by Nancy Appleton, Ph D

There's the old saying that sugar is poison. After reading Lick the Sugar Habit, you'll be convinced of that.

Americans each consume more than 150 pounds of sugar and related sweeteners each year. It's pretty easy for it to add up when you consider that there are 17 teaspoons of sugar in a single can of Coke. Author Nancy Appleton delineates how this sugar overconsumption wreaks havoc with our immune and endocrine systems, leading to chronic conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, asthma, and hypoglycemia, along with the usual suspects such as cavities and periodontal disease. Appleton admits that she herself used to be a sugar addict, preferring to take her sweets in the form of chocolate, and consequently suffered from numerous allergies, plus bronchitis, pneumonia, and even a chest tumor that turned out to be a huge calcium deposit that resulted from her body's inability to process the pounds of sugar she consumed.

The book starts with thorough quizzes to determine if you really are a "sugarholic" and to test for sugar-related food allergies. Appleton then offers three distinct plans for weaning yourself from the sweet stuff and starting your new "low-sugar life." The best part is the dozens of easy, low-sugar, high-flavor recipes such as Hot Asparagus Soup and Pumpkin Pie.

While Appleton has a Ph.D. and has been studying nutrition for years, she doesn't go into unnecessary scientific details when she explains what those little sugar cubes do to your body. This is a thoroughly readable, eye-opening guide to changing your diet--and your health--for the better.