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South Beach Diet

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According to health care company, Mayoclinic (2014), the three-phase South Beach Diet claims it contains a balance of good carbs, lean protein and healthy fats, making it a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diet that can be followed for a lifetime of healthy eating (Mayoclinic, 2014). It also focuses on eating foods with a low Glycemic Index and is lower in carbohydrates, yet higher in protein and healthy fats, than a typical eating plan (Mayoclinic, 2014).
Dietician Juliette Kellow (n.d.) from England’s weight loss resources explains the theory behind the South Beach Diet. Carbohydrates in food get broken down into sugars (namely glucose) which in turn is absorbed into the blood, causing a rise in blood sugar and energy (Kellow, n.d.). Furthermore, foods with a high GI, as seen in the graph above, cause a rapid increase in blood sugar then a rapid decrease in blood sugar, leaving one feeling lethargic and …show more content…

As seen in Appendix 1, the diet provides more fiber (30-37g) than the RDI for both teen boys (24-28g) and girls (20-22g). It also provides much more Calcium (1932mg) and Vitamin D (46mcg) than the RDI for teenage boys and girls (800-1050mg and 5mcg, respectively). It also contains less sodium (1560 – 1886mg) than the RDI of 460-920mg for teenagers (Appendix 1).
Furthermore, as US News reports, the South Beach diet seems to be an effective way to lose weight short term. Weak evidence also points to potential cardiovascular health by slightly reducing LDL i.e. bad cholesterol (US News, 2015).
According to Mayoclinic (2014) this diet is generally safe however, if one were to severely restrict their carbohydrate intake, ketosis may form. This occurs when there isn’t enough glucose in the body for energy, so the body breaks down stored fat and forms ketones. Side effects include nausea, headache, mental fatigue and bad breath (Mayoclinic,

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