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by Avery Hannah (Author)
The South Beach Diet is a commercial diet plan that Dr. Arthur Agatston and dietitian Marie Almon designed in the mid-1990s. It became popular after 2003, with the launch of a best-selling book. At first, it aimed to help people to lower the risk of heart disease, but it rapidly became popular as a diet for losing weight. Dr. Agatston devised the diet after noticing that many low-fat, high-carb diets were not helping individuals to lose weight in the long term. The diet claims not to be a traditional low-carb diet. Instead, it focuses on selecting the right carbohydrates, or carbs. These include whole grains, specific fruits and vegetables, appropriate fats, such as olive oil, and lean protein sources. It recommends avoiding certain carbohydrates, based on their glycemic index (GI) score. Foods with a high GI score tend to contain refined carbohydrates, for example, white sugar. The body digests these foods quickly, and this can lead to blood sugar spikes. The person feels satisfied after eating these foods, but not for long. They will soon feel hungry again. Wholemeal foods that contain unrefined carbs have a lower GI score. The body digests these foods more slowly, and they release their energy over time. This helps to prevent blood sugar spikes and enables a person to feel full for longer. They will not feel hungry for some time. it is an effective and flexible way of losing weight, without having to count calories.
