When most people hear the phrase “eat more plants,” they immediately think they need to become vegetarian, completely change the way they eat or eat all of the green veggies they don’t like. Eating more plants is much easier and tastes much better than you may think.
In recent years, nutrition experts and researchers have been paying closer attention to the benefits of plant diversity, meaning not just eating vegetables occasionally, but regularly including a wide variety of colorful plant foods throughout the week. Research around gut health continues to show that different plant foods help support a healthier and more diverse gut microbiome, which plays a role in digestion, immunity, energy, and overall wellness.
Many health experts now encourage aiming for around 30 different plant foods each week. That number may sound overwhelming at first, but it becomes much more realistic when you realize that fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains all count toward the total. A handful of blueberries counts. So do almonds, spinach, oats, black beans, chia seeds, cinnamon, and even fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro.
One reason plant diversity matters so much is because different plant foods contain different nutrients and compounds that support the body in unique ways. Colorful foods naturally contain phytonutrients, which are plant compounds linked to overall health and wellness. Nutrition expert Deanna Minich often emphasizes the importance of “eating the rainbow” because different colors in foods tend to provide different nutritional benefits.
For example, red foods like tomatoes and strawberries contain compounds linked to heart health. Orange foods like carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients that support vision and immune health. Green vegetables provide nutrients involved in detoxification and cellular health. Purple and blue foods like blueberries and purple cabbage contain antioxidants that help protect cells from stress.
Instead of focusing only on calories or cutting foods out, adding more colorful plants into meals can help naturally improve nutrition quality. The modern diet often lacks this variety. Many people rotate through the same few meals every week while relying heavily on processed convenience foods. Even when people try to eat healthy, meals can become repetitive and limited in diversity.
Adding more plants does not need to mean complex recipes or expensive ingredients. Simple additions can make a meaningful difference over time. Tossing berries into oatmeal, adding spinach to smoothies, sprinkling seeds on yogurt, including beans in salads, or trying a new vegetable each week are all easy ways to increase plant variety.
Smoothies can be one of the simplest ways to include more plant foods in a busy lifestyle. Ingredients like spinach, frozen berries, chia seeds, oats, almond butter, and even a plant chocolate protein powder can all contribute to better plant diversity while also supporting fullness and energy.
Plant based protein powders have also become increasingly popular because they can provide a convenient option for adding protein while incorporating ingredients from plant sources. For many people, combining protein with plant rich ingredients helps create snacks or meals that are more satisfying and balanced.
Scott's Protein Balls make plant diversity more achievable by including a minimum of eight different plant ingredients in every variety. That means one snack can contribute more than 25% toward the goal of 30 different plants each week. Ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, and cocoa, all count toward plant diversity while also adding flavor, texture, and nutritional variety.
One important thing to remember is that eating more plants does not require giving up foods you enjoy. Nutrition is not about strict rules or chasing perfection. Small consistent habits tend to create more sustainable results than extreme approaches.
Adding more variety can also make healthy eating more enjoyable. Different textures, flavors, and colors help meals feel less repetitive and more satisfying overall.
At the end of the day, eating more plants is really about supporting your body with a wider range of nutrients, fiber, and beneficial compounds. Even small increases in plant diversity can help improve overall nutrition quality over time.
Healthy eating does not need to be all or nothing. Sometimes the simplest step is just adding one more colorful plant food to your plate today than you had yesterday.
