Some social media users have recommended the use of a diversity jar as an easy way to improve gut health through at-home cooking.A diversity jar aims to add a wider array of plants to your diet, which can boost gut health by fostering a more diverse microbiome in your digestive system.Better gut health can improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, and support better nervous system function through the gut-brain axis.<\/p>\n
Along with an emphasis on anything packed full of protein, there\u2019s one health consideration that nutrition-focused individuals and content creators have been heavily tuned into over the past few years: gut health.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
The term might sound nebulous at first, but as the American Medical Association explains, gut health \u201crefers to the well-being of the digestive system, which is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste from the body.\u201d A crucial part of this system is the\u00a0gut microbiome<\/a>, or the collection of microorganisms that aids digestion, supports your immune system, and even influences your nervous system.\n<\/p>\n Considering the far-reaching impacts of the gut microbiome throughout the body, it\u2019s understandable that conscious consumers want to keep theirs balanced, diverse, and healthy. One strategy that several home cooks have suggested online for easily improving gut health is to create a diversity jar. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about this simple nutrition tool and what experts think about it.\n<\/p>\n What is a diversity jar? <\/p>\n Tim Spector<\/a>, MD \u2014 a professor of epidemiology at King\u2019s College London, the scientific co-founder of personalized nutrition service ZOE<\/a>, and the person credited with popularizing the diversity jar \u2014\u00a0explains that the concept \u201cis essentially a homemade mix of plant ingredients \u2014 think nuts, seeds, spices, dried herbs, grains, and even pulses \u2014 that you can sprinkle onto meals to boost the diversity of plants in your diet.\u201d\n<\/p>\n The name of the diversity jar gives a clear hint as to what it is. It is a jar filled with various shelf-stable ingredients stored in the kitchen to add a greater variety of plants to each meal. With just a small sprinkle of ingredients from a diversity jar, you can \u2014 ideally \u2014 incorporate several plants into a single dish.\n<\/p>\n This tool is meant to supplement your diet, not replace anything else, and Spector recommends \u201cstarting with a spoonful a day, and you can use that spoonful however you wish. Sprinkle it on your morning yogurt, add it to soups or salads, or stir it into a stew or curry. You can always build from there. The beauty is that how you use it is entirely up to you.\u201d\n<\/p>\n What benefits does a diversity jar provide? <\/p>\n According to Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of\u00a0NY Nutrition Group<\/a>\u00a0and author of\u00a0The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan<\/a>, the greatest benefit of a diversity jar is \u201cintroducing more gut-friendly fiber and antioxidants.\u201d She also notes that many nuts and seeds \u2014 ingredients you\u2019ll typically find in a diversity jar \u2014 \u201cpack in plenty of other great nutrients like magnesium, iron, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids.\u201d\n<\/p>\n The diversity part of the diversity jar is key to boosting your gut health and microbiome. Consuming a wider variety of plants introduces more microbes to your gut, resulting in a more diverse microbiome in your digestive system. (Previous\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0shows that eating more plants improves gut health, and Spector has recommended aiming to include at least 30 different plants into your diet each week.)\n<\/p>\n