Dietas: Lo Bueno, Lo Malo y Lo Feo = Diet

Though she is not a nutritional specialist or medical professional by training, Colombian journalist Esguerra performs a useful service by summarizing the effectiveness, health issues, and maintainability of 15 popular diets, including the Miracle Soup diet, the Zone, Sugar Busters, and the Antidiet. Each chapter outlines the essential philosophy, nutritional basis, and initial menu for each diet, inviting readers to choose the regimen that most suits their weight-loss needs and lifestyle. Using tables, lists, and layperson's language, the easy-to-follow guide teaches basic nutritional concepts and affirms that no effective diet is easy, immediate, or miraculous. The author promotes consultation with a nutritional specialist prior to beginning any diet and encourages further research by including a bibliography and list of websites. For those who wish to lose weight but are confused by the barrage of information from the media and friends about faddish diets, this guide serves as a helpful starting point and is recommended for medium to large public libraries and bookstores.Catharine Cebrowski, Monterrey, Mexico