How to Eat 24 Different Plants a Week (Without Being Perfect About It)

When I recently did my Tiny Health gut test, I had to fill in a questionnaire that was also asking about dietary habits.

I really loved this question: How many different plants do you eat in a week?

I ask my clients about vegetable intake all the time. But this is even better: Because you can eat vegetables every day and still eat the same ones over and over again.

And when it comes to supporting a healthy gut microbiome, variety matters.

Different plants provide different fibres, polyphenols, antioxidants and nutrients. Different gut microbes thrive on different foods. The more diversity we can offer our microbiome, the more resilient and balanced it tends to become. And as you know, in perimenopause this gets even more important.

So I counted and was really pleased when I realized that I reached 24 different plants in a week.

Especially because I'm currently eating in a way that isn't exactly textbook gut health.

At the moment, I still follow a relatively low-histamine approach. Fermented foods that are considered the gold standard for gut health, simply don't work well for me right now. They tend to trigger bloating and constipation rather than supporting my digestion.

And I think that's an important reminder:

Gut health isn't about following someone else's perfect protocol. It's about finding what works for your body while gently expanding variety where you can.

Here’s how I add more plant diversity to my week:

1. I sneak vegetables into everything I bake (savory or sweet)

My breakfast cakes always contain vegetables:

• One day it will be carrot cake with goji berries.

• The other day I’ll have a vegan version with pumpkin during autumn and winter, or zucchini during the summer months.

• Then I rotate the fruit depending on the season and what I feel like:

  • Blueberries

  • Raspberries

  • Strawberries

  • Apricots

I also have a slice of cauliflower bread for breakfast and lunch.

Without much effort, breakfast already contributes to several different plants.

2. Herbal spreads

Pesto doesn't have to be just basil. Each week, I blend a mixture of herbs using frozen chopped herbs that I keep on hand.

I often combine:

• Basil

• Parsley

• Chives

Sometimes I'll also add chlorella.

It's an easy way to increase variety without changing the flavour of meals too much.

3. I eat my greens on repeat - but not the same greens

I usually have salad with breakfast and lunch, but I rotate what goes into it.

That might include:

• Mixed salad leaves

• Rocket (arugula)

• Fresh coriander (cilantro)

• Seasonal herbs

For lunch I also vary the toppings:

• Kiwi

• Grapefruit

• Tomatoes

• Apricots

• Pickled beetroot

• In winter it’ll be root veggies 

• Avocado

The combinations change with the seasons and with what I'm craving.

4. I prepare colourful extras ahead of time

Every couple of weeks, I make a beetroot salad that I pickle and keep in the fridge.

It makes lunches more interesting and adds another colour to my plate without extra work during the week.

I also love using sprouts when I have them available. Tiny ingredients can still contribute to diversity.

5. Dinner is where most of the variety happens

For dinner, I usually aim for at least three different vegetables on my plate.

In summer, that might include:

• Zucchini

• Eggplant

• Bell peppers

• Fennel

• Kohlrabi

Throughout the year, I rotate vegetables such as:

• Green beans

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Chicory

• Red cabbage

• White cabbage

• Swiss chard

• Beet tops

• Spinach

• Parsnips & turnips

• Squashes

I try to "eat the rainbow" throughout the day rather than focus on a single superfood. The different colours reflect different beneficial plant compounds.

❤️ Red Foods

Support: Heart & circulatory health

Key compounds: Lycopene, anthocyanins, vitamin C

Benefits: Support nitric oxide production, antioxidant protection, healthy blood vessels

🧡 Orange Foods

Support: Skin, eyes & cell integrity

Key compounds: Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin

Benefits: Support healthy cell membranes, vision, immune function, antioxidant defence

💛 Yellow Foods

Support: Digestion & gut health

Key compounds: Flavonoids, vitamin C, digestive enzymes, prebiotic fibers

💚 Green Foods

Support: Detoxification

Key compounds: Chlorophyll, glucosinolates, folate, sulforaphane

Chlorophyll & glucosinolates Support detoxification and healthy hormone metabolism.

This is especially relevant for women in perimenopause, as glucosinolates from cruciferous vegetables support the body's natural detoxification pathways involved in estrogen metabolism.

💜 Blue & Purple Foods

Support: Brain & cognitive health

Key compounds: Anthocyanins, resveratrol, flavonoids

Benefits: Support memory, cognitive function and healthy ageing

6. I adapt recipes to what my body tolerates

One of my current favourites is a celery root "hummus."

Traditional hummus isn't working for me at the moment because I'm struggling with pulses and beans.

Using frozen celery root purée makes this recipe incredibly easy, and it gives me another vegetable to include regularly.

(If you'd like to try it yourself, you'll find the recipe in my cookbook and on my blog.)

7. I cook once, eat twice or more often

One habit that has helped me enormously is cooking larger batches.

I usually prepare two meals at a time and freeze the rest.

Later in the week, I can simply add a few extra vegetables - perhaps some broccoli or green beans - to create a slightly different meal.

It saves time, reduces stress and makes eating a variety of plants much more realistic.

If you want some more guidance on recipes and how to incorporate more plants into your diet, consider investing in my Hormone & Blood Sugar Balancing Cookbook

8. I don't strive for perfection

I've recently rediscovered cucumber (after years of avoiding it because I disliked it). I realized that what was making me dislike cucumbers were the seeds, so I remove them. 

The point is this:

You don't need to eat exotic ingredients, expensive powders or perfectly curated salads to support your microbiome.

You don't need to tolerate fermented foods.

You don't have to hit 30 plants in a week.

You simply need to start noticing where you can add a little more variety.

One extra herb.

A different leafy green.

A new seasonal vegetable.

A handful of berries.

Over time, those small changes add up.

Supporting your microbiome isn't about perfection. It's about curiosity, flexibility and feeding your body a little more diversity than you did yesterday.

So now I'm curious: How many different plants do you think you're eating in a week?

You might surprise yourself.

Your homework for this week: try one vegetable you don’t know/never tried