A few weeks ago, I drove down to Miami and had lunch at a café on South Beach. Over coffee, my friend asked me “So what’s the deal with the South Beach diet? It seems like everyone is doing it. Is it really that good?”
This is something that’s been bothering me for some time. In spite of the millions of copies sold over the past few years, the South Beach Diet is not based on sound nutritional advice. It’s not “Atkins only lighter,” it’s “Atkins only worse.”
Today, I’ll tell you why the flaws in the South Beach diet are even worse than the issues I have with Atkins. The details of this diet are downright dangerous. You’ll also and get some sure-fire tips for dealing with them.
Just Because It’s Popular Doesn’t Make It Right
There are a few basic themes that Dr. Agatston, author of the South Beach diet, gets right. The importance of low-carb foods and putting to bed the notion that low-fat diets are good for you.
Having said that, many of his ideas are unsafe and unhealthy. Here are 3 of the biggest problems:
- Calls the Bad Carbs “Good”: While following a low-carb diet is healthy, avoiding them all together is impossible. The carbs you find in vegetables are far better for you than the carbs you find in starchy foods. But Dr. Agatston is misguided when he says that whole grain bread is a “good” carb. Far from it. Bread in general will pack on the pounds. Not a good idea for weight loss.
- Recommends Aspartame: Telling millions of people to use Aspartame instead of sugar is ill-informed at best. Aspartame is a dangerous neurotoxin linked to many health problems and diseases including seizures, diabetes and cancer. Once inside your body, Aspartame breaks down into poisonous by-products including formaldehyde – that’s right, embalming fluid! And a recent study showed that every diet soda you drink increases your risk of cancer.
- Gets Confused About Trans-Fats: Dr. Agatston tells you early on that trans-fats are dangerous. Okay, that’s fine. But later he tells you that French fries are healthier than baked potatoes because of the “fat they’re cooked in.” Where he got that idea, I’ll never know. Almost all French fries are cooked in oil containing trans-fat. It’s the industry standard. Chips too. If you want to lose weight, you won’t do it by eating French fries and potato chips.
Follow a Few Simple Guidelines
Remember my formula? High Protein + Low Carb + Right Fat = Good Health. Using this as a guide will help you find the foods that keep you slim.
Breads and grains, even if they’re whole grain are not a good idea in general but especially if you are trying to lose weight. They are high on the glycemic index and will trigger an insulin response. As you know from previous Health Alerts, insulin regulates how much fat you store.
Learn where the trans-fats come from and then choose healthy alternatives. Anything made from hydrogenated oil is a problem. Read the labels before you buy things like cookies, cakes, chips, buns or breads. As always, avoiding processed foods as much as possible.
Remember that fried foods you order in a restaurant will usually contain trans-fats.
Avoid artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, Splenda, Aspartame and diet sodas. Try natural alternatives like unsweetened tea.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD