Finding out what to eat every day is a drain, and figuring out what to eat for a complete household is a threefold drain. Eating? Fun. Meal preparation? Not so enjoyable.
This is one reason why it’s so simple to fall into the habit of eating the same thing every day. Perhaps you begin each day with the same breakfast, whether it be eggs, oatmeal, or a smoothie. Then, for lunch, you have a salad with the same handful of items. (Perhaps you’ll get creative with the dressing.) For supper, you prepare one of the seven dishes you have mastered that need few ingredients and low labour.
On Sunday, when you have more time, you may dust up a cookbook. Can you identify?
Having a collection of fast and simple recipes is undoubtedly advantageous. And, hey, who cares if you eat the same item at every meal as long as you’re meeting your nutritional needs? Here’s the catch, however: According to specialists on gut health, eating the same meals every day, even if they are healthful, is not a smart idea. Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist from South Carolina and author of Fiber Fueled, goes so far as to claim that consuming a variety of meals (particularly, plant-based foods) is the best thing you can do for your gut health. Previously, he told Well+Good, “The best predictor of a healthy gut microbiota is the variety of plants in your diet.”
What happens to the body if the same healthy meals are consumed daily?
Okay, so the negative effects of a long-term diet of junk food are more obvious than Sprite. However, if you consume nutrient-dense foods on a daily basis, is it so awful to consume the same things? “If you eat the same kale salad every day, you won’t receive the diversity of gut microorganisms that you would if you ate, for example, a cabbage salad one day and a grain-based bowl the next,” Dr. Spector explains. Although you may technically be meeting your dietary needs, you might still improve your gut health.
