Supporting a healthy gut
February is gut health month and the ideal time to start taking steps to healthier and happier insides! It is known that the health of your gut can influence how you feel physically and mentally, and we can support a healthy gut by eating a variety of plant foods which include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and even herbs.
To support your gut health try including 30 different plant foods per week (that’s just 4 to 5 different plant foods a day!). Check out the table above from Dietitian Connection (1) to tick off the plant foods you and your family eat each week!
We also know how important it is as adults and parents to role model healthy eating habits to children. So, as parents and educators by eating with children and encouraging them also to try new plant foods can be helpful in creating a supportive healthy environment for children.
Ways to increase the variety of plant foods you eat:
Try a new fruit and vegetable each week (frozen or canned varieties count too!)
Try a new whole grain product each week. For example, a new bread or cereal. Check out my post on ‘How to identify a whole grain product’ to help choose core whole grain, high fibre foods.
Add herbs to your cooking to add new flavours
Use tinned legumes in soups, salads and stews
Try swapping meat for tofu, beans, chickpeas or lentils once or twice a week
Add a sprinkle of mixed seeds or nuts to your breakfast cereal or yoghurt
Reference:
Dietitian Connection. Gut Health Month. February 2025. Aim for 30+ plants each week | Dietitian Connection