Why eating 30 plants per week could transform your health - and how to try it this Veganuary

As January begins, it often brings a sense of fresh starts and new intentions, sometimes accompanied by both external and internal pressure to be more productive. While we’re still very much in the heart of winter, and we encourage living in tune with the seasons as much as possible, this quieter post-festive period can be a good time to gently refocus on supporting your health and wellbeing.

Winter is naturally a season for rest, recuperation, and slowing down. Yet for many, January becomes a time of restriction, swapping warm, nourishing meals for salads and smoothies, and pushing through cold morning runs in an effort to “undo” any festive indulgence.

But is January really the right time for this approach? Instead, what if we reframed the idea of a “reset”? Rather than focusing on restriction or punishment, 2026 could be about self-care and adding in nourishing habits, rather than taking things away. One simple place to start could be increasing the amount of whole foods in your diet. A great way to do this is to aim to include 30 different plant foods each week. When we say 30 plant foods a week, this may sound like a lot – but did you know this includes herbs, spices, fruits, veggies, wholegrains, fermented foods such as kimchi, nuts, and seeds too?

You may have heard of Veganuary, which is a month where people commit to eating a plant-based or vegan diet throughout January. Now we know that a whole-food plant-focused diet naturally contains a variety of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fibre, which have multiple health-promoting effects, from cholesterol and weight management to digestive function and microbial balance. Veganuary has grown in popularity over the years, making it a great month to focus on filling your plate with an abundance and variety of fruits and veggies, beans and pulses, healthy wholegrains, and essential fats.

We all know we should be eating more whole foods and veggies, but do you know why?

Plant foods are high in micronutrients and bioactive compounds;

• They provide great levels of essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, E, K, and folate

• They're rich in essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and manganese

• They also contain a wide range of phytonutrients and bioactive compounds that support cellular health, including:

  • Carotenoids such as lycopene and lutein are found in veggies such as carrots, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes

  • Glucosinolates, found predominantly in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower

  • Sulphur-rich foods found in allium veggies such as garlic and onions

  • Phytoestrogens such as soy and flaxseeds

Polyphenols are of particular interest as of late, with research highlighting their ability to help support blood sugar levels, immune function, inflammation, bone health, and more. Polyphenols naturally act as prebiotics, supporting beneficial gut bacteria and maintaining the integrity of the gut lining. These compounds can be found in a wide range of plant foods, so focus on incorporating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables into every meal, alongside a source of healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado), to increase their absorption.

High in fibre

Fibre supports digestive and metabolic health through multiple mechanisms. Fibre helps to delay stomach emptying and glucose absorption to support blood sugar management and satiety, which can positively impact energy intake and body composition. Fibre can be classified into insoluble fibre, which adds bulk to stool and promotes regular bowel movements, and soluble fibre, which helps regulate blood sugar levels, enhances satiety, and is fermented by gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that further support gut and metabolic health.

These SCFAs, including butyrate, propionate, and acetate, play a protective role by reducing inflammation, supporting the gut-brain axis, and strengthening the immune system, with butyrate specifically being beneficial for intestinal integrity.

The gut is home to trillions of bacteria, each with different preferences for specific plant fibres and polyphenols. Because no single food feeds all microbes, consuming a wide variety of plant foods is essential for supporting a balanced microbiome, and by enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria, you also help to limit the proliferation of less favourable species..

Metabolic health

Metabolic health describes the body’s ability to effectively regulate blood glucose, lipid metabolism, inflammatory processes, cardiovascular function, and maintain a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables, due to their high fibre and water content, promote satiety, slow gastric emptying, and support stable blood sugar regulation. In addition, they provide a wide range of micronutrients and bioactive compounds that help reduce chronic low-grade inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and support vascular health, all of which are central to long-term metabolic resilience.

Hormonal balance

As mentioned, fibre is essential for good bowel regularity, and this elimination pathway is vital in effective detoxification. Certain veggies known as cruciferous vegetables contain special compounds that have a higher affinity for supporting these detoxification pathways and overall liver function. This is important in reducing the body's toxic load, but also has hormonal balancing effects by supporting the excretion of used hormones such as oestrogen.

The gut–brain axis

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication network connecting the gastrointestinal tract with the central nervous system. Plant foods play a key role in supporting this system, as the fibre they provide is fermented by gut microbes to produce SCFAs, which in turn influence neurotransmission. Gut microbes are involved in the synthesis and regulation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and dopamine, and so looking after your gut can have a profound effect on your emotional well-being and mood.

Research highlights

Including more whole foods, especially vegetables, in your quest to achieve ’30 a week’ is the focus here, as not all veggie-focused food is created equal; unhealthy, high sugar processed food is still processed and no better for you just because it is dairy or gluten-free. A growing body of research consistently shows that plant-forward eating patterns are associated with better health outcomes, with one study of over 77,000 participants finding that healthy plant-based diets were linked to reduced all-cause mortalityⁱ.

An analysis of 48 reviews and meta-analyses found that healthy plant-based dietary patterns were consistently associated with improved health across multiple cancer and cardiovascular-related risk factors. Overall, plant-based diets were found to be associated with more favourable cholesterol profiles, better blood glucose control, lower body mass index, and reduced levels of inflammation compared to omnivorous diets. Individuals following plant-based diets also demonstrated a lower risk of both cancer and cardiovascular disease, along with reduced mortality from cardiovascular causesⁱⁱ.

Dietary patterns are a key determinant of type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk and development, with the consumption of processed foods, including added sugar and processed meat, increasing the risk, and the consumption of plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, reducing the risk. This latter way of eating resembles a healthy diet rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fibre, which, as mentioned, can have a beneficial impact on inflammation, satiety, and glycemic responseⁱⁱⁱ.

A 32-year prospective cohort study of young adults found that those following a plant-centered diet had a 52% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. This is consistent with previous research, showing that vegetarians had lower levels of hypertension, obesity, and T2D.

Environmentally, evidence indicates that higher consumption of predominantly plant-based food is linked to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced land and water use, and less biodiversity loss, deforestation, and ecosystem degradation compared with conventional meat and dairy-based diets ^v,vi .

Typical Western diets high in fat, sugar, and ultra-processed foods have been reported to increase the risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. In one study, participants following a healthy plant-based diet reported improvements in their overall mental health, including reduced levels of anxiety and depression, as well as healthier eating behaviours. Those following a processed plant-based diet, however, reported more negative mood symptoms overall, highlighting that food quality really does make a difference ^vii .

As the research suggests, what you eat matters for your mental, physical, and emotional health. Why not start adding more plants to your meals daily, and begin to aim for that 30 per week?

Our tips to help you get on your way to 30 plant foods a week:

• Concentrate on adding in whole foods
• Base meals on minimally processed plant foods, add more vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds to meals
• Experiment with baking, frying, boiling, and stewing veggies in different ways, rather than sticking to one cooking method
• Focus on what to include rather than what to cut out
• Aim for a variety of different plant foods – try one new veggie and fruit per week
• Add herbs and spices to dishes to increase your ’30 a week’ count
• Add a tablespoon of seeds or a handful of nuts to your morning breakfast
• Batch cook or batch prep nutrient-rich foods for when short on time
• Utilise frozen veggies and fruits – they are just as nutritious and perfect for quick meals
• Limit more processed vegan alternatives to the occasional treat
• Experiment with making your own sauces and dressings at home
• Blend veggies into sauces, curries, pesto, and soups
• When adding in more fibre, be mindful of doing this gradually; going from a low fibre diet to a high fibre diet is a transition you want to make slowly, as increasing this too quickly can lead to digestive upset
• Experiment with flavours and textures
• Use herbs, spices, garlic, and onions to flavour dishes
• Try new cuisines (Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian)
• Have a bank of recipes or quick go-to meals to make consistency easier
• Keep meals balanced and aim for:
• Fibre (vegetables, whole grains)
• Protein (legumes, tofu, seeds)
• Healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado)
• Include protein-rich plants
• Include lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, butter beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame
• Don’t forget some wholegrains are more protein-rich than others, including quinoa and buckwheat
• Get creative with swaps – try making your own at-home wraps with chickpea (gram) flour, opting for higher protein red lentil pasta, or adding in nutritional yeast to any dish, as this contains 8g of protein per 2ablespoons!
• Make your own protein-rich bars or flapjacks by adding in nuts and seeds, gram or lentil flour, or a plant-based protein powder
• Include Hemp seeds, which have 10g of protein per 3 tablespoons!
• Focus on key nutrients
• Consider Vitamin B12 supplements if going fully plant-based
• Increase omega-3s (flaxseed, chia, walnuts, or an omega-3 algae oil)
• Key nutrients such as iron, iodine, calcium, and zinc can fall short in many diets. With today’s food often providing fewer nutrients than it once did, choosing a high-quality multivitamin can help support optimal overall health.

Conclusion

Healthy plant-based diets inherently promote greater dietary plant diversity, which is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of overall health. By emphasising a wide range of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, plant-focused eating provides diverse fibres and bioactive compounds that support gut microbiome diversity and function. Increased microbial diversity is associated with improved digestive efficiency, reduced systemic inflammation, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and better cardiometabolic outcomes. In addition, the high micronutrient density and phytochemical content of plant foods contribute to vascular health, immune regulation, and long-term disease risk reduction, making plant-based dietary patterns a strong foundation for overall health.

References

[i] 1.Yuan F, Wen W, Shu XO, et al. Plant-based diets and mortality in Black and low-income Americans: Findings from a large prospective cohort study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online April 11, 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.004

[ii] Capodici A, Mocciaro G, Gori D, et al. Cardiovascular health and cancer risk associated with plant based diets: An umbrella review. PloS one. 2024;19(5):e0300711-e0300711. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0300711

[iii] . Chen Z, Zuurmond MG, van der Schaft N, et al. Plant versus animal based diets and insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: the Rotterdam Study. European Journal of Epidemiology. 2018;33(9):883-893. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-018-0414-8

[iv] Choi Y, Larson N, Steffen LM, et al. Plant‐Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease During Young to Middle Adulthood. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2021;10(16). doi:https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.120.020718

[v] Scarborough P, Clark M, Cobiac L, et al. Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nature Food. 2023;4(7):565-574. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00795-w

[vi] Ángela Alcalá-Santiago, Ángela Alcalá-Santiago, Ángela Alcalá-Santiago, et al. Nutrient adequacy and environmental foot-print of Mediterranean, pesco-, ovo-lacto-, and vegan menus: a modelling study. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025;12. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1681512

[vii] Lee AG, Vargas SB, Ali JM, et al. Exploring Plant-Based Diets and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Cureus. Published online August 11, 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.89846