Does seeing, smelling, or thinking of food make you
want to eat?
Do you eat when you are not hungry?
Do you snack at night?
Are you lethargic after a big meal?
Are you tired and/or hungry in the afternoon with-
out a reason to be?
Do you continue to eat even when you are full?
Do you yo-yo diet?
Scoring of the quiz is based on the number of
‘‘yes’’ answers. A score of 0–2 indicates no carbohy-
drate addiction. A score of 3–4 suggests a mild carbo-
hydrate addiction. A score of 5–7 suggests a moderate
addiction. A score of 8–10 indicates a severe addiction
to carbohydrates.
The carbohydrate addict’s diet begins with the
entry plan, which allows two complementary meals
and one reward meal each day for the first week. In
subsequent weeks, the diet is adjusted depending on a
person’s weight loss goal and amount of weight lost in
the previous week. The diet also allows for a snack and
salads. The complementary meal is composed of one
serving of meat and two cups of low-carb vegetables or
two cups of salad. There is an extensive list of meats
and vegetables to choose from. The reward meal can
be as large as the person wants but it must be com-
posed of equal portions ofprotein, low-carb vegeta-
bles, and high-carb foods (including dessert). The
reward meal must be eaten in an hour. A snack is
the same as a complementary meal but half the size.
The diet allows for an unlimited amount ofwater, diet
drinks, and unsweetened coffee and tea.
Very few people need a morning breakfast to pro-
vide energy through the day, according to the Hellers.
Since food takes several hours to clear the stomach and a
few more hours to be processed in the small intestine, it is
the food that is eaten the night before that gives a person
energy for the first part of the next day, the Hellers say.
For people who are not hungry in the morning, the
Hellers recommend skippingbreakfast and having just
coffee or tea. Skipping breakfast is not a practice widely
recommended among dieticians and nutritionists.Children and teens
There are two different carbohydrate addict’s diets
for children and teenagers. Both are outlined in the
Hellers’ book,Carbohydrate-Addicted Kids. Carbohy-
drate addiction affects up to 74% of children and teens,
according to the Hellers. It is also a problem in adoles-
cents with behavior, motivation, concentration, and
learning problems, and mood swings. On the step-by-step carbohydrate addict’s diet, children go at a slower
pace, and are offered additional food incentives besides
the rewards meal. The jump-start carbohydrate addict’s
diet is designed for older children and teens. It offers
foods high infiberand protein for meals and snacks.
Like the adult diet, it provides a reward meal in which
dieters can eat anything they want, provided it is equal
portions of protein, low-carb vegetables, and high-carb
foods. The book also provides information on meals
for special occasions, such as birthdays, holidays, vaca-
tions, and other celebrations. The diets for adolescents
also have a vegetarian component.Function
The premise of the carbohydrate addict’s diet is to
correct the body’s excess release of insulin, which occurs
following consumption of foods high in carbohydrates.
The excess release of insulin triggers an intense and recur-
ring craving for more carbohydrate-rich foods. The diet,
combined with exercise, is designed to correct the under-
lying cause of the cravings, the excess release of insulin.Benefits
The primary benefit of the carbohydrate addict’s
diet is that carb-addicts can control their cravings andKEY TERMS
Carbohydrate addiction—A compelling hunger,
craving, or desire for foods high in carbohydrates,
or an escalating and recurring need for starchy
foods, snack foods, junk foods, and sweets.
Carbohydrates—An organic compound that is an
important source of food and energy.
Cardiovascular—Pertaining to the heart and blood
vessels.
Cholesterol—A compound found in blood and a
number of foods, including eggs and animal fats.
Endocrinologist—A medical specialist who treats
diseases of the endocrine (glands) system, including
diabetes.
Insulin—A hormone that regulates the level of glu-
cose (sugar) in the blood.
Pancreas—A digestive gland of the endocrine sys-
tem that regulates and produces several hormones,
including insulin.
Post-prandial reactive hyperinsulinemia—A con-
dition resulting from excess insulin production after
eating.Carbohydrate addict’s diet