The Importance of a Diverse Diet

Did you know that humans use only ~200 of the 300,000 known edible plant species, and that 75% of the world’s meat supply comes from just 5 animal species? This lack of diet diversity is alarming.

Different foods contain different bacteria, so it’s important to incorporate variety into your diet regularly, and to avoid excluding too many foods when dieting. Why?

You may have heard of the phrase ‘gut microbiome’, which is becoming a popular topic of conversation. This refers to the diversity of your gastrointestinal bacteria, the ecosystem in your stomach. Research has shown that the more diverse your GI bacteria, the better your body is equipped to heal itself and resist illness. Further, studies have also shown that a high diversity of bacteria in the gut helps to maintain a healthy weight.

Here’s an easy way to start adding new foods to your meals: the next time you’re at the grocery store or farmer’s market, try to find some produce you haven’t had before and pick one to add to that week’s meals. If you have kids, you can make it a game and let them each choose one item per week. This is a fun way to get them excited about trying new foods!

We also encourage eating foods that are in season, so you know they are at the peak of freshness. Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables that are in season right now.

Enjoy!