The South Beach Diet has been one of the top "designer diets" for years, but does it really work?
Created by cardiologist Arthur Agatston, this diet's emphasis is on the importance of "good carbs" and "good fats". Agatston believes that consuming too many "bad carbs" creates an insulin resistance in the body, leaving us unable to process fat or sugar properly. He also believes that "bad fats" (saturated and trans fat) contribute directly to an increase in cardiovascular disease.
So Agatston designed the South Beach Diet to achieve a healthy heart and a healthy weight.
The main reason why the South Beach Diet has been so successful is that dieters still get to eat the things they love. The key is to consume good carbs and good fats and cut out bad carbs and bad fats.
- Good carbs: noodles, brown rice, barley, potatoes, fruit and vegetables
- Good fats: nuts, avocado, olive oil, fish rich in omega-3 oils, sunflower oil, soy
- Bad carbs: white bread, alcohol, white rice, chips, biscuits and cakes
- Bad fats: coconut oil, full-cream milk, packaged foods, some meat and dairy, some margarine
Three steps
The diet is divided into three phases.
Phase one
Duration: two weeks. Designed to eliminate cravings and kick-start weight loss.
- Magic ingredients: proteins.
- Fill up on: fish, skinless poultry, lean cuts of beef, eggs, tofu, beans, low-fat dairy, avocadoes, nuts, vegetables, olive oil.
- Avoid: fatty meats, brie, carbs, fruit, alcohol, caffeine, sugar.
Phase two
Duration: until you reach a healthy weight. Designed to induce long-term, steady weight loss.
- Magic ingredients: proteins and good carbs.
- Fill up on: everything in phase one, plus wholegrain bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, peas, dark chocolate, wholegrain tortilla chips, fruit, red wine in moderation.
- Avoid: same as phase one.
Phase three
How you'll eat and live all year round — it's the key to maintaining your new weight.
- Magic ingredients: all food groups except bad carbs and bad fats.
- Fill up on: healthy options of regular food, ie, grill, don't fry; poach, don't bake; eat plenty of vegetables.
- Avoid: bad fats and too much sugar.
The good points
- Can help you lose weight extremely quickly. One member of the diet lost 68kg in 15 months.
- You're allowed dessert and snacks.
- The food is designed to fill you up so your tummy won't start rumbling an hour after dinner.
- It's suitable for vegetarians.
- The healthy lifestyle that goes hand in hand with the South Beach Diet can help blood pressure, the heart and emotional wellbeing.
- Phase one stabilises blood sugar, which makes it ideal for diabetics.
- It teaches you a sensible eating philosophy so you can stay on track.
The bad points
- The South Beach Diet encourages replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners such as those containing saccharin and aspartame, but there is controversy around these as some studies have linked them to negative health effects such as headaches and even cancer.
- Irregular heartbeats, electrolyte imbalances and arrhythmias have been associated with young women on no-carb, high-protein diets such as phase one of the South Beach Diet.
- You have to join a club to participate in the official South Beach Diet and pay $5 per week to access the secret recipes. But surely, knowing the basic principles, you can figure out what's healthy and what's not for yourself.
- Some doctors claim that the South Beach Diet's drastic start can be more dangerous for some than not dieting to lose the extra weight at all.
Our rating
Health gives the South Beach Diet 7/10. Despite the cheeky membership requirements, it's got the right idea, promoting moderation and teaching you to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
To become a South Beach Diet member and have customised menus sent directly to you, visit www.southbeachdiet.com.
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