We are all familiar with the importance of eating our 5-A-Day, and it’s vital for us all to try to achieve eating at least 5 portions of vegetables and fruits every day. Additional research suggests that the overall variety of plants in our diets is also key to provide our bodies with the goodness they need to function at their best
Products packed with Plant Points
The well-known Amercian Gut Project study found that people who ate at least 30 different plants per week had a greater diversity of “good bacteria” in their guts, compared to those who consumed fewer than 10 different plants. It’s these “good bacteria” which have been linked to influencing many aspects of our health, and this is reason why it is now recommended to consume at least 30 different plants each week, in addition to achieving your 5-A-Day. Plant Points reflect plant diversity and aiming to eat 30 Plant Points each week equates to consuming at least 30 different plants.
What are Plant Points?
Compared to 5-A-Day, the concept of Plant Points doesn’t factor for portion size, which is why it’s so important to still aim for your 5 x 80g (or equivalent) portions a day too. Plant Points also have a greater focus on variety, and account for foods besides vegetables, fruits and beans, such as wholegrains, nuts and seeds. These varied plants all provide different nutritional benefits. Eating a more plant-focused diet is not only great for the planet but is also an easy way to make meals and snacks more tasty, colourful and exciting! Look out for the below icon for recipes packed with Plant Points.
How to Eat More Plants
There are many different types of edible plants which can broadly be divided into 6 main categories.
- Vegetables e.g. green peas, sweetcorn, carrots, broccoli
- Fruits e.g. apples, bananas, oranges, mangos
- Wholegrains e.g. brown rice, oats, wholegrain bread, quinoa
- Pulses and legumes e.g. kidney beans, chickpeas, green lentils
- Nuts and seeds e.g. almonds, cashews, chia seeds, flax seeds
- Herbs and spices e.g. chilli, garlic, basil, parsley
Each different variety of plant counts as 1 Plant Point, except for herbs and spices which count as ¼ Plant Point. Veg stock counts as ½ Plant Point, and extra virgin olive oil, garlic, tea, and coffee all count as ¼ Plant Point too. However, refined plant foods including fruit juices and non-wholegrains (e.g. white pasta, white rice or white bread), don’t count as tend to have less fibre and fewer nutrients compared to their whole food equivalents.
Fun Fact!
Even different coloured varieties of the same vegetable or fruit count as an additional Plant Point. For example, eating red and green peppers count as two different Plant Points, as these provide a slightly different mixture of nutrients and other goodies.
As an example, our Steamfresh Green Medley provides 5 Plant Points. 1 point each for green beans, peas, broccoli, and mangetout, and a ¼ point each for the chives, garlic powder, thyme, and black pepper.
Our Steamfresh Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni with Veg & Pesto also provides 7 ¾ Plant Points. 1 point each for spinach, courgette, onion, peas, yellow pepper, and tomatoes, a ½ point for veg stock, plus a ¼ point each for basil, spices, extra virgin olive oil, white pepper, and garlic.
How to Eat More Plants
Consuming 30 different plants each week may seem daunting, but making gradual changes and simple swaps can make a big difference to the quality of your diet. You don’t have to eat 30 different plants all in one day to meet your target, you can slowly build up your Plant Points by mixing up your meals and snacks over the week.
Remember, creating a colourful plant-packed plate is a simple way to ensure you are providing your body with a wide array of vitamins, minerals and fibres. The more plants the better, even if you are not meeting 30 each week at first.
How to Eat More Plants
Always keeping your freezer stocked with frozen veg is another hassle-free tip to add extra Plant Points to any meal without the worry of food going to waste. For an extra pop of colour, why not try adding a handful of Garden Peas to your usual stir-fry or curry? Or, for a tasty midweek meal ready in minutes, try our Steamfresh Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni with Veg & Pesto – packed with over 7 plant points!
To make it easy-peasy to track your Plant Points, here at Birds Eye we have created our very own logo to signpost the number of plant points in all our veg and Steamfresh products on their product pages. If you are still lacking inspiration, check out our delicious plant-packed recipes here.
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