The South Beach Diet Research Paper

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South Beach Diet

The South Beach diet was created in 2003 by a cardiologist named Aurthur Agatston. It is

considered as a low carbohydrate diet. It is lower in carbs and higher in protein and healthy fats

than in a typical eating plan (Mayo Clinic, 2019). It’s also not a strict low carb diet, and it is not

necessary to count carbs. The main purpose of the South Beach diet is to change the overall

balance of food that you consume to live a healthier lifestyle, and to manage weight loss. It’s a

healthier way of eating, whether you’re looking to lose weight or not. It helps to leave a healthier

lifestyle because “ [...] its a balance of good carbs, lean protein and healthy fats makes it a

nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diet that you can follow for a lifetime. It uses the glycemic index and

glycemic load to determine which carbs should be avoided. Foods that have a high glycemic

index increase blood sugar faster, higher, and longer than those with a low glycemic index.

Having an increase in blood sugar can tend to increase your appetite, which often leads to

increased weight gain, eating, and sometimes diabetes, which overall will contribute to

cardiovascular disease (Mayo Clinic, 2019). The South Beach Diet emphasized the benefits of

fiber and whole grains, and encourages to add fruits and vegetables to eating plans.

This Diet has three separate phases. The first phase lasts for two weeks designed to

eliminate cravings for foods that are higher in sugar and refined starches in order to jump start

weight loss. In order to do this, cutting all carbohydrates from your diet is necessary. This

includes pasta, rice bread and fruit. You also can’t drink any fruit juice or alcohol. The main

focus is eating lean protein, such as seafood, skinless poultry, lean beef, and soy products. High

fiber vegetables, low fat dairy, and food with healthy unsaturated fats are also okay. This

includes, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Phase two is the long term weight loss stage. This is where

you can begin to add back foods that were prohibited in phase one, such as whole grain breads,

whole wheat pasta, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables (Mayo Clinic, 2019). This phase is what

you’re supposed to stay in until you reach your goal weight. Phase three is a maintenance phase,

which is a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life. You still need to continue to follow the

lifestyles learned in the first two phases, but you’re allowed to eat all types of food in

moderation.

A typical menu in phase one of the south beach diet is simple. For breakfast you would

eat an omelet with smoked salmon, or baked eggs with spinach and ham, with a cup of coffee or

tea. Lunch could be something such as a vegetable salad with shrimp or scallops, along with a

sparkling water or iced tea. For dinner you could have grilled tuna or pork with a salad, and

grilled vegetables. Dessert is also allowed, it could be a ricotta cheesecake, or chilled espresso

custard. Snacks are also allowed to be enjoyed throughout the day, it could be muenster cheese

and turkey rollup, or roasted chickpeas.

The Diet states that you will lose eight to thirteen pounds in the first two weeks that

you’re in phase one, and that most to fit will shed from your midsection. In phase two, it says

that you’re likely to lose one to two pounds a week. The most important key to weight loss is to

keep track of how many calories you take in, and how many you burn off. Losing one to two

pounds a week is recommended for weight loss. Even though it seems slow, going at this pace

will help you keep the weight off permanently.

The South Beach never used to require exercise, but it has changed and now recommends

regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. It states that it will boost your metabolism and help

prevent weight loss plateaus. In phase one, thirty minutes of physical activity is recommended

each day. In phase two, you are able to engage in more intense physical activity if desired. It is

very possible to exercise on the diet because you’re not doing high intense workouts when

you’re cutting most of your food out in phase one. The more intense workouts are able to come

in once you’re in phase two, and are starting to add more foods back into your diet.

Even though this diet is more towards weight loss, it also an easy way to learn to

maintain a healthy diet. Research has shown that if you follow a long term eating plan that is rich

in healthy carbohydrates and dietary fats you can improve your health. (Mayo Clinic, 2019). The

South Beach Diet is generally safe if you follow its guidelines in their books and websites.

Although, you can experience problems for Ketosis, if you severely restrict your carbohydrates.

Side effects from Ketosis include nausea, headache, mental fatigue and bad breath, sometimes

dehydration and dizziness (Mayo Clinic, 2019). No research has shown that the diet is extremely

nutrient deficient or unsafe, but it is a little heavy on the fat at the start of phase one, short on

carbs during phases one and two, and low in potassium throughout the diet. Some experts are

concerned that it could be too high in protein for those that have kidney problems (US News,

2019).

The South Beach Diet states that the plan meets the body's basic nutrient requirements, so

vitamins aren’t necessary. Although, Arthur Agatston does suggest an Omega-3 fatty acid

supplement since it’s not easy to get Omega-3 from food, unless you like fish. It has vegan and

vegetarian friendly meal plans and recipes that are available online to those that are subscribing

members. Veggie burgers, vegetarian chili, and tofu pudding are options for them, and most of

the protein will come from plants, like soy. People that have gluten problems are also able to do

this diet because in phase one no grains are allowed. The other two phases are also possible, but

it’s up to you to choose the gluten free ingredients. Gluten free recipes are offered through this

diet, such as vegetable quiche cups. They also provide a low salt diet, and since they prefer you

to use fresh ingredients rather than salty processed ingredients, meeting the government

recommendations is easy. They also have lots of recipes with Kosher, but none with Halal.

The South Beach Diet does sell food items. For example, for breakfast they have beach

shack chocolate shake mix, turkey sausage and egg muffin, cherry almond bars, blueberry ricotta

muffins, high protein pancake mix, oatmeal cranberry bites, farmstand garden and cheese omelet,

apple cinnamon granola cereal, vegetable frittata, whole wheat bagel, etc. For lunch they have a

variety of options also. Including, broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breast, grilled chicken

sandwich, mushroom parmesan soup with chicken, chocolate caramel entree shake mix,

margherita pizza, white bean chicken chili, chicken broccoli and rice, peanut butter chocolate

entree bar, moraccon inspired chick pea with pork, tuna salad, italian style sausage and peppers,

garlic cheese flatbread, italian style meatballs in zesty tomato sauce, etc. For dinner they have

options such as mushroom parmesan soup with chicken, chicken fajita bowl, chicken in bourbon

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South Beach Diet The South Beach diet was created in 2003 by a cardiologist named Aurthur Agatston. It is considered as a low carbohydrate diet. It is lower in carbs and higher in protein and healthy fats than in a typical eating plan (Mayo Clinic, 2019). It’s also not a strict low carb diet, and it is not necessary to count carbs. The main purpose of the South Beach diet is to change the overall balance of food that you consume to live a healthier lifestyle, and to manage weight loss. It’s a healthier way of eating, whether you’re looking to lose weight or not. It helps to leave a healthier lifestyle because “ [...] its a balance of good carbs, lean protein and healthy fats makes it a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diet that you can follow for a lifetime. It uses the glycemic index and glycemic load to determine which carbs should be avoided. Foods that have a high glycemic index increase blood sugar faster, higher, and longer than those with a low glycemic index. Having an increase in blood sugar can tend to increase your appetite, which often leads to increased weight gain, eating, and sometimes diabetes, which overall will contribute to cardiovascular disease (Mayo Clinic, ...
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Tags: South Beach Diet Aurthur Agatston low carbohydrate diet benefits of fiber Benefits of whole grains