As a dietetic student, I am curious to hear about new trends in nutrition including new "diets".  I try to approach the diets with an open mind, but I soon find myself amused by the vast inaccuracies and the unattainable, if not dangerous, results promised by these "life style changes", which some claim. 

The newest diet is the South Beach Diet, created by Florida cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston.  Dr. Agatston says that the purpose of his diet is to prevent and reverse heart disease.  His diet was created to reduce and control insulin resulting in a decrease in abdominal fat.  Fat around the middle of your body is a contributor to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.  The diet is set up in three phases (this should sound familiar to those of you on the Atkins' Diet).

Phase 1 is "Two weeks of Restraint" (still sounding a little familiar). It is marked by intense restriction of all fruits and fruit juices, starches (even whole grain), dairy, (except low or no-fat cheese), many vegetables and all alcohol. You may have lean meats and seafood, nuts, tofu, eggs and olive oil.  Dr. Agatston claims that this critical phase rids your diet of "bad carbs" and "bad fats", so by the second week you will lose up to 13 lbs.  This initial phase is supposed to eliminate cravings, so by Phase 2 you will not even want starches.

  Phase 2 slowly reintroduces "good carbs". Dr. Agatston is referring to carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, meaning carbs that do not convert to sugar very quickly.  The American Dietetic Association has been saying for years that since grains, rice and breads are staples of a healthy diet; we should choose whole grain products like whole wheat, as opposed to high glycemic products like cakes and cookies.  This phase allows you to eat some foods eliminated in Phase 1 like some fruits, some vegetables, dairy (low or no fat), and whole grain starches (sparingly).  You should lose 1-2 lbs a week in Phase 2 and will continue here until you reach your goal weight. 

Phase 3 is maintenance.  You will continue to eat as in Phase 2 adding snacks if you need (but Dr. Agatston doubts you will). If you gain weight, you are supposed to go back to Phase 1 and start over.

            Dr. Agatston says that this diet differs from the Atkins' diet because the South Beach Diet includes use of oils rather than relying on saturated fat from meats.  This diet does encourage lean meats, but the initial phase is just as restricting. The eliminated foods are practically identical, but the Atkins' puts a number limit on carbs (20 grams a day). The second phase of Atkins' diet is marked by gradually reintroducing good carbs up to 25 or 30 grams daily. And phase 3 and 4 are maintenance phases, eating lean meats and dairy and only a limited number of whole grain carbs, as long as, you do not gain weight. 

So, contrary to what Dr. Agatston's claims about the South Beach Diet, it is very similar to the Atkins' diet.  This diet has some good ideas. We should choose lean meats, low fat dairy products and whole grains. However, this is the very advice the American Dietetic Association and The American Heart Association have been giving for years. What they do not advise is the two- week restriction of virtually all fruits and vegetables. Phase 1 is calorie restricting, so weight loss is expected. If you can get through the first two weeks without starving, the last two phases should be fine, but I would not credit Dr. Agatston with developing these guidelines.

As I said, I am always looking for new developments in nutrition. Unfortunately, nothing in the South Beach Diet really sounded new, just maybe a new way of organizing established dietary information.  You should always do research and talk to a dietitian or health professional if you have questions regarding weight loss.

References:

http://abcnews.com

http://www.prevention.com

By Anna M. Corcoran, Clinical Nutrition graduate student