The South Beach diet is based on the Glycemic Index, which ranks foods according to their glycemic load. The South Beach diet focuses on a healthy balance between carbs and fats - good carbs and fats. Highly processed foods like baked goods, sweets, and soft drinks will be off-limits.


The Web site warns of "embarrassing gas" that could result from added fiber in your diet, and there are a few tips on how to limit the embarrassment. Agatston acknowledges that carbohydrates such as fruit and whole grains are good for you. If you don't get back into the habit of eating those -- a danger for those who fell in love with the restrictive phase one - your diet isn't balanced.

The extreme carbohydrate restriction in the first two weeks requires serious willpower and may leave you feeling weak and wobbly. Meanwhile, you won't be getting your five fruit and veg each day during Phase One, which may leave you missing out on some vitamins and minerals. Eliminating all carbohydrate-rich foods during this phase also means you'll be cutting out some other good sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals. For example, wholegrain breads and cereals are packed with fibre, B vitamins and iron, while milk is an excellent source of calcium and zinc.


South Beach Diet is ideal if you have time to learn the diet facts and have serious willpower to follow though this diet plan.


The South Beach Diet is divided into three different Phases. All three Phases include specific allowable foods, meal plans, and recipes.

In Phase One, most carbohydrates are banned to give your body a complete rest from fluctuating blood sugar and insulin levels. The theory is this will help to resolve insulin resistance.

During Phase One, the banned foods list includes bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruit, milk, sweets, cake, biscuits, ice cream, sugar and alcohol. A few low GI veg such as broccoli and cabbage are allowed, but the focus is on eating lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat cheese, some nuts and olive oil. You follow this phase for 14 days.

In Phase Two, low GI carbs including most fruits, Granary bread, wholegrain cereals and pasta and low-fat milk are reintroduced. The idea is to stay with this phase until you've reached your target weight.

Finally, in Phase Three you introduce an even wider variety of foods. This phase is aimed at keeping your weight steady and the diet recommends you stay on this for life.

For each phase, there are no limits on portion sizes - you simply eat enough to satisfy your appetite - and you're encouraged to eat three meals and snacks each day.


The South Beach Diet claims you can lose 8-13lb in the first two weeks. Once you enter Phase Two, you can expect a more reasonable loss of 1-2lb a week.


The South Beach Diet sells for about $17, as do the diet cookbooks. You can subscribe to online features -- such as message boards and access to dietitians -- for $5 per week.

The cost of South Beach diet plan Phase 2 averaged $12.78 a day, ranging from $11.16 to $14.90. The salmon-based dinners on the South Beach menus, for example, are far more expensive than the ground beef and noodle casserole in the other diet. Also, the olive oil, berries, fresh vegetables and wide variety of other ingredients in the recipes for these programs cost more than the fruits and vegetables.