1MarthaJeanne
I was reading about the idea that for good intestinal microflora you should eat 30 different plants a week.
So I started to see how well I do. While thinking about it, I nibbled a cooky. Hmm, both wheat and oats, various dried fruits, and dark chocolate counts, too. So do herbs and spices. So my cooky probably counts as about 8.
I'm making chicken stew, with onion, chickpeas, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, potato, tomato, bayleaf, long pepper, and I intend adding parsley, and a few other herbs. So at least 11 there. Lets see, I had a banana with breakfast. (No coffee or tea, but they would count, too.) Oh yes, I finished off some apple, poppyseed cake. Means I'm over 20 today without trying. Last night's supper included peas and bell peppers (Different colours each count.)
Now I'm trying to figure out where the researchers found people who ate fewer than 10 different plants a week.
So I started to see how well I do. While thinking about it, I nibbled a cooky. Hmm, both wheat and oats, various dried fruits, and dark chocolate counts, too. So do herbs and spices. So my cooky probably counts as about 8.
I'm making chicken stew, with onion, chickpeas, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, potato, tomato, bayleaf, long pepper, and I intend adding parsley, and a few other herbs. So at least 11 there. Lets see, I had a banana with breakfast. (No coffee or tea, but they would count, too.) Oh yes, I finished off some apple, poppyseed cake. Means I'm over 20 today without trying. Last night's supper included peas and bell peppers (Different colours each count.)
Now I'm trying to figure out where the researchers found people who ate fewer than 10 different plants a week.
22wonderY
Gee. Based on the ingredient lists, my pork barbecue sandwich has 7 identifiable plants in the bbq sauce, 4 in the bun, and I garnished with cucumber and daikon radish.
I don’t trust this metric alone.
I don’t trust this metric alone.
3MrsLee
I've had 14 this morning with my smoothie, coffee and pear. There are people who overload on the highly processed grains, sugar and oils, but rarely if ever eat raw vegetables. The form of the plant makes a difference to your gut flora.
4tardis
I do eat a lot of fruit and veg, but 30 different ones a week? Depends on time of year. Right now (early spring):
Fresh/frozen/raw: Mango, pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, avocado, kiwi, lettuce, bananas, grapes, oranges.
Cooked: potatoes, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, peas, onions, garlic
Grains: rice, wheat, plus whatever's in the gluten free flour I make for younger son's benefit.
Dried: apricots, raisins, cranberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Miscellaneous: tea, olive oil
Yeah, I guess 30 is doable in a week. Some weeks I get figs, olives, etc. I make a lot of preserves, so there could be pickles, pears, peaches, and assorted odd jams and jellies, although I think the sugar content of some of those might negate any benefits LOL. Same with chocolate, which I almost always have in the house.
I agree with >2 2wonderY: and >3 MrsLee:. The FORM that the plants come in matters. Orange marmalade includes oranges, but I doubt it's value to a healthy gut flora equals that of a fresh orange.
Fresh/frozen/raw: Mango, pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, avocado, kiwi, lettuce, bananas, grapes, oranges.
Cooked: potatoes, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, peas, onions, garlic
Grains: rice, wheat, plus whatever's in the gluten free flour I make for younger son's benefit.
Dried: apricots, raisins, cranberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Miscellaneous: tea, olive oil
Yeah, I guess 30 is doable in a week. Some weeks I get figs, olives, etc. I make a lot of preserves, so there could be pickles, pears, peaches, and assorted odd jams and jellies, although I think the sugar content of some of those might negate any benefits LOL. Same with chocolate, which I almost always have in the house.
I agree with >2 2wonderY: and >3 MrsLee:. The FORM that the plants come in matters. Orange marmalade includes oranges, but I doubt it's value to a healthy gut flora equals that of a fresh orange.
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