Veg-anuary

The hyphen is important here..this is not another post about veganuary and starting your year by going vegan. Instead I’d like to share my support for the 30 Veg trend, which I think is a brilliant challenge. If you haven’t heard of it or aren’t sure how to do it, read on….

After the indulgences of the festive season, January is renowned for being a time when we all focus more on health and well being. But it’s also dark, chilly and many of us are still hunkering down for winter…and perhaps more in need of a little joy and comfort than diet and detox. For me, any efforts to prioritise my health at this time of year need to be based on happiness and abundance, rather than restriction.

We’ve all heard a lot about gut health recently. Gut health is the foundation of our overall health, influencing everything from digestion to immunity, mood, energy and sleep. Around 70% of your immune system is located in your gut, and 90% of the body’s ‘happy hormone’ serotonin (which regulates mood) is also produced there. Improving your gut health can have a huge effect that goes well beyond better digestion.

Fruit and vegetables are rich in prebiotic fibre, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut, helping them flourish. They are also full of polyphenols - these are antioxidants which promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and reduce inflammation.

We get different types of polyphenols and prebiotics from different types of fruit and vegetables, which is why it is important to eat as wide a variety of fruit and vegetables as you can. The most natural way to do this is to eat more seasonally. This also maximises their nutritional content, as well as encourages diversity of gut microbes to achieve a balanced and healthy microbiome.

The Challenge: eat 30 different plant-based foods a week.

In addition to fruit and vegetables, plant-based foods include: beans, lentils, chick peas, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and whole grains.

Why 30?

Evidence shows that people who eat 30 different plants a week tend to have a more diverse microbiome, and better gut and overall health, than those who eat 10 or less. So, why not give it a try? it’s easier than you think.