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Why the Trendy “30 Plants a Week” Diet Might Not Be As Good As You Think — And Which Surprising Foods Count (Yes — chocolate is one of them)

In recent years, the “eat 30 different plant foods per week” guideline has gained popularity, based on data from the American Gut Project and other gut-microbiome studies showing that people who consumed 30 or more plant-types weekly had greater microbial diversity than those eating fewer. (The Guardian) Sounds great, but there are a few reasons why this trendy goal might not be as magical as it sounds.

What are the issues?
First, the 30-plant rule is really about variety rather than a strict threshold. While more variety tends to help gut health, the official dietary target in many places remains the “5-a-day” fruit & veg guideline, which is still backed by large-scale disease-prevention research (e.g., for cancer). (Saga)
Second, accessibility and affordability matter: achieving 30 distinct plant foods each week can be expensive, require storage and cooking time, and may unintentionally widen health-inequality gaps. (Healthy Food Guide)
Third, the rule might give a false sense of “mission accomplished” when in fact overall diet quality — nutrient adequacy, moderation of ultra-processed foods, and not just variety — still matters. As one review notes: a “plant-based diet” is only healthy if the plants are minimally processed and part of a balanced diet. (eufic.org)
Finally, some people (especially with digestive issues) may find high fibre or new plant foods problematic — variety is good, but individual tolerance varies. (The Guardian)

So what’s a smarter approach?
Rather than stressing exact counts, focus on: eating a wide array of minimally-processed plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains), ensuring enough key nutrients (iron, B12, omega-3s if reducing animal products) and balancing with realistic cooking and budget habits.

And here’s the fun part — surprising foods do count toward your plant tally.
Yes — even dark chocolate (with high cocoa content) qualifies. The company behind the “30 plants” messaging (ZOE) notes that minimally-processed dark chocolate (≥70% cocoa) counts as a plant food because it contains fibre and polyphenols that feed beneficial gut bacteria. (Zoe) Additionally, dark chocolate has documented health benefits (e.g., antioxidant properties, heart-health effects) when consumed in moderation. (Healthline) Similarly, coffee beans, herbs, spices, whole-grains and nuts may each add to your variety-count. (Zoe)

In summary:
The “30 plants a week” goal is a useful nudge toward diversity and fibre-rich eating, but it’s not a magic number. It doesn’t replace the fundamentals of good nutrition (quality, moderation, nutrient sufficiency), nor does it mean you must stress about reaching exactly 30. And yes — you can treat yourself with a piece of dark chocolate and count it as a plant food (just don’t use that as license for over-indulgence!).