For years, Brits have been encouraged to consume five portions of fruit and veg a day as a golden rule for health. The belief is that these five servings will supply all the essential vitamins and nutrients required for a healthy lifestyle. However, you might have noticed a shift in this message, with a new goal emerging - consuming 30 different plants each week.
If you thought five portions of fruit and veg daily was challenging, then the idea of 30 different plants weekly may seem somewhat intimidating. But there is a silver lining. This new target does not just include fruits and vegetables, but also whole grains like oats and brown rice, legumes such as lentils and beans, plus nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.
The concept is that a more diverse diet increases your chances of getting all the nutrients you need. This also means some unexpected items make the list, including coffee, and dark chocolate with 70 per cent or more cocoa solids, as they are technically derived from seeds. Tofu, made from soya, also counts.
Eating the same food twice doesn't count, but eating the same food in a different colour does. So, red and green peppers would be considered two separate foods. Chomping down on five portions of fruit and veg a day is still an excellent target for good health, but the 30 plants a week goal is championed by none other than Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London and ZOE's scientific co-founder.
He reckons that a varied diet packed wit.
