In her latest book, "Sugarless," Dr. Nicole Avena, a globally recognized neuroscientist who revolutionized the study of sugar addiction, offers readers a detailed, step-by-step program to uncover hidden sources of sugars, manage sweet cravings, escape the cycle of unhealthy eating, and ultimately conquer sugar addiction.
“Many people blame sugar cravings on lack of willpower rather than accepting that sugar is highly addictive—even more so than cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol,” says Dr. Nicole Avena. “The problem isn't just dessert, but the fact that sugar is everywhere. It's not surprising that many people struggle to eliminate it from their diets.”
Dr. Nicole Avena was the first to study sugar addiction in the laboratory and has authored more than 100 scholarly journal articles on the topic. Today, she's the world's leading expert on sugar addiction, and her findings have informed our overall understanding of nutrition and health.
In Sugarless, Dr. Avena provides a compelling narrative about how processed foods with refined sugar can wreak havoc on one's health. However, her goal goes beyond raising the alarm; she offers a practical plan that doesn't require going cold turkey. In her book, she outlines the detrimental effects of sugar on the brain and body and provides readers with a straightforward 7-step program to kick the habit for good.
In addition to providing 30 carefully crafted sugar-less recipes aimed at overcoming sugar addiction and promoting satiety, this book offers valuable tools to support your journey to a sugar-free lifestyle. You'll find a quiz to help you evaluate your level of sugar addiction, a food diary to gain insight into your eating habits, as well as tips for improvement. Furthermore, it includes a reference guide for additional reading, offering a holistic approach to overcoming sugar addiction and maintaining a sugarless life.
Nicole Avena, PhD, is a pioneering research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet, and addiction. She's the author of several books on nutrition and early development, including What to Eat When You're Pregnant (2015), which has sold over 40,000 copies. Dr. Avena is an associate professor of neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and a visiting professor in health psychology at Princeton University. She received a PhD in psychology and neuroscience from Princeton University in 2006, and then completed her postdoctoral fellowship in 2010 at the prestigious Rockefeller University in New York City. She has published over 100 scholarly journal articles on topics related to diet, nutrition, and overeating, and she frequently presents her research findings at major scientific conferences and university symposia. She has also served as a consultant to companies in the food, beverage and supplement space.
"Having demonstrated the treachery of sugar with her breakthrough research, Nicole Avena now delivers an accessible and actionable guide for using this same science to evade an addiction to sugar," says Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Hooked.
"Sugar is an addictive drug, and your grandmother is a pusher. In Sugarless, Nicole Avena calls them both out and gives us the tools to battle back from the edge of the abyss," adds Robert Lustig, MD, MSL, author of Metabolical.
Sugarless is published by Union Square & Co. and available available in stores now and in paperback in December 2024.
