Overview

• Analysis of 2016–17 UK diet data published in Clinical Nutrition linked consumption of roughly 11 distinct plant foods per day to higher HDL cholesterol and lower HbA1C levels
• UK adults consume a median of eight different plant types daily, falling short of the variety associated with optimal cardiometabolic markers and beyond the existing five-a-day fruit and vegetable guideline
• Researchers at King’s College London secured £1.5 million from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to conduct a randomized controlled trial to test causal effects of increased plant diversity on gut and cardiometabolic health
• Vegetables (21 %), plant-based fats and oils (18.8 %), and fruits (17 %) were the largest contributors to dietary variety, while nuts, seeds and legumes remained minimal despite their nutritional benefits
• Even among participants with the greatest plant diversity, intake shortfalls persisted for recommended fibre and key micronutrients essential for immune function and bone health