When nutritionist Eva Humphries first began her career, she encountered a client facing health challenges including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the early signs of type 2 diabetes. Faced with a patient who was visibly distressed and unsure of how to adjust his lifestyle, Humphries offered a concise piece of advice during their session: simply dedicate half of every meal to vegetables. Two months later, the client returned with improved physical vitality, noting that this minor dietary shift significantly enhanced his overall well-being. Leaving Humphries with “no idea of what to do”, she says, the man broke down and cried for 45 minutes. Scrambling for a quick but helpful message, she finally said: “When you look at a plate of food, can you just make half of it veg for me?”, in the final 15 minutes of the session. He told her that adding the veg had “started to [make him] feel really good”. I think we underestimate how far little practices like adding an extra portion of vegetables can go.”. Certain vegetables actually improve when boiled: “Say, for example, iron in spinach, on the other hand. This is great news if you’ve got the time and capacity to think ahead and prep your beans in advance – but the reality is that most of us buy beans in cans or jars. For a convenient alternative, Humphries recommends the Bold Bean Co, which sells pre-soaked and slow-cooked beans in jars – but these are approximately four times the price of supermarket own-branded cans. According to the most nutritious option does often come with a cost,, Humphries, who says that she can’t afford to eat 100% organic produce, even though she would like to.
This straightforward strategy has become a fundamental principle for many health professionals, especially as recent reports underscore the urgency of improving dietary quality. Research published earlier this month indicates that due to deteriorating soil health, the nutritional value of common staples like carrots, apples, and peas has dropped by 20% to 50% compared to levels recorded in the 1960s. Even before these findings, some experts recommended aiming for 10 daily portions of fruit and vegetables rather than the traditional five, while others emphasize the benefits of consuming 30 distinct types of plants each week. Sooner rather than later, it’s a simple approach to eating more plants – and one we might all need to start emulating. And the news about declining nutritional value is potentially demotivating, eating – and affordably sourcing – that kind of volume can feel overwhelming. He doesn’t want people to imagine that there is no point in eating plants, in the meantime. Across cereals, fruit and veg, have definitely got less nutrient dense, his research has shown that “whole foods.
William Summers, a senior associate at Deep Science Ventures—which co-authored the report alongside the Mark Leonard Trust—hopes these findings will encourage farmers and policymakers to prioritize nutrient density. He highlights that genetics play a significant role in determining nutritional value, suggesting that leafy greens are particularly dense in essential nutrients. While only 17% of UK adults currently meet the recommended five-a-day intake, experts emphasize that even small, consistent increases can yield meaningful health benefits. Only 17% of UK adults get their five a day, which can include, fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses, according to last year’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey. She says, so you don’t need to eat a lot to receive benefits, fresh herbs are quite concentrated sources of nutrients. Choose wholegrain varieties wherever you can – thereby “reducing the reliance on refined grains and going for brown rice, brown pasta”, Kassam says, to maximise the nutrients you absorb from the food you already eat.
Practical integration of more plants into daily routines is achievable without drastic lifestyle overhauls. Dr. Shireen Kassam, a professor of plant-based nutrition, advocates for substituting meat with pulses in familiar recipes, such as using lentils in a bolognese sauce or swapping chicken for tofu in curries. Similarly, chef Matt Beardmore increases the nutritional profile of his home cooking by tripling the amount of onion, celery, and carrot in his aromatic bases. He maintains that filling half the plate with vegetables is a sustainable and effective habit. Executive chef at the Italian restaurant Legare, also uses pasta sauces to pack in veg, matt Beardmore. As the weather gets colder, Kassam and Beardmore both recommend soups as a way to use up any sad-looking leftovers in your vegetable drawer.
Beyond quantity, nutritional quality can be maximized through careful selection and preparation.
Diversifying the types of produce consumed—such as incorporating seaweed for its high levels of iodine, iron, calcium, and magnesium—helps fill potential nutritional gaps caused by soil depletion. Furthermore, cooking methods influence nutrient retention; for instance, boiling vegetables can cause heat-sensitive vitamins like C and various B-vitamins to leach into the cooking water. However, some vegetables benefit from specific cooking techniques, and experts agree that the primary goal is to increase consumption rather than fixating on perfect preparation.
Budget-friendly options such as frozen vegetables are often as nutrient-dense, and sometimes superior, to their fresh counterparts because they are processed quickly at the point of peak freshness.
Maintaining a well-stocked cupboard with tinned beans and grains ensures that a nutritious meal is always accessible.
Additionally, soaking beans for long periods or cooking them slowly helps mitigate the effects of phytates, which are compounds that can hinder the absorption of minerals like zinc and selenium.
Ultimately, experts emphasize that there is no need for dietary perfection; any measurable increase in plant intake serves to support long-term health.
