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Author:
Laura Ciocan

Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet has stated in a recent interview that the diet is not low-carb, as everybody labels it.

Speculating the wave of decrease in popularity of the low-carb diets, many hastened to say that Dr. Agatston's recent statement is issued from his fear that the diet would fail altogether taken by this wave. The way I see it, the allegation was made not necessarily as a defense against the popularity fall, but as a reaction against frequent associations with low-carb diets, especially with Atkins diet, with which it shares slight resemblance but of which it fundamentally differs.

What is it that the two diets share? The common points of the diets lie in the carbohydrate restriction during the incipient phases, with the induction of ketosis. But, speaking of the following phases in the diet, unlike the unhealthy recommendations of strict reduction of carbohydrates and foods high in saturated fats that Atkins makes, the South Beach diet recommends replacement of all simple carbohydrates with complex, healthy ones. In fact, South Beach diet recommends consumption of lots of whole grains, brown rice and fruit. Also, it strongly advises against all saturated fat, recommending instead unsaturated fats consumption, stressing on the healthy properties of the olive oil and fish oil.

So, is Dr. Agatston's claim that the South Beach diet is not a low-carb diet a response to the fading of the low-carb craze? In fact, with the allegation that "We are not low carb. We are good carb", Dr. Agatston reestated part of what he declared in his book "South Beach Diet", that the diet was neither low-carb nor low-fat. So, how Dr. Agatston could have known in 2003, when the book was published, of the dramatic drop in percentage of low-carb dieters - from 9% in January 2004 to 4.6% in September 2004?

Laura Ciocan writes for http://www.south-beach-diet-101.com where you can find more information about the South Beach Diet Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:lauracio@gmail.com

| Article Keywords: Healthy Diets

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Healthy Diets... Low Carb Diet Requirements & How They Work A low carb diet, also known as a low carbohydrate diet, is a diet program designed to promote weight loss while restricting the consumption of carbohydrates. The theory behind a low carb diet is that carbohydrates consumption is linked to increased insulin levels and obesity. Some nutritionists have varying opinions regarding the validity and safety of a low carb diet, but others refer to the strong evidence lending truth to the claim that a low carb diet can actually promote weight loss. A low carb diet specifically consists of eliminating or reducing foods that contain sugar, grains and starches. With each of these products being labeled as carbohydrates, they are replaced with other foods containing increased fat and protein. Many people enjoy vegetables as part of a healthy diet and while they too are classified as carbohydrates, they are believed to be much healthier than grains. As with most diet programs, there are two sides to the story with individuals who oppose and those who agree with the approach. Specifically, some experts believe that low carb diets carry their own risks and possible side effects, including headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and/or dehydration. By lowering or eliminating dietary fiber, many believe that constipation may also occur as a result of the fiber absence. In addition, some believe that the replacement of cholesterol and foods high in saturated fat my increase the risk of developing heart disease. There are also some concerns that kidney problems may ensue as a result of the organs becoming overworked, but there are no scientific studies to support this theory as of yet. The acceptance of low carb diet foods have had various impacts on some of the world’s largest food producers. Pasta makers, for example, suffered a...