Have you heard of Plantmaxxing?
In the health and wellness space, plantmaxxing refers to maximizing the variety of plant-based foods in your daily diet. Rather than following strict, restrictive eating rules, the goal is to add as many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, spices and herbs as possible to support gut health and overall nutrition.
Plantmaxxing your diet—the practice of maximizing the variety and quantity of plant-based foods you eat—offers profound benefits for your microbiome, digestion, and systemic health. Rather than restricting foods, this approach focuses on dietary abundance by crowding in diverse fibre sources.
The major evidence-based benefits of plantmaxxing your diet include:
Superior Gut Microbiome Diversity
Eating a massive variety of plants is the single best way to build a resilient gut. The landmark American Gut Project discovered that individuals who ate more than 30 different types of plant foods per week had significantly more diverse gut microbiomes than those who ate fewer than 10. A diverse microbiome is directly linked to better digestion, a stronger immune system, and improved metabolic health.
Enhanced Production of Postbiotics and Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Postbiotics are the health-promoting metabolic by products (like short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, and peptides) left behind when friendly gut bacteria (probiotics) digest and break down fibre (prebiotics)
Every plant contains different types of prebiotic fibres (prebiotics are fibres that aren't digestible by your body but can help good bacteria grow in your gut) and polyphenols (Polyphenols are beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help combat oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, and support heart and brain health), each plant feeds specific beneficial gut bacteria. When these bacteria ferment the diverse fibres, they produce Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate. SCFAs are critical because they:
Strengthen and maintain the gut barrier lining, preventing "leaky gut."
Regulate systemic inflammation.
Help regulate appetite and blood sugar levels.
Lower Chronic Inflammation
Plants are also packed with phytochemicals and antioxidants (such as flavonoids and carotenoids) that neutralize oxidative stress. Plantmaxxing introduces a broad spectrum of these compounds, which systematically lowers markers of chronic inflammation like C-reactive protein (CRP). This systemic reduction reduces the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and cellular damage.
Optimized Micronutrient and Phytonutrient Intake
By "eating the rainbow" to maximize plant types, you naturally cover your nutritional bases without needing heavy supplementation. Different plant colours indicate different protective compounds (e.g., lycopene in red tomatoes, anthocyanins in blue and purple berries). Maximizing variety ensures your body receives a comprehensive matrix of vitamins, minerals, and co-factors that support everything from skin health to cellular repair.
How to Calculate Your "Plant Points"
To get the full benefits, aim for 30+ unique plants a week. You can track your variety using this standard point system:
1 Full Point: Each unique fruit, vegetable, whole grain, legume (beans, lentils), nut, and seed.
0.5 Points: Each unique herb, spice, garlic clove, or high-quality coffee/tea blend.
Note: Eating 2 red apples counts as 1 point, but eating a red apple and a pear counts as 2 points. Each variety of apple has different compounds, so two different varieties also counts as 2.
Ideas to help you Plantmaxx:
Buy a packet of mixed seeds. I have a jar of them on my kitchen counter. Sprinkle them on salads, put them in smoothies, sprinkle them over curries, even soups.
Buy mixed nuts rather than a single variety. Chop them up, then sprinkle on your cereal or curry. I create my own nut butter and then I use a dollop of this instead of a shop bought peanut butter. When a recipe calls for peanut butter I use my homemade nut butter, it can have between 6 and 7 nuts in it. Jump to recipe
Read my article about blinging up your food in more detail here
Instead of buying 5 oranges, 4 apples and 5 bananas for the week. Mix it up. Buy 3 different types of oranges, buy some pears and less apples. Buy 3 bananas and treat yourself to a mango or pineapple.
Eat the rainbow The aim is to get all the colours of the rainbow in your week or even your day.
Here are two rainbows to try:
Option 1: Tomato, Yellow Pepper, raspberries, broccoli, oranges, beetroot, blueberries
Option 2: Ruby Kiwi, Yellow Star Fruit, Green Romanesco Cauliflower, Purple carrots, Orange Beetroot, Blackberries, Pink GrapefruThis is not necessarily about revamping your menus, it’s about adding a few more ingredients to each meal.
If you suffer from constipation, please increase your plant intake slowly as additional fibre can also add to your constipation. Fibre absorbs water, so adding fluid alongside your fibre increase can reduce the risk of constipation. Also consider that diversity is the key to begin with, especially if you struggle with your gut. A teaspoon of ground mixed seeds gives an amazing diversity, as does adding more spice and herbs, without putting too much fibre in to start.
Would you like help to implement plantmaxxing into your day? As a qualified Nutritional Therapist I guide my clients into improving their food choices which can also help to improve their health and wellbeing. Click below for more info.
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