet and lifestyle strategies that can help you improve your gut health, research from The American Gut Project, a 2018 study of more than 15,000 microbiome samples from more than 11,000 human participants across 45 countries, revealed that the most powerful determinant of a healthy gut microbiome is….the diversity of plants in your diet.
Diversity in the plant foods you eat is associated with greater microbial diversity, which is a key aspect of a healthy gut microbiome. Different plants contain a variety of different types of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which provide a fuel source to beneficial microbes and protect the gut from damage and inflammation. In addition to the powerful impact increasing plant foods has on your gut microbiome, people who eat lots of plant foods tend to have lower rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and other chronic health conditions.
How to increase the diversity of plants in your diet
Eat the rainbow
Make your plate colorful! Including a variety of brightly colored plant foods in your meals will provide you with a good dose of phytonutrients, the components of plants that create those colors and are powerful defenders of health. Phytonutrients in food come in all different colors— red, orange, yellow, green, blue-purple-black, and white-tan-brown. Aim to get at least one serving of each color every day! You can increase phytonutrient intake and plant diversity by including a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, olives, herbs, spices, teas, etc. in your diet.
Red foods: kidney beans, beets, cherries, goji berries, pomegranate, radicchio, radishes, hibiscus tea
Orange foods: apricots, cantaloupe, papaya, pumpkin, turmeric, sweet potatoes
Yellow foods: corn, lemon, millet, pineapple, summer squash, pears
Green foods: asparagus, celery, leafy greens, lime, avocado, artichokes, nettle tea
Blue/Purple/Black foods: berries, cabbage, eggplant, figs, olives, plums, black rice, coffee
White/Tan/Brown foods: mushrooms, nuts, seeds, garlic, jicama, ginger, potatoes
Try one new plant food each week
Pick a new fruit or vegetable to purchase each week at the grocery store or the farmer’s market. Try something that looks fresh and in season. If you’ve never had it before, simply bring your new fruit or veggie home and Google “best way to cook X.” Make it a fun experiment!
Mix it up
The reality is that most of us eat the same 5-10 veggies every week. We get in a “produce rut,” buying the same groceries and making the same meals over and over. Break out of the produce rut and increase plant diversity by mixing it up! Here are some ideas:
If you always put spinach in your smoothie, rotate it with parsley, cilantro, kale, chard, collard greens, bok choy, or dandelion greens
If romaine lettuce is always the base of your salads, rotate it with red leaf lettuce, arugula, radicchio, endive, or watercress
If broccoli is your go-to dinner veggie, rotate it with cauliflower, brussels sprouts, romanesco, cabbage, or radishes
If roasted sweet potatoes are your starchy veg of choice, rotate it with winter squash, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, carrots, or beets
If an apple is your afternoon snack, rotate it pears, oranges, pomegranates, cherries, kiwi, mango, or berries
If almonds are always in your desk drawer, swap them for cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, or Baruka nuts
If brown rice is your go-to grain, rotate it with wild rice, red rice, black rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, or amaranth
Recipe Inspiration
Here are some recipes to get you started with plant foods you may be less familiar with: