Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat

by David Gillespie

David Gillespie was 40kg overweight, lethargic, sleep-deprived, and the father of four, with twins on the way. He knew he needed to lose weight fast, but he had run out of diets - all had failed.
After doing some reading on evolution (why weren't our forebears fat?), David cut sugar - specifically fructose - from his diet. He immediately started to lose weight, and kept it off. Slim, trim and fired up, David set out to look at the connection between sugar, our soaring obesity rates and some of the more worrying disease of the twenty-first century, and discovered some startling facts in the process.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Food, Nutrition, Science, Self Help, Diets

208 pages, soft cover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

David Gillespie is a recovering corporate lawyer, former co-founder of a successful software company and investor in several software startups.

He is also the father of six young children (including one set of twins). With such a lot of extra time on his hands, and 40 extra kilos on his waistline, he set out to investigate why he, like so many in his generation, was fat.

He deciphered the latest medical findings on diet and weight gain and what he found was chilling. Being fat was the least of his problems. He needed to stop poisoning himself.

His first book, Sweet Poison, published in 2008 is widely credited with starting the current Australian wave of anti-sugar sentiment.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, sugar is to be avoided as it can negatively affect your health in many ways including making you gain weight, but this book is problematic overall.

The book is full of inaccuracies. It claims the Atkins diet works solely through calorie restriction, when even the Atkins book itself explains that this is a myth and provides studies which show that people can lose weight on such a diet while eating many more calories than others on a high-carb diet. This book supports the myth that high cholesterol levels cause heart disease. (See The Great Cholesterol Con: The Truth About What Really Causes Heart Disease and How to Avoid It etc.) The book mentions fluoride as a quick fix for tooth decay. (See Fluoride: Drinking Ourselves to Death? etc.)

The book also supports the calories in, calories out myth. Worst of all, the author actually claims that eating glucose wont make you fat! He recommends pure glucose as a good substitute for sugar and seems to think highly processed starchy products like bread, Rice Bubbles, pancake mix, Corn Flakes and white flour are good choices for a weight loss diet. He also claims these foods wont leave you hungry like foods with fructose in and that all we need to do is switch sugars rather than really reducing them. It is quite bizarre.

Many authors agree that of the two fructose is more harmful than glucose, but to say lots of glucose in the diet doesn't make you feel hungry and contribute to health problems as well as obesity is just not supported by the facts, as many far better researched books have pointed out. These books also explain that eating refined starches has just the same impact on the body as eating sugar as these goods are turned into sugar in the body so quickly.

Far better books than this one which set out a diet that is all about health and disease prevention and treatment as well as just weight management, and are far better researched, and well written include: Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats, Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life, Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food, Perfect Health Diet: Four Steps to Renewed Health, Youthful Vitality, and Long Life, The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy (Primal Blueprint Series) and others.

Many of us have got fat eating exactly the foods this book recommends too! There is evidence everywhere that the 'glucose wont make you gain weight' idea is just plain wrong. If it works for the author and some others that is great, but for many of us this is not helpful advice and is incorrect.

I disliked the way the book was written as well, the book was quite corny in parts and felt really dumbed down instead of just simplified for a lay-audience.

What this book does well is point out that eating sugary foods leaves you feeling even hungrier, and that we need to cut down the amount of sugar we are eating even from sources like fruit juice and fruit, and cut out trans fats as well.

If you have a pretty good sugar tolerance and no health issues and are currently eating lots of sugar, the advice in this book may well help you lose weight. But even then this is not a healthy diet as regards nutrient intake. But even if it does help there are so many better books out there which all offer far superior dietary advice.

Highly processed breads, glucose, white flour and nutritionless cereals are not good for you and will make many of us fat.

Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Gillespie* is Australia's most under-rated authors right now. From Toxic Oil: Why Vegetable Oil Will Kill You And How To Save Yourself to Taming Toxic People: The Science of Identifying and Dealing with Psychopaths at Work at Home he just writes so well. The insights are simple yet profound. Yet another must-read. I have to stop using that term so it'll still have its weight when I call a book that in future. It's becoming a cliche.

Run, don't walk to read this book. Steal it if you must. Or temporarily borrow, give it back so others can read it too. Thank me later.

Qutting sugar isn't easy, but reading this will help. Fructose turns to fat. So quit nut and seed oils (canola, sunflower etc and switch to (fruit ones) coconut and olive), quit sugar and we'll live longer and healthier lives. It's that simple. Fats and proteins are fine, stop worrying about animal fats (just be wary of too much sulfites though and other preserving agents).


*for some reason Goodreads only shows this author (David Gillespie) in search.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
++++++
RRL Book# 5080158 (from Batlow - where the apples come from! Fructose!)

[Am Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one takeaway from this book is that not all "sugar" is equal. The author explains this in great detail, getting into all the chemical processes involved in sugar metabolism. The most important point in the book, which I shall summarise here (after reading it from cover to cover, thus saving you the trouble), is that: glucose is not metabolised by your liver, but all other types of sugar are.

This is gravely important, especially if you suffer from fatty liver disease caused by excessive sugar consumption (yes, fatty liver isn't just caused by alcohol consumption - too much sugar in one's diet can also cause fatty liver! I found that out the hard way!).

This means that consuming things like fruit, which contain mainly fructose, may damage your liver, since fructose can only be metabolised by your liver, and may increase your liver load if your liver is already struggling. So if you have a sugar problem, you have to minimise fruit intake as well.

What is OK to consume (in moderation of course), are things that contain glucose, even though glucose is a sugar too. That's because glucose isn't metabolised by your liver, and glucose consumption will contribute to you feeling "full", whereas all other kinds of sugar never will (hence resulting in possible overconsumption and liver overload). Most of what we eat is ultimately converted to glucose anyway, and that includes things like meat (protein) too.

In other words, if you see something sweetened with "glucose", it's better for you (relatively speaking) than something sweetened with "fructose" and all its counterparts.

The author also talks about all the different sugar alcohols (all bad for you btw - metabolised only by the liver too), artificial sweeteners, etc.

[Margaret Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet poison book review

Well I have read the book both as an initial skim and then more in depth.Yes I am very impressed with the information provided based on the authors personal experience and research.
He seem to have put his finger on something that has been missed or only alluded to in the past but is of benefit everyone in the interests of health .

I liked the nice bright cover which "grabs" attention and the concise info on the back cover. Another strong point is that the author motivates folk to read the book by his TV appearances and radio broadcasts. And I love his sense of humour.

We, ourselves, are not overweight but have always been interested in keeping well. Though the focus of the book is on "why sugar makes us fat" I was just as interested in the need to stop poisoning ourselves with fructose in general which certainly is highlighted as well.

There is a bit of heavy going for anyone who did not know, for example, that sucrose is table sugar and made up of glucose and fructose. This is explained but could be emphasized more as it takes a while for "first timers to comprehend. Also when the advice is given not to eat nor drink sugar it is not clear that glucose(dextrose) is not banned and that the simple sugar to avoid is fructose.
Yes this is covered eventually but needs to be explained at the time the advice is given.

I always have a little memory in my head that Alice(in Wonderland) liked a book with pictures (or was it the Queen) So on reprint maybe a few more pictures and diagrams/tables and even an index would be useful..

It is a great book and "it may just save your life"

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has the potential to change my life more than almost any other book I have ever read.

Everyone knows that sugar is bad, but this book gave me an understanding of the types of sugar that causes me to continually want more and how my body processes certain types of sugar.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has the following questions:

Do you want to understand why you are hungry all of the time?
Do you want to understand how food (mainly sugar) is processed by your body?
Do you think exercise is the best way to lose weight?
Do you keep gaining weight or just cannot lose?
Do you worry about type-2 diabetes?
Do you wonder why America is currently in a weight/obese epidemic?

The author is a lawyer from Australia. Thus, it is written from a layperson's viewpoint on a very medical platform. It was difficult at times to get through due to the details of how sugar is processed by the body. It describes how insulin is released in to the bloodstream and what causes more and/or less insulin to be present. It describes the history of American (and Australia) sugar production.

The book gave me a reason to remove fructose from my diet and give me hope that I will be able (with time) to lose those 15 lbs that I have never been able to get rid of regardless of how much I watch what I eat and exercise.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone with weight issues. Very concise and easy to understand. I feel robbed by the medical/nutrition/pharmaceutical field & the government. A change in the way my family eats & lives is now taking place. I don't want to die by something as innocuous as fructose. Thank you for opening my eyes David, well done!

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad giving this book 2 stars because it’s an important topic that needs to be written about. But the author has padded the relevant facts with dense details that were often meandering and off-topic. If you want to learn about sugar’s adverse effects on health, without too much history and politics, I recommend Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe.

[Kristen Muehlhauser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to decipher the veracity of this information. The simple statements Gillespie makes are not what I was taught in the two nutrition classes I took for nursing preparation. It makes sense to me that since our bodies did not evolve to eat large quantities of fructose, it might be a bad idea to start feeding them massive amounts now. He is arguing causation and stating that fructose is actually and single-handedly responsible for causing obesity, heart disease, and liver failure.

If this is true, I'm just surprised I haven't read this before or been taught it in nutrition classes. I would have really appreciated citation of the studies and evidence he is referring to. I love PubMed and would actually look up the articles.

That being said, his arguments are enough to get me to personally stop or severely limit my fructose intake until I can learn more. When I talked this over with my husband, though, he immediately thought Gillespie was nuts. If I'm going to talk with my family and friends about limiting fructose, then I'll need a more concise, well-supported set of things to say.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read several books in the past like this, took their advice, and lost weight. I picked up a copy of Sweet Poison to renew my fervor for making healthier eating choices. This book is a quick read, funny in places, and written by a father of six who successfully applied the principals he outlines.

It is obvious the author did lots of research and provides a condensed history of key movements in nutrition (low fat, higher exercise, Adkins, etc), and how they came to be so popular, and remain so, even in the face of a growing national waistline. His review of past trends weren't necessarily advocacy for those methods, but merely a review of where we have gone wrong in the past.

I skimmed all the sections on the result of eating "sweet poison" because reading about diabetes, heart attacks, and cancer is depressing to me, not motivating. However, given the books title, it was a logical inclusion.

His thesis about the varied effects of fructose and glucose and sucrose are interesting and have inspired me to keep reading on this topic!

[Karrah X · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend this one! Easy to read, and well written - David has a humorous, conversational way of writing. Sweet Poison looks at what the introduction (and since then, the over-consumption!) of sugar, especially fructose, has done to the human body. It looks at the history of the sugar industry, how sugar affects us (good and bad), and gives alternatives for when you need a sweet treat (spoilers! glucose only!). Honestly, everyone should read this - whether you're fighting daily sweet cravings or just interested in dietary information... or just want a book to read. It'll make you think about what goes in your mouth very differently!

[Mrs Dunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Have been sugar free for a month!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I become ever more convinced that eliminating added sugars from our diet might just be the magic bullet to improving health across the board. I never, NEVER thought that there was a magic bullet - everything in moderation, eat well, exercise and so forth. But here are the key issues:

1. Our bodies are not set up to recognize fructose calories in the way that they ARE set up to recognize glucose calories. When you ingest carbohydrates, fats and proteins, they trigger a signaling cascade that tells you that you are full. Fructose does not.

2. Fructose is converted by the liver into fatty acids in the blood (not stored as glycogen or fat in cells). These fatty acids do things like, oh, decrease insulin sensitivity.

3. No one, NO ONE is saying that added sugars are necessary in your diet. We can argue about macronutrient ratios and fiber and times of day to eat, but there is no argument for added sugar. The nutrition industry and the medical community alike are just conceding that we ARE going to eat them and trying to get us to eat as little as possible. "Realistic goals"

Well, I'll tell you something - I would never go back. I feel SO much better in so many ways, and once I was no longer addicted, it has been so easy to turn it down. It's like asking if I want a cigarette. I know it's bad for me. It COULD be fatal, and frankly, it really doesn't taste good anyway. Can I have a strawberry?

It may not be easy, but it sure is simple - as Gillespie describes in the book:

“If you follow these rules, all the weight-loss equipment you will need is already built into the body you walk around in. You will have no need of calorie-couting guides, food scales, GI tables, carb tables, or fat tables. Most importantly, you will not feel like you are on a diet and after a while food tastes better anyway. This will dramatically increase your chances of sticking to this new way of eating, and it will be more likely to become simply a lifetime habit. You will disappoint millions of ‘health entrepreneurs’ and destroy thousands of business plans, but you will be the lean, mean machine you were designed to be from the beginning. Here are the rules:
1. Don’t drink sugar
2. Don’t snack on sugar
3. Party foods are for parties
4. Be careful at breakfast
5. There is no such thing as good sugar.”

It was interesting to read a (fairly) scientific analysis of the biochemistry involved in sugar metabolism by a non-scientist. He did not get it right all of the time (or maybe it would be more accurate to say that he did not express it in a way that was clear), but it was fun to read and an amazing accomplishment for someone who is not trained in the field.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the biology of how your body processes sugar. At times it's a little scary, and at others it's hard to believe (if only because you don't want to) but it does really makes you stop and think. As a result, I have taken some of the author's advise and cut back on my sugar intake and genuinely do feel better, more active and think I see better results from training. So, hopefully, this has been good advise and not just a placebo effect.

Whether you choose to believe everything you read, or take it with a pinch of salt, it is a genuinely eye opening look at the historical context for the addition of sugar (specifically fructose) to our foods and the overall statistics for the increase in diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Gillespie doesn't pretend to be anything more than a man who has read a lot of medical research on the subject. Whilst I'm sure someone with a medical degree could have explained some details much better, this book benefits from being presented in lay terms by a layman.

[Raha Khrais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone in the whole world should read this book! The great thing about the author that he explained the complicated researches and facts in a simple and understandable way even though I got bored at the the first chapters, but the end of the book was interesting, he mentioned how he survived the sugar free or (fructose-free) plan and how the steps to do that. There is only one thing that I was overwhelmed when I read one of the last chapters about type of good sugar (dextrose) and how he recommended it as a replacement, I got excited at the beginning but when I searched and asked more about it, it occurs that this particular sugar is not suitable for any one which is not anyone could take it that easily it will not be good for him.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on why Gillespie believes fructose (which makes up 50% of sucrose) to be the main culprit in the obesity epidemic. The 5 rules he outlines for following a low fructose diet are sensible, and although I've yet to undergo fructose withdrawal I have been implementing parts of the plan where I can in the past couple of weeks and haven't found it too difficult. The idea that you treat sugar as a poison rather than feeling as though you are depriving yourself of it is one that has stuck with me. I have noticed my appetite has shrunk away. As someone who loves to bake this 'no sugar' thing does make me a little sad though!

[Nez · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book that uses animal experiments to explain human health is simply bullshit.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a life changer.
(After reading this book, I have completely stopped adding sugar to my diet, and am actively avoiding it where I can. Dead set scary. And the affect? Coffee tastes terrible. It has been 7 days, and when I encounter sugar it tastes SO sweet it is noticeable. And I lost 900g. I honestly didn't think I would lose much weight, as I am only 2-3kg over my BMI approved weight.)
But this is a book review, and the book itself was good reading, until it bogged down into biochemistry which is as dry as it sounds. The author keeps it on track, and does a great job it uncovering the "Big Sugar" cover-up.
Recommended reading!

[Dallas Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like sugar…very much…so I was a little unwilling to challenge my taste buds and read this book, although a two week stint at giving up sugar last year proved what this book ultimately stands for - that sugar (more specifically fructose), is the primary cause of worldwide obesity. Ultimately this book was not preachy, preferring facts to emotions. I struggled through the chemical reaction chapters, hoping the book would good better, and it did. The last half of the book is much more readable than the first, so if you can make it through the technical jargon you will probably get a lot from this book. Sugar=obesity makes a lot more sense now.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was lots in here that I found quite interesting, though, I don’t necessarily agree with everything he wrote and I’m not going to stop eating sugar but I definitely learned lots. This book talked about sugar and what happens to our bodies when we have it, also a bit about diets. I think it’s important to understand the food we are eating and what benefits they have for the body as well as if there are any things that aren’t so good. I think it’s important to note that no food is either good or bad, but instead they just have different nutrients and other stuff (this book just talks about how sugar is bad).

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is fantastic, well researched, well written eye-opening book about the perils of consuming fructose. It truly is poison. My one criticism is that he thinks that the consumption of artificial sweeteners is a good way to get off of fructose, however, researchers have shown that artificial sweeteners ultimately cause you to eat more.

[Katische Haberfield]

Very interesting. I read this for two purposes- one from my point in terms of perimenopause/ menopause research - understanding the role of fructose and fibre and estrogen and women’s weight gain finally made sense.

Secondly in relation to what I am purchasing for my teenagers.

Well worth reading for a general understanding on sugar and also the basics of sugar substitutes (nope not switching to artificial sweetners- esp after reading the section on TAB (the cola drink of the 80s) that my dad loved and it’s links to cancer....

I have also like everyone on the planet read Sarah’s take on sugar- but a long time ago.

A good refresher to ponder what I put habitually in my mouth.

[Wayward Child · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been off sugar for little over a year now, on and off. It’s amazing, it’s the best decision I ever made, but it can also lead to somewhat isolating experiences. You’re visiting a friend you haven’t seen in ages. She’s poor, has a small kitchen and nearly half the appliances you’re used to, not to mention her general awareness about added sugar or lack thereof. So, you either smile politely and eat what you’re offered or turn her kitchen upside down, possibly angering and alienating your friend. Something’s got to give. So, when you return home, your body slightly poisoned, it’s only natural that you might want to return to your original sources and all the stories that got you walking that lonely, sugarless path in the first place. I thought this book, which is credited with launching the no-sugar-attitude in Australia, would re-inspire me and get me back on track. It did. But, it sorely lacked in the recipe department, which I was really looking forward to, since I’ve been relying on same old recipes for months now. It is a bit dry, replete with info on the way our bodies work and the biology and science behind it all, so – it’s perfect for those meticulous analytic minds that really enjoy delving into a particular subject deeper. Not as good as That Sugar Book, but still a good one to read if you’re just starting out your sugar-free journey or looking for a bit of inspiration. No recipes, though.

[Anti Spyrou · Rating 1 out of 5]

At some point this must have been an acceptable book about dietary scientific facts and advice. THIS IS NOT THE CASE ANYMORE! Science progresses, and this book could now be considered dangerously misinformed at best. If you insist on reading Sweet Poison,here are some things to watch out for:
1. The work of both Ancel Keys and (mostly) Dr. Yudkin has been hugely misrepresented, mostly due to the poor understanding of the author, who is not a doctor.
2. Quatelet's index or BMI is a statistical tool, without evidence based application in medicine.
3. It is now scientifically accepted that cardiovascular incidents and atherosclerosis are mostly caused my chronic inflammation of the endothelium of vessels mostly due to insulin resistance. It is certainly not caused by food derived fat floating in our bloodstream. (See Porridge in the arteries).
4. Exercise won't help you lose weight by itself.
5. A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE! (Read Dr Lustig's Fat Chance)
Not to completely disregard this book, there are some pretty good advise in there, like not to consider breakfast items like juice and cereal as healthy food options. Apart from that, if you are reading this book to receive dietary advice, exercise caution.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. Some history, a lot of biochemistry interpreted by a layman, some economics and politics. I guess this all contributes to a foundation of psychological resistance to the sugar plague, but I would like more investigation of the psychology of poor food decisions i.e. 'treats'.

Despite reading as closely as I could (be bothered), I am still not totally clear on the differences and features between glucose, fructose and lactose, nor the role carbohydrates play in supplying our bodies with these sugars. My interest is sincere, but not intense enough to pursue a degree in biochemistry. I'm not stupid, but the significance of some of the biochemicals which seem to play a key role in D. Gillespie's thesis, eludes me.

If anyone needs convincing that sugar makes them fat, I would recommend this book. The take home message for me was: if your tastebuds detect sweetness, that 'food' is probably going to trick your brain into wanting more and thinking you haven't eaten anything.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

After waiting for a month for this book and it's partner, the Sweet Poison Quit plan, to arrive, I was disappointed to say the least. It was okay but geared I think towards a person that was eating lots of sugar in their diet. I personably quit sugar about 5 weeks ago and although this info was added fodder to my motivation, I didn't find it enjoyable reading. I really didn't like that, in the second of two books he advocated the use of dextrose in baking, which is still a sweet and definitely refined carbohydrate, which I am convinced is what we ( I ) really need to avoid. Once again, I learned more from the YouTube video by Dr Robert Lustig, who is in fact a pediatric endocrinologist and a credible expert on this topic. It is somewhat long and pretty technical but eye opening, and I'd recommend it if you want some real science to back your efforts to go sugar free.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatively easy read about the biochemistry of various sugars, but especially fructose and presents a good case for our obesity epidemic and what individuals can do about it: stop eating fructose except for the small bits one gets in whole fruits. Did you know that apple is the sweetest?

Sounds good to me.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most interesting book I have ever read about diet / health. I could not put it down. Its a must read for anyone with a weight problem.

[Leanne Flavell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative. It wasn't an easy read, although his personal interjections made me smile. His message is clear and makes sense. Recommend you read if the Title of this book resonates with you.

[Al Da · Rating 4 out of 5]

يتحدث هذا الكتاب عن السبب في كون العالم بات ينحو نحو البدانة المفرطة عقداً إثر آخر، ألا وهو استهلاك السكر المكرر.

تحدث الكاتب في البداية عن قصة اكتشاف السكر قبل ثلاثة قرون، وارتباط ذلك ببدء الأمراض التي لم تصب الإنسان يوماً قبلها، كالسكري وأمراض القلب والأوعية والكبد الدهني وغيرها الكثير مما يرتبط ارتباطاً وثيقاً باستهلاك السكر.

كما حكى عن الاكتشافات الطبية الأولى لعلماء وأطباء بارزين ودورهم في ترسيخ هذه العلاقة والأدلة عليها، وشرح عن بعض أبرز الحميات التي اخترعت منذ ذلك الوقت وحتى يومنا هذا، وعن أخطائها وعثراتها.

ومن بعدها تطرق إلى الجانب العلمي الذي يتجلى في الكيفية العلمية والكيميائية التي يؤثر بها السكر على جسم الإنسان وعن مدى الأضرار التي يحدثها السكر على جميع أنظمة الجسم، وأهمها هنا، نظام التحكم بالشهية في الدماغ، والذي يوقفه فركتوز السكر عن العمل، ليستهلك بعدها الإنسان ما شاء من الأطعمة، مما يزيد من وزنه أكثر فأكثر.

حكى أيضاً الكاتب عن المحليات الصناعية وأبرز أنواعها وتاريخها وتأثيرها المشابه للسكر على الجسم، وعن البدائل الصحية للسكر، وعن خرافة تسبُّب الدهون في السمنة، وعن السكر "الطبيعي" وعن الكثير والكثير من المعلومات العلمية والطبية والتاريخية والجغرافية والصحية.

جمع الكاتب هنا بين الأسلوبين العلمي والعامي، ليخرج لنا بتوليفة مميزة بسّطت المعلومات الطبية والكيميائية المعقدة التي لا نجدها سوى في الدوريات العلمية التخصصية، وعرضها لنا بأسلوب عامي مقرب من الأفهام، ولا يخلو من روح الدعابة.

بني الكتاب على تجربة الكاتب الشخصية مع اكتساب الوزن وخسارته واتباع الحميات المختلفة. فقد كان يعاني من مشاكل جمّة فيما يتعلق بهذا الموضوع، حتى قرر الاطلاع والقراءة والبحث لمعرفة السبب وراء سمنته، واكتشف بعدها السر داخل الدوريات العلمية المعقدة، ليقرر مشاركتنا المعلومات ويحاول تبسيطها إلى لغة يفهمها الجميع ويستفيدون من محتواها الثري والهام والمؤثر.

كان هذا هو أكثر ما أعجبني في هذا الكتاب. فكونه ليس مكتوباً من قبل خبير، بل من قبل مجرب، قد زاد مصداقيته بالنسبة لي. كما أن أسلوبه لم يكن كأساليب كتب التغذية والصحة العامة المعتادة التي تقول بشيء وتنصح وتمجد وتهلل له وتجعل كل ما عداه باطلاً، بل كان مجرد كتاب يعرض معلومات علمية ويقرب لنا فهم مغزاها ويترك لنا القرار ، فكان في النهاية كمن يقول: هل بعد كل ذلك ستظلون تتناولون السكر كذي قبل، أم ستعيدون حساباتكم؟

حمّلت هذا الكتاب بعد فترة بسيطة من بدئي لحمية أحاول فيها الامتناع عن تناول السكر، وقررت قراءته ليشجعني على ما أنا فيه ويسهل علي صعوباتها، ولكن الأمر تخطّى التشجيع إلى الحضّ على الامتناع شبه الكامل، مع خلق نفور كبير من السكر في نفسي، وهو ما كنت أتمناه مذ بدأت حميتي.

أعانني الكتاب على تصحيح الكثير من المفاهيم وترسيخ الكثير والكثير غيرها، كما أضاف لمخزوني كماً هائلاً من المعلومات المفيدة التي قررت معها ألا أمنع القراء العرب من الاستفادة من الكتاب، فقررت ترجمته. بحمدالله وفضله استطعت ترجمة هذا الكتاب إلى اللغة العربية ليكون أول ترجمة لي لكتاب يوماً، وستصدر النسخة المترجمة قريباً إن شاء الله.

كتاب مفيد وعملي وهام وضروري القراءة للجميع، أحببته واستمتعت به كثيراً. وقد ساهمت ترجمتي له بتحقيقي أقصى استفادة منه كوني استغرقت شهوراً طويلة في ترجمته ، فكنت أتشرب المعلومات على مهل بدل قراءتها عرضاً، وهذا كان ما دفعني لحب الكتاب أكثر وأكثر.

هذا الكتاب مليء بالمفاجئات والمعلومات الغريبة في شتى المواضيع، كما أن الملاحظات الهامشية والصور والشروحات والجداول مفيدة جداً في تقريب المفاهيم أكثر.

ربما سيكون كتاباً عادياً بالنسبة لقارئ عادي يمر عليه مرور الكرام، ولكن من يتأنى في قراءته ويحاول فهمه والتدقيق في ما ورد فيه من معلومات، سيجده كتاباً غنياً ومفيداً ومطلقاً لأجراس الخطر جميعها، وباعثاً على التغيير.

كتاب ممتاز ورائع، أنصح بقراءته.

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad introduction to the topic of sugar but the writing wasn’t great. Here are a few examples:

1) sometimes acronyms were used before they were defined (GI is used in the introduction without indicating that it stands for “glycemic index”)

2) the discussion around phosphofructokinase-1 and fatty acids doesn’t make sense (This book says PFK-1 is responsible for controlling how much energy and fat the liver makes. When PFK-1 is active ATP is produced but if it is deactivated then ATP is not created. This is how enzymes catalyze reactions and makes sense. The next but does not: “We are designed not to make too much energy and therefore not to create excess circulating fatty acids out of the leftovers”. The connection between PFK-1, ATP, and fatty acids is not clear.

3) the references are sparse and located at the end of the book in a chapter - when citing statistics and facts it would make sense to have proper endnotes to show exactly where information was sourced from

4) “one gram of fat yields almost twice as much energy (nine calories) as either protein or carbohydrate” well, since you just said a gram of protein or carbs was 4 calories, 9 is actually more than double (which would be 8) - please be careful with wording! What is that sentence supposed to convey?

5) repetitive… for example, how many times are you going to say that we won’t eat 4 apples and then a meal?

Those were a few easy to find/think of examples - I could have cited more but I didn’t make notes while reading!