Eat & Flourish

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A lively and evidence-based argument that a whole food diet is essential for good mental health. I’ve watched Mary Beth Albright eat, and I’ve certainly watched her flourish in her career over the last decade. A true authority on all things food, her book is a departure from the expected and does a world of good through one of our most important places: the dinner table.  Food has an incredible power to heal bodies and nourish minds, to connect and repair communities, to feed the few and the many. In , Mary Beth Albright makes the compelling case that by understanding food holistically, we can unlock its potential to improve our physical and emotional well-being. “As a chef, nutrition and nourishment is at the forefront of what I do. Mary Beth Albright presents an impressive exploration of the interconnectivity of these elements—and beyond—in  . It is an outstanding and comprehensive book for today’s food and health enthusiast.  is a page-turner filled with information that you never knew you had access to or would even want. Mary Beth has brilliantly distilled this wealth of information into delicious bites of knowledge, which is power on a plate. My takeaway . . . I can eat for both pleasure and health at the same time. Albright, who writes about food for the Washington Post, debuts with . Examining neuroscience studies on the connections between the brain and how people eat, she describes how the brain adapts to the pleasure felt after eating ultra-processed food and requires increasing amounts of stimulation to achieve the same level of pleasure, but she notes that cooking for oneself offers a healthier way to enhance enjoyment of a meal. Albright covers research linking changes in the gut microbiome and the enteric nervous system with depression, as well as associating omega-3 fatty acids with levels of aggression and inflammation with emotional stability. Her gift for making science accessible and entertaining is on full display, whether she’s delving into “hangry neurons,” recounting the time she consumed wine and kale juice inside an fMRI machine, or describing a study in which students wore sensory deprivation gear and tried to “track the scent of chocolate from one point to another.” Her four-week plan for building a diverse microbiome, reducing inflammation, and boosting nutrient intake and pleasure includes eating fermented food, legumes, and lots of produce, as well as “eating with another person at least once per day.” The research is eye-opening, and Albright’s genial tone makes her an ideal tour guide. The result is a first-rate program for eating better. (Nov.) US

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