The Sugar Busters diet is a diet focused on eliminating foods containing refined carbohydrates such as refined sugar

Sugar

Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...

, white flour, and white rice

White rice

White rice is the name given to milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. This alters the flavour, texture and appearance of the rice and helps prevent spoilage and extend its storage life. After milling, the rice is polished, resulting in a seed with a bright, white, shiny...

, as well as naturally occurring carbohydrates rating high on the glycemic index

Glycemic index

The glycemic index, glycaemic index, or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more...

 such as potatoes and carrots.

Sugar Busters was created by H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, and Luis A. Balart.

The original Sugar Busters! Cut Sugar to Trim Fat was self-published by the authors in 1995 and became a local hit in their hometown of New Orleans, after which Ballantine Books

Ballantine Books

Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...

 republished the book nationally. The Ballantine edition hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in June 2001. An updated The New Sugar Busters! Cut Sugar to Trim Fat was published in 2003.