For the 30-plants-a-week goal, a “plant” is any different plant food: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Each type counts once per week, however often you eat it. Whole potatoes count too; highly processed foods like crisps and fries usually don't.
The 30-plants-a-week idea is simple: over seven days, try to eat 30 different plant foods. It isn’t about eating more, it’s about eating a wider range. A bowl of spinach three times counts as one plant; adding a handful of lentils, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and some parsley makes it four.
The six plant groups
Almost everything that counts falls into one of six groups. Thinking in groups makes it much easier to spot where the next new plant could come from.
- Vegetables: leafy greens, roots, onions, peppers, squash, mushrooms
- Fruit: fresh, frozen or dried (tomatoes and avocados are botanically fruit, but it doesn’t matter which group you put them in)
- Whole grains: oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta
- Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, edamame
- Nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, chia, flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame
- Herbs and spices: basil, parsley, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon
How to count
A few simple rules keep the count honest without turning it into homework:
- Each plant counts once a week. The tenth apple of the week doesn’t add to the total.
- Different varieties are up to you. Many people count red and green peppers, or red and white onions, separately. Pick a rule and stick with it.
- Herbs and spices are up to you. Some people count them as a quarter each because the portions are small. Others count every plant equally, which keeps things simple.
- Mixed foods count by their ingredients. A four-bean chilli can be four plants; a seed mix with four seeds can be four.
Grey areas
Some foods divide opinion. There’s no official rulebook, so here’s how people commonly handle them. In the end it’s your choice: in Veggie, you build your own plant catalogue, so you decide what counts.
- Potatoes: a whole potato counts as one plant, whether it’s baked, boiled, steamed or mashed. Highly processed versions such as fries and crisps usually don’t count. Try to eat the skin too, as that’s where much of the fibre is.
- Coffee, tea and dark chocolate: they come from plants, and some people count them.
- Refined and highly processed foods: white flour, white rice, juice, crisps and fries are usually left out, because most of the original plant has been removed or changed.
- Oils: olive oil and other oils are usually not counted, since they’re extracted fats rather than whole foods.
Where the idea comes from
The number 30 comes from the American Gut Project, a large citizen-science study published in 2018. Its researchers compared participants by how many different plant types they reported eating each week. Since then, “30 plants a week” has become a popular, easy-to-remember way to add more variety to everyday meals.
Making it easy to keep count
Counting 30 different plants in your head gets tricky by Wednesday. You can keep a list on paper or in your notes app, or use a tracker built for it. Veggie lets you add the plants you eat to your own catalogue, log them again in a tap, and adds up your different plants for the week automatically.
This guide is for general information only and isn’t medical or nutritional advice. If you have a health condition, food allergies or specific dietary needs, speak to a qualified professional before changing your diet.
Frequently asked questions
Does the same plant count twice if I eat it on different days?
No. The goal is about variety, so each plant counts once per week. Spinach on Monday and again on Thursday is still one plant.
Do frozen, tinned and dried plants count?
Yes. Frozen peas, tinned chickpeas and dried apricots are the same plants in a different form, and they're an easy, affordable way to add variety.
Do potatoes count as a plant?
Yes, when you eat them as a whole food. Baked, boiled, steamed or mashed potatoes count as one plant. Highly processed versions such as fries, crisps and potato chips usually don't. Keeping the skin on is a good habit, as that's where much of the potato's fibre is.
Do herbs and spices count as a full plant?
It depends on who you ask. Some people count herbs and spices as a quarter each because the portions are small. Others count every plant equally to keep things simple, which is how Veggie counts them.
Does coffee or tea count?
Coffee beans and tea leaves are plants, and some people count them. How strict you want to be is your choice. Consistency matters more than the exact rule.
Do white bread, white rice or juice count?
Most people following the 30-plant idea count whole plant foods and leave out heavily refined ones such as white flour, white rice and fruit juice, because most of the original plant has been removed.
Where does the number 30 come from?
It comes from the American Gut Project, a large citizen-science study published in 2018 that compared people by how many different plant types they reported eating each week.