cover image Living Low-Carb: The Complete Guide to Long-Term Low-Carb Dieting

Living Low-Carb: The Complete Guide to Long-Term Low-Carb Dieting

Frances Monson McCullough, Fran McCullough. Little Brown and Company, $25.95 (384pp) ISBN 978-0-316-55768-9

Cookbook editor and writer McCullough credits a low carbohydrate diet with saving her life. McCullough, who diagnosed her own blood clot, admits that she's not as thin as she likes and she's not a physician, but she fervently believes that there are many dieters, like herself, who simply cannot chemically process carbohydrates in a healthy way. Therefore, she argues, these people should limit their carbohydrate intake. McCullough presents her case in a logical and convincing way. She first gives an overview of the various popular low-carbohydrate diets and the medical principles behind them. Then she offers basic low-carb diet plans, along with personal anecdotes from people who have been following these plans. The final two-thirds of the book consists of recipes from main dishes to desserts. This is an excellent primer for anyone who has tried to make sense of the various low-carb diets. McCullough writes in a friendly and approachable style. Her tips on common dieting problems such as avoiding temptation, eating while traveling, finding acceptable bread substitutes, etc., are quite useful and the recipes are tasty and not terribly complicated. This volume makes a fine companion to the author's previous title, the bestselling Low-Carb Cookbook. (June)