If you're looking to lose weight or body fat, you may be wondering whether the South Beach Diet or the Atkins Diet would be right for you. There are some significant differences between the two diets, both in terms of their approach to carbohydrates and fats and in terms of their effect on metabolism.
The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet was popularized by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston in his book "The South Beach Diet." Because of Dr. Agatston's area of medical specialization, his goal in creating his diet plan was to provide for weight loss while also encouraging dieters to eat heart-healthy fats and avoid unhealthy fats. As a result, the South Beach Diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods and plant-based oils. On this diet, you learn to differentiate between good and bad carbohydrates as well as between good and bad fats.
The Atkins Diet
In his book "Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution," Dr. Robert Atkins sets forth principles of the Atkins Diet. These include the somewhat controversial theories that by eating carbohydrates, you train your body to burn carbohydrate for energy instead of burning fat, and that by eating more fat and protein, you can "re-train" your metabolism. Dr. Atkins limits your carbohydrate intake to an extreme extent -- during the induction phase, you're allowed only 20 grams of carbohydrate a day -- and doesn't differentiate between healthy and unhealthy fats.
Ketosis
One major difference between the two diet types is the effect upon your metabolism. While the South Beach Diet encourages you to eat a balanced blend of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats -- which doesn't significantly alter your cellular metabolism -- the Atkins Diet produces radical metabolic changes by limiting carbohydrates drastically. This leads to a metabolic state called "ketosis," in which you produce and circulate compounds called ketone bodies. While there aren't studies to show that ketosis is harmful at this point, the lack of dietary carbohydrates produces many uncomfortable side effects, including depression, notes a 2006 study published by Dr. Carol Johnston and colleagues in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Other Concerns
An additional significant difference between the South Beach Diet and the Atkins Diet is that the South Beach Diet encourages you to avoid saturated fats, which come mostly from animals, and trans fats, which occur in processed foods. These fats tend to decrease cardiovascular health, notes the American Heart Association. Conversely, the Atkins Diet doesn't differentiate between different types of fats, and allows dieters to consume saturated fats in addition to plant-based oils.
References
- "The South Beach Diet"; Arthur Agatston; 2003
- "Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution"; Robert Atkins; 1981
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets; Carol Johnston et al; May 2006
- American Heart Association: Fats
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