Is The South Beach Diet Safe?

It is easy to dismiss the South Beach Diet as just another fad; one more no-carb, deprivation-ridden diet that has people testing their urine for ketone something or the other. After all, how long can people last without eating bread? And no matter what cousin Jane says, you saw her slip some of those crackers in when she thought no one was looking.

The truth is that the South Beach Diet is not a fad diet. It was developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a medical doctor that has authored more than 100 scientific publications and is frequently referred to for his expertise in cardiac health and diet. Dr. Agatston developed the South Beach Diet out of frustration with low-fat diets. Over the years in his practice, he suggested several highly respected diets, including those recommended by the American Heart Association. The results were disappointing - the promise of improved cholesterol levels and cardiac health never materialized and patients found each of the plans difficult to maintain for one reason or another.

As a last ditch effort, Dr. Agatston decided to educate himself in nutrition. At the same time, he was reading extensive medical literature on the effect of insulin resistance, the body's inability to properly process fuel, fats or sugar, on cardiac health. Often brought on by the excessive consumption of highly processed foods, insulin resistance leads to excess weight (especially around the mid-section) and increased levels of bad cholesterol.

Connecting the desire for a more realistic weight loss plan with new evidence of the role insulin resistance plays, Dr. Agatston established a diet that emphasized the right carbs, fats and proteins. But, Dr. Agatston knew that a meal plan wasn't enough. Time spent with patients also convinced him that the diet would have to be something that patients could follow for a life time. Something simple that took into account the every day reality of their lives. It also had to incorporate foods that patients like to eat and allow for human failure. Exercise, although strongly encouraged, could not be required.

With those basic principles in place, Dr. Agatston decided to test his theory. He conducted a study with 40 overweight volunteers, randomly putting 20 on the American Heart Association diet and 20 on the South Beach Diet. None of the volunteers knew the origin of either diet. At the end of three months, only one South Beach dieter had given up vs. five on the American Heart Association. Mean weight loss was 14 pounds for South Beach dieters vs. 8 pounds for the American Heart Association diet. Full blood work showed that those following the South Beach diet demonstrated significant improvement in their cholesterol levels. Not only was the South Beach diet safe, it worked.

Since then, millions of people have followed the South Beach Diet with much success. This scientifically-based, doctor-designed plan can help you lose weight just like it has helped thousands of others.

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