The south beach diet is a relatively new diet that depends on the same concept of many diets like the keto diet and the Atkins diet which is mainly carbohydrate restriction to help you lose weight but without depending greatly upon fats or proteins which means that in some point you will reintroduce carbs back into your diet but the main difference between it and other types of low carbos diets is that its main goal isn’t about the low carb, low fat food instead it is about learning the right types of fats and the right types of carbs to choose so it basically encourages you to steer away from saturated and processed fats and choose the better unsaturated types and avoid foods that contain carbohydrates with high glycemic index that satisfy you for short periods of time, supply you with brisk energy,leave you wanting more and makes you addicted to this type of food but to choose instead the right type of carbs that takes a while to process, makes you feel fuller for longer, supplies you with energy slowly over time and controls your cravings.
History of the south beach diet:
the south beach diet was first developed by the American cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston who developed the Agatston Score for measuring the amount of calcium in the coronary artery this diet became well known to the public after publishing his famous book the south beach diet cookbook in 2003 so it has been popular for about 2 decades now.
Some people consider this diet to be a fad diet that promises you rapid weight loss, if you follow it for a short period of time, without getting hungry but these diets are seldom well researched and don’t have a lot of supporting data about its efficacy. this diet was developed to help overweight people, diabetics, pre-diabetics, cardiac patients to lose weight and lower the cardiovascular risk that comes with diets that are very low on carbs and recommend too much fat consumption like the Atkins diet.
The Keto friendly south beach diet:
there are different variations to the south beach diet with the most recent twist being the combination of the keto diet regimen and the south beach diet in making a keto-friendly south beach diet to make you lose weight faster and enhance your metabolism and fat-burning ability.
Throughout this diet, you don’t count calories or restrict them you only have to focus on mindfully picking the right ingredients, right fats, and the right carbs to add to your diet, mainly whole foods that make you feel full, help you lose weight and also reduce your risk of obesity-related diseases and complications.
The south beach diet phases
» Phase 1 :
This initial phase starts out with full restriction of carbohydrates mainly fruits, grains, and any sugary or starchy foods for 2 whole weeks with relying more on proteins and fat content. you are supposed to have three big meals every day with 2 mandatory snacks and all the meals and snacks should constitute of lean meat, poultry, fish, nonstarchy vegetables, healthy fats, legumes… this phase aims mainly at reducing glucose levels in the blood, stabilizing insulin levels, controlling your hunger, and reducing your cravings. most people lose about 8:13 pounds of weight during this short period of time if they follow the rules strictly along with a simple exercise routine.
Types of food you can eat in phase 1:
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- Lean proteins: beef, pork, lamb, veal…
- Poultry: skinless chicken breast, turkey, pigeons…
- Seafood: fatty fish, shellfish, shrimp…
- Eggs
- Dairy: low-fat milk, plain or Greek yogurt
- Low-fat cheese: ricotta, cottage cheese…
- Nonstarchy vegetables: all vegetables except potatoes, yams, peas, squashes, corn, beets, carrots, turnips…
- Legumes: black beans, pinto beans, split peas, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils, edamame, soybeans
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachio…
- Seeds: chia seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds…
- Healthy oils and fats: monounsaturated fat like olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil
- Vegetable oil: corn oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, soybean oil…
- Sweets: sugar-free cocoa, sugar-free jams, jellies, sugar-free gum, candy, sugar substitutes
- Condiments: herbs, spices, vinegar, soy sauce, light sour cream, light whipped cream
- Beverages: coffee, herbal tea, sugar-free sodas and juices, vegetable juices.
types of Food you should avoid in phase 1 :
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- Foods with added refined sugar in them like cakes, cookies, brownies…
- Honey, maple syrup, agave…
- All types of fruits
- Fatty cuts of meat and poultry like the thighs
- Butter and coconut oil
- Fruits juices, alcohol, and sweet beverages
- Whole fat milk and cream
- All grains rice, pasta, bread, cereals…
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes, peas, corn, carrot, beets…
» Phase 2:
This phase is not as restrictive as the first phase as you can have basically all the types of food you were allowed to eat in the first phase as lean protein, healthy fat, non-starchy vegetables, and legumes along with some of the restricted ingredients from the first phase but in limited amounts. you can add some healthy carbs like fruits and whole grains but no added sugars or foods that are high on starch like some vegetables and white bread. this phase usually isn’t bound by a certain time limit you can go on in this phase for as long as you need till you achieve the desired weight loss you aimed for at the beginning of the diet. most people lose on average about 1:2 pounds per week.
if you notice you are not losing weight you can always take a step back to phase one to lower the number of carbs you consume and get back on track when you notice a difference in weight. Dr. Agatston made certain to state that It is very important to reintroduce these carbs since they are essential for maintaining good health in the long run and you should begin to have improved energy, more regular bowel movements from the extra fiber you consume, you will also notice having better moods and sleeping quality.
Foods you can add in phase 2:
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- All types of fruits except those with high sugar content in them like dates, figs, pineapple, dried fruits…
- Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread, quinoa, couscous, whole grain cereals…
- Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, turnips, peas…
- Alcohol once daily can be either beer or red wine.
Foods you should avoid in phase 2:
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- Fatty meats and poultry
- Saturated fats like butter, margarine…
- Whole milk and cream
- Any foods that are high in sugar
- All sweetened beverages
- Sugary fruits like figs, dates, dried fruits…
- Very starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn…
- Other types of alcohol that have high sugar content in them
» Phase 3:
This is the last phase and it is known as the maintenance phase, once you find your body in a good place and see that you have reached the goal you aspired after, you can now eat whatever you want and reintroduce carbs in your diet but it is important to not overdo it so as not to add the weight you lost with hard work back, you should make some boundaries for yourself and not add too much sugary and starchy foods or overindulge on pastries and sweets.
you can always go back a couple of steps as well to keep your weight down, it is also recommended that you have a regular exercise routine along with all of the 3 phases of this diet; as food alone isn’t enough for keeping you healthy and reducing your risk of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
Benefits of the south beach diet
✓ This diet helps you lose weight easily and fast without any calorie restrictions so you can eat till you feel full and still be losing some pounds.
✓ It is full of protein content that helps keep your hunger controlled,reduces cravings, and makes you feel full for longer along with its wonderful action in helping you build muscles and staying
✓ This type of diet isn’t as strict as other types of diets since it doesn’t have many restrictions and even the low carb content in the first phase gets gradually increased through the next phase which helps you continue losing weight and makes it easier for you to stick to this diet and turn it into a consistentlifestyle modification.
✓ It helps control types 2 diabetes through the restriction of foods with high glycemic index by that you manage to avoid the high glucose spikes after meals, it makes it easier to control insulin levels in the blood, along with the added benefits of losing weight it helps diabetics control their disease better,depend less on medications and avoid complications of diabetes.
✓ Many of the food items that are used in this diet have antioxidant and anti-inflammatoryproperties that help rejuvenate your body and reduce some of the oxidative damage that free radicals stress exerts on your cells, keeping you younger and healthier for longer.
✓ This diet helps people who are suffering from stubborn belly fat to drop some inches off their waistline, it helps themlose as well some of the visceral fat that builds up around the organs which is one of the main promoters of the development of chronic diseases and metabolic syndrome.
✓ It is generally an easy-to-followdiet with many recipes and sample menus available online, there is a ton of books on this diet that makes it a whole lot easier to have a wide variety of meals throughout the different phases while depending on simple and easy to cook ingredients.
✓ This diet doesn’t require calorie tracking so you can eat as much as you want till you feel full without the extra hustle of calorie counting.
✓ It improves cardiovascular health and lowers the rate of the risk factors responsible for heart disease mainly hypertension and dyslipidemia as it helps lower LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides in the blood.
✓ The fat content stays away from saturated fats and depends mainly on monounsaturated fats like olive oil which are full of omega 3 fatty acids that are great for heart health and protect you from many neurodegenerative diseases like dementia
✓ This diet has a lot of healthy meal plans that are suitable for vegetarians, people who can’ttolerate gluten, and other allergies plus it is a low sodium diet so it is beneficial for people who suffer from high blood pressure.
Dangers of the south beach diet
◈ This type of diet with its low content of carbohydrates can put the body in a state of ketosis where you depend mainly on the fats in your body and in the food you consume as the main source of energy and if you consume too manyfats and your body produces a lot of ketone bodies that can result in very harmful effects on your body but it rarely happens to people who eat fats in moderation.
◈ This diet is high on protein and this can lead to many problems for people with chronic kidney disease and liver disease since it can precipitate stone formation and liver injury.
◈ This diet is very selective on the types of fats you are allowed to use and unfortunately not all the types allowed are good for your health such as soybean oil which is high inomega 6 fatty acids and many processed oils that are known factors in increasing body inflammation, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome
◈ The restriction of many foods with carbs in the first phase like fruits and starchy vegetables isn’t very healthy since most of these items contain a big amount of fiber that the body needs to form our stool bulk and have better gut motilityand with this fiber gone our gut health gets worse and you will suffer more frequently from constipation. there are also tons of minerals and vitamins in these banned ingredients so cutting them out from your food for weeks can lead to some mineral and vitamin deficiencies
◈ The high protein and fat content aren’tsuitable for people suffering from gall bladder disease since they can’t tolerate fatty foods and for people with gout since the excess purines from the proteins can raise uric acid levels and exacerbate the inflammation.
◈ The meal plans that some companies offer to ease meal prep can actually be very expensive and not everyone can afford them which makes it important to find high-qualityingredients and prep everyday meals on your own.
◈ It isn’t suitable for pregnant and lactating females and for people suffering from eating disorders like anorexia since this diet can make their condition worse.
Food items to have in the south beach diet
1. Extra virgin olive oil
This type of oil is the healthiest and purest type of olive oil since it is not processed at all. it has a ton of benefits if you use it as the main fat in your diet, it is high in monounsaturated fatty acids mostly in the form of oleic acid that helps you keep good cardiovascular health, it is also a great source of antioxidants with oleocanthal being one of the best anti inflammatory compounds in olive oil that are known to protect you from some types of cancer and improve your memory, cognition, and learning abilities it is also full of vitamins like vitamin E and K that play a key role in blood and vessels health, it is easy to use in cooking and adds depth and flavor to all types of food.
2. Chicken breast
Chickens are great sources of protein and if you desire to get the highest amount of protein with very little fat content the chicken breast is the right choice, it can supply you with all of the essential amino acids and helps you build strong healthy muscles, it also a great source of iron and vitamins B12 and B6 which are essential for DNA synthesis and brain health.
Chickens are wonderful for weight loss since they are not very high on calories compared to red meat and they can be easily prepared in a wide range of recipes from baking, roasting to stir-frying they taste great in all forms and are best eaten with a side of healthy colorful veggies it is also best to try and avoid frying chicken since frying makes it very high on calories and carbs.
3. Eggs
Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods out there that are just wonderful on their own to supply you with a lot of nutrients eggs are very rich in protein and healthy fats that are good for the body, and even though the cholesterol content is high it doesn’t necessarily harm your blood vessels but instead protects it; since they raise the level of HDL cholesterol the good type of cholesterol for your heart, they are packed with antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein that help protect your eyes from the degenerative processes associated with aging, not only that but they also have a high content of choline and selenium and a big variety of vitamins and minerals so basically by having a boiled egg every day you supply your body with a bundle of health and nutrition.
4. Leafy vegetables
Spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula… all the different types of dark green leafy vegetables are fantastic sources of nutrients they are packed with antioxidants that reduce the free radical damage on cells, they are full of vitamins like vitamin K and folate which are essential for DNA synthesis and fetal development they are also high on iron and with some lemon to increase the iron absorption since it is of the non-heme variety that needs some citrus to aid in its absorption
All of these greens are wonderful additions to food that add brightness and freshness in salads, sandwiches and all types of dishes.
5. Avocados
This fruit is one of the very few low carb fruits that contain very little sugar but so much healthy fat content and fiber with a whole bunch of vitamins like C and E and minerals like magnesium and potassium which are essential for many bodily functions, the high fiber content makes it very healthy for the gut as it promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria, and with its high content of omega 3 fatty acids it can improve your cardiovascular risk factors substantially and lower the risk of developing heart disease and improves brain functions, it also has a high amount of the antioxidant carotenoids that protect the body against oxidative damage, and they taste marvelous in smoothies since they add a substantial creamy texture.
6. Zucchini
This is a type of squashes also known as courgette in some countries and this vegetable has almost no carb content, it is very low on calories and can be added to all types of dishes, it has a wonderful content of vitamins A and C that supports your vision and enhances the immune system, it also has antioxidants like lutein and beta carotene that protect you from some types of cancer and benefits all body systems, they are full of water as well as both soluble and insoluble fiber that helps soften stool and form a better consistency for stool to avoid constipation and reduce gut inflammation,
It is also very beneficial for diabetics since it has more fibers and lower sugar content which helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, it is very versatile and comes in many colors and can make beautiful salads, stir-fries, stews, stuffed with minced meat and baked, and the trend is to cut it into spiral shapes and use it as a replacement to spaghetti.
7. Cottage cheese
This type of cheese has been around for centuries and is one of the best cheeses with low-fat content and a mild flavor, it is also very high on calcium and phosphorus which helps keep your musculoskeletal system in good condition with very few calories to aid you in losing weight, it also has a huge amount of casein protein which gets absorbed slowly and protects your muscles from breakdown and keeps them strong, it is a sublime choice to replace other types of high-calorie cheeses with and you can incorporate it basically in all sorts of dishes.