The benefits of the South Beach Diet are not well documented as of 2010, and further research is needed. The South Beach Diet was popularized in the early 2000s, during a resurgence in the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. Although the diet was designed by Arthur Agatston, M.D., a cardiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the South Beach Diet is not a medical diet. It is a commercial diet and includes a host of associated trademarked foods and other products.
Quick, Short-Term Weight Loss
The South Beach Diet allows as much as 28 percent of daily calories to come from carbohydrates, according to MayoClinic.com. While this is more than most low-carbohydrate diets, it is still far below the 54 percent that the average American consumes daily, according to the National Cancer Institute. This drastic reduction in carbohydrates may lead to a quick, short-term weight loss. Most physicians, however, recommend that their patients seeking to diet safely lose no more than 1 to 2 lbs. of weight per week, according to MayoClinic.com.
Regular Exercise
A positive component of the South Beach Diet is that the plan encourages its adherents to incorporate regular exercise into their daily routines, specifically in the form of a daily 20-minute walk. While modest, the act of daily exercise is beneficial and aids in weight loss. According to MayoClinic.com, in its original version, the South Beach Diet did not include an exercise component.
Lowers Lipid Levels
Lipids are organic compounds in your body that may increase your risk for obesity and diabetes. In an April 2009 article published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association," Dr. Michael Miller writes that patients following the South Beach Diet's maintenance phase had significantly lower lipid levels than patients following the maintenance phase of the Atkins Diet -- another popular low-carbohydrate diet. The South Beach Diet followers in the maintenance phase also reduced their own lipid levels when compared to their pre-diet levels.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Weight loss: South Beach Diet
- National Cancer Institute: Usual Energy Intake from Carbohydrates
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Comparative Effects of Three Popular Diets on Lipids, Endothelial Function, and C-Reactive Protein during Weight Maintenance; Michael Miller, M.D.; April 2009
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