In my never-ending quest to help others and myself eat healthier, I recently came across a new concept based on an old principle: Variety is the spice of life.
My source is that noted medical journal, the AARP magazine. It offers reliable, practical and evidence-based suggestions on many health issues for all ages.
One came from the American Gut Project. The question is “Over the past week, did I eat at least 30 different plants?” This includes every type of plant, any kinds of vegetables, grains, fruits or nuts.
I counted my V-8 juice as eight veggies. The 12-grain bread is 12. A pot of chili with beans, tomatoes, onions and peppers is four.
Why does this matter?
The variety of your diet ensures you’re getting the appropriate levels and mix of micronutrients and macronutrients for optimal health. Fiber, vitamins, trace minerals, prebiotics, probiotics and calories are supplied by the right mix of carbohydrates, protein and fats that make for a yummy and healthy diet.
The main benefit, however, may be that such a varied diet fosters a more complex microbiome. This term refers to the gut bacteria that we now know affect so many health issues from our immunity to our moods. More plants equal more healthy bacteria in your gut.
The fact is, most folks don’t eat the recommended 5 to 12 servings of vegetables and fruits a day, so maybe looking over the week’s tally is an easier task. And kind of fun, too.
I did this “count to 30” thing and found even with my health-conscious diet, it requires some significant choosing to get to that number. Does white and red wine count as one fruit or two? Dave’s Killer Seed bread with multiple grains? My usual salad gets me a lot of veggies: several kinds of lettuce and greens, radishes, cucumbers, broccolini, orange cauliflower, nuts and blueberries.
Try this week to see if you can get to this number of 30.
Unfortunately, many folks in our community and elsewhere have limited access to such a variety of plant-based foods. They might have food insecurity, live in a food desert or not be able to afford, store and cook perishables. This is why programs like St. Vincent’s Food for Thought, community gardens like Seeding Galveston and services like Meals on Wheels are so essential to health and well-being. Support these programs whenever and wherever you can.
Another kind of food count is knowing which are lowest in pesticides and other environmental contaminants.
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