That said, the success of the diet is almost certainly due to the fact that restricting sugar helps to reduce calories, not because of anything to do with insulin. The idea that insulin causes weight gain is highly controversial. There can be no weight gain in the absence of a calorie surplus caused by eating too many or burning too few. It's true that high insulin levels increase the risk of heart disease, but there is little if any evidence that insulin causes extra fat storage. Interestingly, a UK study of weight loss published in the International Journal of Obesity (2001), found that the elimination of sugar from weight loss diets made very little difference. Two sets of dieters who followed (a) sugar-free and (b) 10 percent sugar diets, respectively, lost similar amounts of weight. In addition, other clinical studies show that diets with zero sugar have lower compliance rates. Sugar Busters Diet - Claims · Sugar - not fat - is the cause of excess weight. · For best weight loss, eat according to the Glycemic Index. Sugar Busters Diet - Drawbacks · Based on a false premise. Sugar is not toxic and insulin does not lead to weight gain. · Bans some healthy foods, like potatoes and bananas. · Difficult to follow for vegetarians. · Downplays the idea that calorie-intake causes weight gain or weight loss. · Unnecessarily complicates the refined-sugar-is-bad issue. Sugar Busters Diet - Summary · Recommended. Despite the above drawbacks, Sugar Busters diet still promotes enough healthy eating to justify a recommendation. · But losing weight on Sugar Busters diet will be much easier if you pay attention to the calories-in/ calories-out principle. This (and not insulin) is the determining weight loss/gain factor. THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE DIET The Sugar Busters Diet first came about in mid 1990s. The theory behind it that sugar is toxic and when sugar is eaten it causes an increase in insulin which in turn encourages weight gain. This means that refined sugar in cakes, sweets and fizzy drinks are all ruled out in the Sugar Busters Diet. However some healthy foods are also banned from this diet such as potatoes, pasta and carrots as the Sugar Busters Diet discourages food with a high glycemic index. The Sugar Busters Diet follows a 30% protein, 40% fat and 30% carbohydrate plan that doesn't limit portion sizes
