The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program

December 4, 2000
Following in the tracks of her Potatoes Not Prozac, nutrition expert DesMaisons serves up a practical and promising dietary plan for sugar addicts, which revolves around several basic tenets: no sugar, moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates, more protein, regular meals and a nightly potato. (Eating potatoes enables tryptophan to enter the bloodstream, which increases production of the brain chemical serotonin, which, in turn, boosts optimism, creativity and the ability to concentrate--key factors, DesMaisons avers, in maintaining a healthy diet.) Using biochemistry to alter mood and cure sugar cravings is DesMaisons's primary goal, and she maintains that the best way to redirect a sugar-sensitive makeup is to deal with the sugar addiction step by step. To that end, she offers an accessible diet that allows dairy (butter on the potato is allowed!), meat and plenty of whole grains. The book includes menus and recipes (including some creative ways to fix "Mr. Spud"), tips on what to order when dining out or when eating on the run and a list of foods containing "covert" sugar. DesMaisons guides readers gradually--albeit with some repetition--through her plan This is a sensible approach that will surely tempt sugar lovers hoping to find a natural, long-range solution to their addiction, and ultimately change their lives.