The Story behind South Beach Diet

More die in the United States

of too much food than of too little.

~John Kenneth Galbraith, The Affluent Society~

Well, the statement made by Galbraith might be a bit far-fetched. But there is no denying the fact that gulping large quantity of food does more harm than good. Obesity, diabetes is some of the ill effects of over –eating. Not only does it lead to medical and health problems, it also lowers self-esteem and leads to an inferiority complex. An over-weight person is always the butt of joke for friends, peers and acquaintances.

The above-mentioned facts have caused many Americans to give a careful thought to the food that is served on the platter. Many have started avoiding burgers and hot dogs that are so common in the diet of the average American. Some have started exercising and others have taken to dieting.

Dieting refers to avoiding certain groups of food that are held responsible for weight gain. It requires modification in the daily food habits that one is accustomed to.

Seeing the rise in the market of dieters, many diet plans and diet books are hitting the American shelves. Some are prepared by doctors, others by self- proclaimed diet experts. Among the many diet plans, the one that has caught the imagination of the average American is the South Beach diet.

South Beach diet owes its origin in Miami Beach. Dr. Arthur Agatston formulated South Beach diet. A Doctor of Medicine [MD] from the New York University School of Medicine, he is currently director of the Mount Sinai Cardiac Prevention Center in Miami Beach. He is a cardiologist by profession.

The inspiration for South Beach diet came from the heart patients that Dr. Agatston was attending to. As a doctor, his main intention was to prevent the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes in his patients. He started acquiring in-depth information about lipids and cholesterol. He also studied previous work done by renowned doctors such as Valetin Fuster and Bill Castelli.

While studying his patients, Dr. Agatston realized that the diet set by the American Heart Association was not at all helping his patients. In fact, the diet was causing weight gain and not improving the blood chemistries.

He then set out to study the relation between insulin resistance and diet. He realized that steady and stable insulin levels are a key to control appetite. Control of hunger can aid in losing weight as well as improving blood chemistries. Both factors play a vital role in prevention of heart attack and stroke.

He planned a diet and tested it on his patients. The positive results meant that the South Beach diet gained popularity throughout Miami. Dr. Agatston put the entire study and the diet plan in his book titled The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss.

The book ensured the popularity of the South Beach diet in the entire America.

This in short is the story behind the origin of South Beach diet. It is a result of a doctor’s determination to provide his patients with an healthy alternative for improving their life.

International cuisine and South Beach diet

International cuisine is preferred by many of us. In an era of globalization, most of us must have ventured to other countries and tasted the local cuisine. Some of us must have also got hooked on to a recipe or two.

But the important question is -Are they compatible with South Beach diet?

Many Americans are following South Beach diet. The reason is that Americans are increasingly becoming obese and many of them are now suffering from obesity, diabetes, strokes and cardiovascular problems. The diet of Americans belonging to the 21^st century is high in bad carbohydrates, saturated fats and provides very little nutritional value. This has impaired the functioning of many important organs. South Beach diet seeks to correct the anomalies by re-introducing the concept of wholesome meal made from grains and other natural low-glycemic products.

Coming back to international recipes, it is important for the South Beach followers to take an effort in finding out if there are any specific recipes that are compliant with South Beach diet.

You have to measure the menus against the following yardstick:

1) Check out the main ingredients of the particular recipe. See if they are low glycemic or high glycemic. Numerous resources on the Internet give the glycemic index of individual food item. You can use such resources to find out about the glycemic index of your favorite dish

2) Find out whether the recipe makes use of refined flour or not. Take for instance Tandoori Roti. This bread is a specialty in all the restaurants serving traditional Indian or sub-continental food. However, it is made from refined flour and hence cannot be consumed if you are a South Beach diet follower.

3) Try to find out the oil used in the preparation of the recipes. Eat recipes that use canola or olive oil as they contain a lot of mono saturated fats.

As far as international cuisine is concerned, here are some low-down of some preferred cuisines:

Indian:

Indian cuisine does contain menus that are perfectly in sync with the requirements of South Beach diet. Take for instance Tandoori. It offers meat in a roasted form. Similarly, you can have chapattis- the traditional unleavened flatbread as it is made from whole wheat. You can also opt for the dishes made from chickpeas, beans lentils (dal) and spinach. However, if you are opting for South Indian dishes, beware as many of them are made in coconut oil, which is high in saturated fats

Chinese:

You cannot have noodles – the mainstay of Chinese recipes. Similarly, dishes containing rice are a big no-no if you are in the first phase of South Beach diet. Similarly, you have to avoid deep- fried meats. Instead, you can look forward to Chicken and broccoli, Steamed vegetables, lean meat, boiled meat and shellfish.

Thus, you can have international cuisines even if you are following South Beach diet. Just remember to stick to the basic principles advocated by Dr. Agatston.