You’ve no doubt heard of your 5-a-day, but when it comes to gut health, that’s old news. Say hello to a whole new points system: plant points.

Reaching 30 plant points each week has been touted by top nutritionists from around the world for good reason. And while 30 is no magic number, think of plant points as a simple system to track the variety of plants in your diet, not just quantity. And trust us, variety is what your gut craves.

Why plant points?

There are trillions of bacteria living in your gut. These little guys, known as your microbiome, are a community of different species, and each one feeds on distinct things. The more different types of plants you eat, the more helpful and healthy your gut bacteria become. That means better digestion, stronger immunity, better mood, and sharper thinking… you get the point. 

What counts as a plant point?

The system sounds complicated, but fortunately for us, the Gut health doctor has devised a way to tally up the range of your plant points across the week that is simple. There are six main plant groups to consider:

— Vegetables
— Fruit
— Whole grains
— Legumes (beans + pulses)
— Nuts and seeds
— Herbs and spices

Each plant counts as 1 point, while herbs and spices (plus coffee, tea, or extra-virgin olive oil) count as ¼ point. 

Different varieties count, ie a red apple and a green apple count 2 points. 

Fresh, frozen, dried or canned all count. However, anything plants in refined foods like white bread or apple juice is a nil points.
 

Easy ways to boost your plant points

Here’s how to rack up your score without overthinking it:

Blend is your friend
Smoothies = plant point gold. Leafy greens, berries, plant-based yoghurt, and seed mixes. That’s 5–6 points in a single glass.

Eat the rainbow
Stir-fries, big salads, grain bowls, these are all great go-tos for mixing in loads of veg. Try broccoli, pak choi, peppers, aubergine, and carrots in one go, and don’t forget to cash in on multi-seed/nutty toppers.

Go big on beans
Throw chickpeas, lentils or black beans into stews, curries or even pasta. Tinned or dry, they’re fibre-packed and count as 1 point each.

Here’s the tea
Herbal teas like ginger or peppermint? That’s a cheeky quarter point with every brew. Add some lemon or a dash of spice and you can ramp it up even more. 

Snack clever
Fruit and nut combos are ideal. A few almonds, dates, nut butters, apples or a plum and you turned a snack into multiple points.

Cook with the good stuff
Garlic, ginger, turmeric - add these bits to whatever you’re cooking up and your gut will thank you.