Dear Lynn:

I have been reading the book Potatoes Not Prozac and am interested in eliminating sugar from my diet as well as my children's diets. What do you think?
Courtney

Dear Courtney:

Many weight-loss books identify sugar as the main cause of problems with obesity and lack of energy. I'm not convinced that this theory is accurate, but carbohydrates (sugar is a carbohydrate) are definitely connected to serotonin levels in our brain. In their book Intuitive Eating, Resch and Tribole explain that undereating by restricting calories triggers our brain to seek carbohydrates for energy, which often causes a sugar binge. Eating carbohydrates increases production of serotonin, which stops the desire to eat more sweets.

I believe that many of us who believe we crave sugar uncontrollably either restrict calorie intake too far, deny ourselves enough satisfying foods or eat too much simple carbohydrates and too little protein and fat to promote health and satiety. It certainly doesn't cause any harm to limit simple sugars such as candy, cookies, cakes, jam and other sweets, as long as we eat enough complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain bread and cereal and vegetables.

The seven steps outlined in the Potatoes Not Prozac book are based on common sense and established weight-control guidelines. They are useful for any adult who wants to improve his or her overall food intake. This type of eating also is fine for children, as long as we avoid limiting calories or emphasizing "good" foods over "bad" foods. Kids always seem to want what we limit, so be careful in completely cutting all sweets out of your children's diets. Children under age two actually need more fat in their diet, so be sure to check with their physician before you make any drastic changes.

Sincerely,
Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D., C.D.E.

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