DETROIT – The concept of doing a “gut reset” is a popular trend on social media.
Numerous studies find having a variety of healthy bacteria in our gut can lead to better gut health and better overall health.
One way to boost the diversity of bacteria is the “30 plants a week challenge.”
We talked to Dr. Melissa Sundermann, the medical director of lifestyle medicine for Corewell Health, about the principles behind the challenge.
She said, as social media challenges go, this one is a winner.
“I have to say this is one challenge that I’m going to fully be behind because we have been advocating for this same exact thing for several years, and it is evidence-based,” said Sundermann.
She explained that the gut microbiome is a critical part of our health and well-being.
“It’s where over 38 trillion organisms live and where 70% of our immune system resides and 90% of serotonin is produced. So it’s very important,” said Sundermann.
The “30 plants a week challenge” is based on research involving more than 10-thousand participants in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Researchers found those who ate 30 or more different plant-based foods per week were more likely to have certain good gut bacteria.
Sundermann stressed that’s not as daunting as it sounds.
“Really, if you think about it, let’s say you make a power bowl, right? You start with some quinoa, maybe you add a bunch of different roasted vegetables, some peppers, some zucchini, some onions, and then you put some beans on there, and then add some herbs, and you add some spices, and some avocado, and some salsa. Right there, you’ve probably got 15 plants, right?” said Sundermann.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, you can also count beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs and spices, dark chocolate, and coffee.
Keep track of your 30 each week in a journal or on your phone.
“I was just speaking at a conference and someone was doing this,” said Sundermann. “And she’s like, ‘I already have 22 plants, and it’s only the second day.’”
Every January, Corewell Health holds a virtual “Plant Powered Challenge” to help people learn how to eat more whole plant foods. They had nearly 3,000 participants this year, with people joining from as far away as Saudi Arabia.
“Throughout the course of the month, we have free webinars from subject matter experts in lifestyle medicine. We share recipes, we have cooking demonstrations, we get emails, and really what we’re trying to do is just be 1% better and shifting to some healthier dietary patterns,” said Sundermann. “We get great feedback where our attendees are learning. They’re getting motivated, they’re getting new skills, and they’re actually creating some habit changes. So it’s a really fun program, and it’s a way that we can connect and give back to our community.”
You can watch three of those webinars here:
- 2025 Plant Powered Challenge: Gut Health with Krista
- 2025 Plant Powered Challenge: Cooking Class - “Get Your Grain On” with Cam and Camille
- 2025 Plant Powered Challenge: Cooking Class - “Eat More Fiber” with Bettina and Lauren
But Sundermann stressed, Corewell’s lifestyle medicine department is available year-round to help patients improve their diets and overall health.
“Just incorporating more fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds into dietary patterns because it’s been shown through research to improve health outcomes,” said Sundermann.
Sundermann cautioned that if you’re not used to eating a lot of healthy foods and fiber, it’s best to ease into it.
“I will say start low and go slow,” said Sundermann. “Especially with something like beans that are really full of fiber. Go slow and start building those into your regular dietary pattern, your gut microbiome is going to adjust to that and you’re going to be able to digest that a lot better.”
Sundermann said it’s the perfect time of year to start the challenge with lots of fresh produce coming into season, and farmer’s markets soon to open.
But you can also save money with brown rice, canned beans, and frozen fruit and vegetables.
“Frozen fruit and frozen vegetables are really healthy,” said Sundermann. “They are harvested when they are ripe, they’re frozen, and a lot of times these can be cheaper ways to incorporate that. And they don’t go bad.”
The bottom-line, if you’re looking for a way to improve your gut health, this is one challenge worth trying.
“I always say what is on the end of your fork has tremendous power to either prevent chronic disease or contribute to chronic disease. So really think wisely,” said Sundermann.