Vince has been doing a lot of research on healthy eating and a while back he came across this list and an article about eating 30 different foods each week. Before we started really paying attention, we were mostly eating at least 30 items on this list per week. According to Vince, who has read the material, if you eat broccoli twice a week, that doesn’t count as two plants because it’s the diversity that we need.
I’m guessing that most of us would say 30 plant foods per week … NO WAY . . but when you stop and “take inventory” of what you eat, you may be surprised. I would say it’s a rare week that we don’t eat at least the following:
- Barley – we eat this several mornings per week for breakfast
- Whole Wheat
- Spelt
- Rye
- Kamut
- Corn/Hominy
- Basil – We’re eating pesto probably twice a week with all the basil from the garden
- Walnuts – In most of the pesto I make
- Garlic
- Turmeric – We’re eating fresh several times a week
- Apple
- Avocado
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Dates
- Grapes
- Orange
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Watermelon (when in season)
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Spinach
- Sweet Potato
- White Potato
- Black Beans
- Cannellini Beans
- Garbanzo Beans
- Lentils
- Pinto Beans
- Peas
- Almonds
- Brazil Nuts
- Cashews
- Chia
- Pecans
- Sunflower
That’s way more than 30 without trying. We don’t always eat things like watermelon and cantaloupe – mostly just when they’re in season but where we really rack up the plant food is on the beans and nuts.
I thought it was interesting that, in the beginning, I thought we would never be able to eat 30 foods from this list each week but, so long as we’re paying attention, we can do it.
This morning I sprinkled chia seeds and flax seed meal on my omelette, along with sweet potato “coins” as suggested by a reader. There were peppers in the omelette – probably not enough to qualify as a serving but we’ll have more during the week and over seven days, it will add up to at least one serving. For a snack, I had three dates, two Brazil nuts (which I eat most every day), an apple, an orange. Even not counting lunch (chicken strips & fries out with Chad, Nicole and Addie), I had 9 servings from the list today.
I have friends who eat fast food every day – mostly all they eat . . so maybe they aren’t getting 30 servings but I think most of us who are trying to eat healthy (stop laughing — chicken strips and fries are NOT healthy – I know!) shouldn’t have any trouble meeting the 30 foods per week goal.