Pursuing a Plant-Rich Diet

Retrain your body and mind to crave healthy foods

Illustrations © D. Yael Bernhard

I remember the day I fell in love with green beans. I was in a local grocery store, and as I passed by the aisle with snacks and desserts, my mind drifted to a story one of my clients had shared in a recent health coaching group. Shopping in the bakery section of a busy supermarket, she had felt a large chocolate chip cookie calling to her. An intense craving welled up inside her, and she could vividly imagine the moment of satisfaction when she would unwrap the cookie and taste its crunchy sweetness, the velvety chips melting in her mouth. She succumbed to the urge, and bought the cookie.

I suggested to this woman, so hungry for better health, a slimmer waistline and physical ease, that what she had experienced was actually a surge of dopamine, the reward-seeking hormone that’s released in response to any pleasurable trigger – in this case, a cookie with which she had strong positive associations. Both buying and eating the cookie would relieve the craving and flood her brain with a temporary feeling of comfort and satisfaction. It would also condition her brain to seek this trigger again in the future. In addition, her gut bacteria that thrives on refined sugar and white flour were also putting out this “call,” to perpetuate the supply of their preferred food source. Through the gut-brain axis, these microbes were actually signaling her neural networks.

Understanding the true nature of a craving is certainly interesting, but it doesn’t change how we feel about a comfort food. I invited my client to get curious about those feelings. She described how great it felt to eat that cookie. So delicious. So satisfying, to feel this biochemical key click into the lock of her dopamine receptors.

But how did she feel twenty minutes later?

Not so good. That’s when her cerebral cortex kicked in, triggering feelings of regret.

Having grown up on chocolate chip cookies myself, I understood this craving. As a preteen, I used to fill a glass with Chips Ahoy cookies, pour milk over them, then fish out the sugary sludge with a spoon. Over and over I bit into sweet gratification. By the time I was 15, I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia – which, unchecked, would have led to diabetes. My wake-up call came early in life, kindling my lifelong interest in nutrition. It was my teenage way of exploring cause and effect, as I sought to relieve my symptoms of headaches and dizziness by cutting refined sugar and white flour out of my diet. It worked! And I discovered a different kind of gratification. In a world in which there is so much beyond our control, I found a way to shape my body, my health, and my future. Nutrition, I learned, is a powerful tool for self-determination.

Now I stood in the produce aisle, thinking about my client, my chocolate chip childhood, and how distant those cravings are now – when my gaze fell upon a package of organic green beans. They were strikingly plump and green, almost as if inflated. They looked so vibrant . . . I could just imagine biting into them . . . the subtle flavor, the succulent fiber. They were expensive. I felt my own craving rise in my throat as I considered the price, how I might cook them, whether I even had room in my fridge for more veggies.

I walked away, telling myself I was already spending too much money.

Then I turned around. I could not resist – or rather, my own dopamine-driven urge spoke louder than my will, along with those hungry gut bacteria that I’ve cultivated to thrive on plants. For several years now, I’ve built a neighborhood where only good bugs take up residence – those that thrive on vegetables, fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, and mushrooms. Now my brain is trained to overindulge in the produce section, for these good bugs don’t crave pasta or pizza, but just love the fruits of the earth. They also like diversity, and rejoice when I introduce new friends to the neighborhood. The sight of those green beans had them jumping up and down, and I could feel it.

I gave in and dropped the green beans in my cart. My microbiome had to have them, just like my client’s had to have that chocolate chip cookie.

According to optimal nutrition guidelines, half your plate at every meal should be vegetables and fruits. Half of what you take in, what makes up your animal parts, is ideally plants and fungi. In order to minimize sugar and especially fructose, most of us would do better to lean more toward vegetables than fruit (see my article “Fructose: Friend of Foe?” for more on this subject). Can we forge new cravings and think of vegetables as treats? Can we rewire our brains and cultivate a microbiome that loves the chewy, nutty, leafy green, juicy firm, strangely bitter, pungent or sweet sensations of plants? Can we teach our children to be satisfied with foods in their whole or homemade form?

I think we can.

Like living magic, plants spin sunlight and the elements of the earth into potent polyphenols to protect, heal, and grow their own tissues. No manufactured food can do this, and the over-processing, packaging, preserving and shipping of foods made from plants degrades their natural nutrients. To taste the spicy flavor of mustard greens, the green exhale of freshly-cut parsley, the juicy crunch of a cucumber, is to take nature into yourself. As soil absorbs rain, so does our flesh soak up what our bodies break down from roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Let the plant world become part of you!

In the beginning, pursuing a plant-rich diet takes extra mental energy, until it becomes a habit. Before buying, cooking, or eating a food, you might ask yourself these questions:

• Does this food come from nature?
• Does this food serve my health goals?
• What effect will this food have on my body?
• Will this food cultivate good gut bacteria?
• How will I feel after I eat this food?

Ideally, the answers should be either “yes” or “good.” Asking yourself these questions is a practice. Abiding by the answers is a discipline. As with any disciplinary practice, it gets easier with time as the rewards of making good choices begin to accrue. Every time you take a step in a new direction, you’re rewiring those dopamine triggers in your brain. All those repetitions add up. With time, experience overpowers doubt.

A little nutritional knowledge helps fire up your pursuit of a plant-rich diet. Many people think about all the favorite foods they’ll have to give up in order to be healthy. Focusing instead on what you will gain is more likely to succeed. A plethora of phytonutrients awaits your fingertips, ready to be picked and eaten, whether picked from a grocery bin or plucked directly from a tree. These wonderful plant compounds act as antioxidants, neutralizing the cellular damage done by reactive oxygen species (ROS’s), also known as “free radicals.” Like cellular rust, oxidative stress damages cells, contributes to abnormal growth, and underlies nearly all chronic inflammatory conditions, ranging from arthritis to atherosclerosis, from cataracts to cancer. Antioxidants help neutralize this damage – and though plants produce them for their own protection, we too can benefit.

We’ve all heard of “eating the rainbow” as a way of consuming a variety of plant foods. Visually, that is true – I used a full paint palette in order to create the above illustrations. But the colors in all those fruits and vegetables do more than just look pretty. Each color is made up of biological components that serve a purpose, both for the plant and you. Here are some examples:

• Anthocyanins and quercetins in red fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, cranberries, beets, red cabbage, red onion, and the red skins of apples all help protect the heart and increase circulation to your brain.
• Bioflavonoids and carotenoids as well as vitamin C in orange fruits and vegetables such as pumpkins, cantaloupe, oranges, papayas, nectarines, and carrots support healthy skin, bones, teeth, vision, and immunity as well as fight cancer.
• Curcuminoids in turmeric root are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and have a blood-thinning effect.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin found in yellow foods such as pineapples, bananas, yellow apples, lemons, yellow bell peppers, and summer squash are especially beneficial to the eyes and supportive of vascular health and cognition.
• Flavonols are a subgroup of flavonoids with bioactive compounds that are cardioprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-cancer, found in cocoa, apples, berries, citrus fruits, and more.
• Catechins in green tea fight many forms of inflammation especially in the gums, joints, and brain.¹ Green tea also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which may reduce anxiety. Brew it strong.
• Ellagic acid in magenta-colored pomegranates is a prebiotic that feeds your most beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn produce urotlithin-A, the recently-discovered compound that reboots your mitochondria, the microscopic energy factories inside your cells.
• Lycopene in deep red cooked tomatoes is another carotenoid which is being researched for its potential benefit to the prostate.² Lycopene is also known to fight cancer and support bone and cardiovascular health.
• Chlorophyll in fresh green parsley, spinach, dandelion greens, nettles and all green plants helps maintain healthy iron levels, and acts as a blood purifier.
• Phytosterols in olive oil, avocados, and lettuce may help inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the gut.
• L-arginine in almonds and antioxidants in garlic, arugula, and beets all promote the production of nitric oxide, which naturally expands blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. (See my article “Nitric Oxide: The New Kid on the Block” to learn more.)
• Linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid that is higher in walnuts than any other nut, and has been shown to benefit cardiovascular health.³ Walnuts are also rich in manganese and magnesium – however, they are also acidic. Moderate consumption is best.
• Beta-glucans, triterpenes, and numerous other alkaloids and polysaccharides give culinary mushrooms their powerful health-promoting properties.
• Selenium in Brazil nuts is beneficial to the immune system and thyroid. Two nuts per day is an adequate dose for the average adult. Overconsumption (and supplements) should be avoided.
• Iron, vitamin E and healthy fats in naturally ripened black olives make this fruit worth including in your diet.
• Wild chickweed, a common shade-loving plant with tiny green leaves and white star-like flowers, contains saponins that help neutralize toxins, dissolve cysts, and are also beneficial to the eyes and small capillaries. It’s likely you have chickweed growing in your garden or along the cool side of your house. Try adding a fresh handful to salads.

These are just a few examples of the numerous plant compounds with which we have co-evolved, like lock and key, to nourish ourselves with the fruits of the earth. (For a more comprehensive phytonutrient guide, see here.) Personally, I want these phytonutrients to infiltrate my flesh, become part of my brain, build my bones, and make up my muscles. Like living gifts, plant nutrients are packaged in fiber, adding even more benefit. Fiber plays the crucial role of regulating the rate of digestion and the secretion of insulin; feeding your beneficial gut bacteria; maintaining intestinal motility; moving cholesterol out of your body; and more. What a marvelous design! A cornucopia of better choices is available in farmers’ markets and the outer aisles of every supermarket. Instead of buying a bagel made of processed white flour or a bag of chips from extruded corn, why not indulge in some fancy asparagus, or dress up your salad with endives? When eating out, ask to replace a side of rice or home fries with vegetables. Speak up on your own behalf, and be a model for others in embracing a plant-rich diet.

Eating diverse plants along with the other half of your plate – animal-based foods – will also optimize your body’s uptake of the protein and fat in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Saturated fat is healthy when consumed along with fiber, but if eaten with refined carbs, it has a different effect. Sugar and starch trigger the release of insulin, which signals the body to stop burning fat and store carbs as triglycerides, the unwelcome cholesterol that may cause arterial plaque. In other words, butter on bread is no favor to your cardiovascular system; butter on broccoli is better.

Is it possible for vegetables to be unhealthy? Well, yes. Consider the following:

• Corn on the cob is high in starch and sugar, with little nutritional value to make up for the chemicals used on this poor abused crop. Corn used as a grain – such as in corn chips, tortillas, cornbread, and tacos – is definitely not a vegetable. The process of heating, refining, and extruding cornmeal into a malleable substance robs it of all nutritional value and breaks its cellular matrix, destroying its natural fiber (see my article “One Step Closer” for more about this process.)
• Ketchup is not a vegetable. Most ketchup is made with sugar and/or high-fructose corn syrup – a deadly sweetener that contributes to fatty liver disease, diabetes, and obesity. Try making your own ketchup with tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, crushed allspice or cloves, and salt.
• Cruciferous vegetables – kale, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussel sprouts, and Swiss chard – should always be cooked or marinated. Their cellulose is too tough to digest raw, and they contain goitrogens, which could cause a goiter (growth on your thyroid). Spinach, radishes, and arugula are cruciferous vegetables that are okay to eat raw in moderation.
• White potatoes, while they do contain potassium and sometimes vitamin C, are so high in starch, it outweighs what little nutritional benefit they offer. Fried potatoes and French fries are even worse, and potato chips are worst of all.
• Baby carrots are not “babies,” but machine-cut to look like them, and dipped in a chlorine solution to extend their shelf life. Don’t eat them.
• Non-organic bell & hot peppers, peaches, nectarines, grapes, spinach, kale & collards, strawberries, apples, blueberries, cherries, pears, and (alas!) green beans are all on the “Dirty Dozen” list, published each year by EWG.org to warn consumers about those produce items that are most heavily sprayed with pesticides. These are the produce items to buy only organic. The list doesn’t change much from year to year, letting us know these 12 fruits and vegetables are generally produced with harmful chemicals such as endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and neurotoxins. To make them affordable, most health foods stores put organic produce items on sale from time to time. That’s when I’ll buy red peppers or strawberries as a special treat, grateful for the opportunity to diversify.
• Beet greens, spinach, and Swiss chard are especially high in oxalates, which may contribute to the formation of kidney stones in some individuals. Cook them well, eat with calcium-rich dairy to bind the oxalates, and don’t overdo it.

The day I brought those green beans home, I heated up some leftover curried red lentil soup for lunch. I simmered the beans gently in the soup, and served the soup in shallow bowls, topped with fresh cilantro. The combination was exquisite – it was love at first bite, and both my gut bacteria and I were ecstatic. I felt my body soak up the thick, spicy lentils, the crunchy beans, the fiber and protein . . . ahh. A green salad with marinated beets and Manchego sheep cheese perfected the meal.

The next day I sautéed the rest of the green beans in pasture-raised butter, and ate it with a garnish of sliced almonds. I felt like a queen. This has become my latest dopamine trigger: beautiful, plump and juicy, ripe and colorful green beans. For me, this is comfort food. This is indulgence. This is true satisfaction.

I think my next love affair will be with escarole. I can’t take my eyes off those frilly rosettes. Or maybe I’ll fall for fennel root – perfect to dip in hummus, or a lemon-mustard vinaigrette. Who can resist such a unique flavor, such a pleasing texture? There’s nothing else like it on earth.

To your good health –

Yael Bernhard
Certified Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach

Yael Bernhard is a writer, illustrator, book designer and fine art painter with a lifelong passion for nutrition and herbal medicine.  She was certified by Duke University as an Integrative Health Coach in 2021 and by Cornell University in Nutrition & Healthy Living in 2022.  For information about private health coaching or nutrition programs for schools, please respond directly to this newsletter, or email dyaelbernhard@protonmail.com. Visit her online gallery of illustration, fine art, and children’s books here.

Information in this newsletter is provided for educational – and inspirational – purposes only.

Have you seen my other Substack, Image of the Week? Check it out here, and learn about my illustrations and fine art paintings, and the stories and creative process behind them.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498696/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35278075/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19901932/

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019815/