The South Beach Diet was developed by the cardiologist Arthur Agatston and the dietician Marie Almon. It's intended as an alternative to other low-fat diets promoted by the American Heart Association. The original purpose of the South Beach Diet was to prevent heart disease and it's currently used to lose weight.
History
Dr. Agatston believed that the low-carbohydrate diet developed in the 1970s by Robert Atkins allowed too much fat and didn't provide enough carbohydrates. He developed the South Beach Diet during the 1980s, based on the research being done on insulin resistance at that time. The success of the diet among his patients caused this diet to become a popular method of weight loss by the early 2000s.
Theory
Simple sugar in the diet can cause cells in the body to eventually become resistant to the effects of insulin. This can cause the pancreas to release more insulin, which can lower the blood sugar below the normal level. A lower blood sugar level can lead to excess hunger, causing people to overeat. The South Beach Diet promotes weight loss by dramatically reducing the amount fats and simple sugar in the diet.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates that quickly break down into glucose can cause the blood sugar level to "spike" because the sugar from the food tends to enter the bloodstream at the same time. This primarily includes refined grains and sugars. The South Beach Diet exchanges these carbohydrates for more complex carbohydrates, such as beans, vegetables and whole grains.
Fats
The South Beach Diet also promotes good heart health by eliminating trans fats completely and greatly reducing saturated fats. Both of these types of fats can increase the risk of heart disease. The South Beach Diet exchanges trans fats and saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats that contain omega-3 fatty acids. This means that the South Beach diet substitutes fatty red meat and poultry for lean meat and oily fish.
Phases
The South Beach Diet is divided into three phases. Phase 1 eliminates all sugar, fruits, processed carbohydrates and some vegetables. Phase 1 lasts for about two weeks. Phase 2 reintroduces most fruits and vegetables, and is used to lose weight. Phase 3 is a maintenance phase that that doesn't have a specific list of prohibited foods. Instead, it relies on the dieter to apply the principles learned from the first two phases.
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