You’ve seen the posts. Maybe it was a blurry photo of a massive salad or a screenshot of a habit tracker with thirty little green checks in a row. It’s the 30 for 30 clean. And no, we aren't talking about the ESPN documentaries, though the name confusion is basically a rite of passage at this point.
Most "cleanses" are garbage. Honestly. They’re usually just expensive ways to drink lemon water and maple syrup until you’re so cranky your family considers moving out. But this specific protocol is different because it isn't a fast. It’s a challenge focused on diversity. Specifically, eating 30 different plants in seven days.
People are obsessed.
The concept didn't just fall out of a lifestyle influencer's brain, either. It’s rooted in some pretty heavy-duty science from the American Gut Project. They found that people who eat more than 30 different types of plants per week have significantly more diverse gut microbiomes than those who eat fewer than ten. That matters. A lot. Your gut is basically the mission control for your immune system, your mood, and even how you sleep.
What is the 30 for 30 clean exactly?
Let’s be real: most of us are creatures of habit. You probably buy the same spinach, the same apples, and the same bag of frozen peas every single Tuesday. We’re boring eaters.
The 30 for 30 clean—sometimes called the 30 Plants a Week challenge—is a simple framework where you aim to consume 30 unique plant species every week. It sounds like a lot. It’s actually not. When you realize that "plants" includes things you already like, it gets easier.
We’re talking:
- Vegetables (obviously)
- Fruits
- Whole grains (quinoa, oats, farro, wild rice)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- Nuts and seeds
- Herbs and spices (yes, even that dried oregano in the back of your cabinet counts)
The "clean" part of the name is sorta misleading. It’s not about purging or detoxing in the way 2010-era juice cleanses were. It’s an additive model. Instead of obsessing over what you’re cutting out—sugar, dairy, joy—you focus entirely on what you’re adding in. The theory is that once you’re trying to squeeze 30 different plants into your rotation, the processed junk naturally gets crowded out. You just don't have room for a sleeve of crackers when you're trying to figure out how to garnish your soup with three different types of seeds.
The science of the "Thirty"
Dr. Tim Spector and the team behind the British Gut Project and the American Gut Project really pioneered this. They looked at the stool samples (gross, but necessary) of thousands of people. The data was clear. Diversity is the golden rule.
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When you eat a fiber-rich plant, you aren't just feeding yourself. You’re feeding the trillions of microbes living in your large intestine. These little guys are picky eaters. Some microbes love the polyphenols in purple carrots. Others live for the specific fibers in leeks or garlic. If you only eat kale and bananas, you’re only feeding a tiny fraction of your internal army. The rest starve.
A starved microbiome is a weak one. This leads to inflammation. It leads to brain fog. It leads to that weird afternoon slump where you feel like you need a nap at 2:15 PM.
By hitting that 30-plant threshold, you’re essentially hosting a massive buffet for your gut bacteria. More variety means more "good" bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (a mouthful, literally), which produces butyrate. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that helps keep your gut lining strong and reduces systemic inflammation.
How to actually do it without losing your mind
Most people fail because they try to buy 30 different vegetables on a Sunday morning. Don't do that. You’ll end up with a crisper drawer full of rotting bok choy and regret by Thursday.
Think small.
If you make oatmeal, don't just put blueberries on it. Put blueberries, hemp seeds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Boom. That’s three plants. If you’re making a stir-fry, buy the "rainbow" slaw instead of just a head of cabbage. A single bag of mixed greens often contains four or five different plant types: arugula, spinach, radicchio, and tatsoi.
Every single one of those counts as a "point" toward your 30.
Spices are the secret weapon
A lot of people forget that spices are plants. If you make a chili and use cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic, you’ve just checked off four items.
However, there is a bit of a debate in the 30 for 30 clean community about whether spices should count as a full point or a fractional point. Some purists say you need a "significant portion" of a plant for it to count. Honestly? If you’re just starting out, count the spices. It keeps the momentum going. As you get better at it, you can move the goalposts and focus on larger servings of whole foods.
The "Dirty" side of the clean
We have to talk about the bloating.
If you go from eating five plants a week to 30 overnight, your gut is going to freak out. It’s like trying to run a marathon when you haven't walked around the block in a year. Your microbes need time to adjust to the massive influx of fiber.
If you ramp up too fast, you're going to be gassy. You're going to feel heavy. You might even get some "digestive urgency."
The trick is water. Lots of it. Fiber acts like a sponge in your system. If you don't have enough water to move that fiber through, it just sits there and ferments. Which is exactly as uncomfortable as it sounds.
Also, it’s expensive. Let's be honest. Buying 30 different fresh items can wreck a grocery budget if you aren't smart about it. This is where frozen and canned goods become your best friends. Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh. Canned beans—rinsed well—are a cheap way to add three or four "points" to your weekly total for a couple of bucks.
Why 30? Why not 20 or 50?
The number thirty isn't arbitrary, but it’s also not a magic spell.
In the American Gut Project study, the researchers saw the biggest leap in microbial health when people moved from the 10-15 range to the 25-30 range. After 30, the benefits started to plateau. You still get benefits from eating 40 or 50 plants, but the "bang for your buck" is highest at 30.
It’s an achievable challenge. It's high enough that you have to be intentional, but low enough that you don't have to quit your job to become a full-time forager.
Real-world examples of a 30-point week
Let's look at a typical day for someone doing the 30 for 30 clean correctly.
Breakfast:
Chia seed pudding made with almond milk, topped with raspberries, pumpkin seeds, and a dash of ginger.
(1. Chia, 2. Almond, 3. Raspberry, 4. Pumpkin seed, 5. Ginger) — 5 points.
Lunch:
A big bowl of lentil soup with carrots, onions, celery, and kale, served with a piece of sourdough bread.
(6. Lentils, 7. Carrots, 8. Onion, 9. Celery, 10. Kale, 11. Wheat/Sourdough) — 6 points.
Dinner:
Salmon with a side of "tri-color" quinoa and roasted broccoli topped with sesame seeds and lemon zest.
(12. Quinoa, 13. Broccoli, 14. Sesame seeds, 15. Lemon) — 4 points.
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By the end of day one, you’re already at 15 points. You’re halfway there. You haven't even touched snacks like walnuts (16), apples (17), or dark chocolate (18 - yes, cacao is a plant!).
Common misconceptions and traps
One major mistake is thinking that different colors of the same plant count as multiple points.
If you eat a red bell pepper and a green bell pepper, does it count as two? Technically, most experts say no. They are the same species (Capsicum annuum). However, they have different phytochemical profiles because of their colors. If you’re a beginner, go ahead and count them separately to stay motivated. If you’re an expert, count them as one.
Another trap is the "Processed Plant" loophole.
Technically, a potato chip is a plant. A corn tortilla is a plant. But the 30 for 30 clean is really about whole, minimally processed foods. If the plant has been stripped of its fiber and doused in inflammatory seed oils, it’s not doing the heavy lifting for your microbiome that the challenge intends. Stick to things that look like they came out of the ground.
The psychological shift
What’s really interesting about this trend is how it changes your relationship with the grocery store.
Instead of walking past the weird roots and the purple cauliflowers, you start looking for them. You start asking, "What is celeriac, and how do I cook it?" (Pro-tip: roast it like a potato).
This curiosity is the antidote to the "diet" mindset. Most diets are about restriction and "no." This is about exploration and "yes." It turns eating into a game. You start counting your points on a Thursday and realize you’re at 24, so you decide to try a new herb or buy a different kind of nut at the store just to hit that 30 mark.
It’s a dopamine hit for health nerds.
Actionable steps to hit your 30 this week
If you want to start the 30 for 30 clean tomorrow, don't overthink it.
First, go to your pantry. Count what’s already there. Rice, coffee (yes, coffee counts!), black pepper, olive oil, peanut butter. You probably have 8-10 points before you even leave the house.
Second, buy a "mixed" version of everything. Buy the mixed bag of beans instead of just black beans. Buy the mixed nuts. Buy the "Spring Mix" salad instead of just Romaine. This is the easiest way to stack points without extra effort.
Third, use your freezer. Keep a bag of frozen edamame, frozen peas, and frozen mixed berries. Throw a handful of each into whatever you’re making.
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Fourth, track it. Use a simple list on your phone or a piece of paper on the fridge. Don't track calories. Don't track macros. Just write down the name of the plant.
Lastly, listen to your body. If you feel incredibly bloated, dial it back to 20 plants for a week. Let your gut catch up. The goal isn't to suffer; it's to build a more resilient, diverse internal ecosystem that supports your health for the long haul.
Start with your next meal. Look at your plate. If there’s only one plant on it, see if you can make it three. Add some seeds, a bit of parsley, or a squeeze of lime. That’s how the 30 for 30 clean actually works in the real world. It’s a series of small, diverse choices that add up to a significantly healthier gut.