Health-conscious consumers love a good food trend, and the latest iteration is proving particularly popular. But what is the ‘30 plants a week’ trend and what innovation opportunities does it create for food and beverage?
What is the 30 plants a week trend?
Championed by everyone from UK celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall, to gut-health expert Tim Spector, the 30 plants a week trend is the trend of eating, yes you’ve guessed it, 30 plants per week.
These can include:
- Fruits
- Vegetable
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Grains
- Herbs
- Spices
However, there is one very important rule to be followed – it must be 30 different plants per week. In other words, 30 carrots won’t do!
For many consumers, it can seem a lot, which explains why it’s also referred to as the ’30-plant challenge'.
But advocates have been quick to defend its achievability.
“30 plants a week is definitely achievable if you take the necessary steps,” says Edward Mather, head nutritionist at read meal brand, FuelHub. “Each plant food counts as one plant. This includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.”
“Vegetables come in all shapes, sizes, and colours,” adds Paul Jones, of gut-health brand Zoe. “30 plants can include different types of root vegetables, salad leaves, cruciferous veggies – also called brassicas – and alliums, like onions, garlic, and chives.”
Though supporters of the 30 plants a week plan do acknowledge that some consumers face financial challenges when it comes to adopting the diet.
“There are some potential barriers for people in lower socioeconomic backgrounds, such as the cost of fresh produce and lack of access to diverse foods,” says FuelHub’s Mather.
Although he maintains that it is still achievable.
“Focusing on affordable staples like legumes, frozen vegetables and whole grains will ensure a high plant intake without breaking the bank,” says Mather. “Utilising herbs and spices is another cost-effective way to increase plant-based foods.”
What are the benefits of eating 30 plants a week?
“We know from years of research that consuming a diverse range of plant-based foods improves many markers of health,” says Mather.
However, it appears there are particular benefits to eating a minimum of 30 plants per week. Research from the American Gut Project has found that people who eat more than 30 different plant foods each week have a more diverse gut microbiome, compared to people who consumed less than 10.
Furthermore, consuming 30 plants per week will provide a wide variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
What are phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are natural chemicals or compounds produced by plants. They keep plants healthy, protecting them from insects and the sun.
Phytonutrients also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help support a healthy human body.
There are thousands of phytonutrients found in plants and related foods. Some of the most common phytonutrients include carotenoids, ellagic acid, resveratrol, flavonoids, phytoestrogens and glucosinolates.
Europeans not eating enough fruits and vegetables
A report, published by the European Fresh Produce Association, Freshfel Europe, has found that consumers in the majority of EU nations are failing to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) minimum recommended daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. In fact, figures show that just six of the 27 EU member states are meeting the minimum recommended intake of 400g of fresh fruits and vegetables, per person, per day, with the current average sitting at just 350g.
There are multiple reasons cited for this, but the big hitters were cost and convenience.
And while FuelHub’s Mather offered solutions to the cost issue, the convenience of prepared foods is harder to overcome. In actual fact, as consumption of fresh produce is in decline across Europe, the convenience food market is valued at $111bn and growing at a CAGR of 5.29% (Statista).
What NPD opportunities does this create for F&B?
The 30 plants a week trend/challenge, is a big opportunity for food and beverage manufacturers to support consumers in eating a healthy and varied diet by creating new products to support it.
And it’s a great time for the industry to be focussing innovation on healthier foods, as the global health and wellness market is now worth an estimated $6.8tn. What’s more, that figure is projected to reach $9.0tn by 2028 (Statista).
“Over the past few years the healthy foods movement has pushed companies to come out with products that are gluten free, organic, preservative-free and much more,” says Donald Snyder, partner at investment advisory firm, HLB.
So, how can industry get involved with this latest trend? From ready meals to smoothies, cereal bars to protein shakes, food and beverage brands could offer products that help consumers hit their 30 plants a week.
Not only would this tap into the popular and growing 30-plants trend, it would also appeal to the growing number of consumers seeking convenience.
