In 'Year Of No Sugar,' Healthy Vermont Family Of Four Gets Healthier After Eliminating Addictive Substance
ByShould something really be called a memoir if you plan the soon-to-be past event in advance? That's how Eve O. Schaub's classified her recent book, "Year of No Sugar," in which she and her family give up sugar for a year in Vermont.
Though some have questioned Schaub's intentions -- whether to raise awareness for an issue or sell books --, more have praised the book's quality. It's received solid reviews on Amazon, Good Reads, and in this NPR article.
The Boston Globe wondered if the book might have been better if Schaub and her family of four had a more life-altering reason to give up sugar. She, her husband, and two children were all fit before the experiment. Afterwards, they simply came out healthier.
"We had no problems that we were looking to solve," Schaub told the Globe. "We didn't need to lose weight, and we were all pretty fit and healthy."
Schaub was inspired to write the book after watching a documentary about the addictive properties and long term effects of sugar. She admits to believing the film's message, "hook, line, and sinker," even if some scientists and nutritionist question some of the movie's research.
Around the time she saw the documentary, the author was also searching for a new project. She explains as much in the beginning of the book.
"I was a writer, and I had been looking for a new project to focus on," Schaub wrote.
Throughout the year, Schaub allowed her family one desert per month. She also gave her two daughters permission to eat sugar outside the house. Otherwise, the Vermont family stayed true to the book's title.
For extra publicity and depth, Schaub should have tried to incorporate a Steve Nash interview into her 320 pages. The Lakers point guard is well-known throughout the league for his cautious, sugar-free diet.