The South Beach diet is a diet plan started by Miami, Florida, area cardiologist Arthur Agatston which emphasizes the consumption of "good carbohydrates" and "good fats". Dr. Agatston developed this diet for his cardiac patients based upon his study of scientific dieting research. The diet first appeared in a book of the same name published by Rodale Press. The official website of the diet can be found at South Beach Diet Online.Dr. Agatston believes that excess consumption of so-called "bad carbohydrates", such as the rapidly-absorbed carbohydrates found in foods with a high glycemic index, creates an insulin resistance syndrome—an impairment of the hormone insulin's ability to properly process fat or sugar. In addition, he believes along with many physicians that excess consumption of "bad fats", such as saturated fat and trans fat, contributes to an increase in cardiovascular disease. To prevent these two conditions, Agatston's diet minimizes consumption of bad fats and bad carbohydrates and encourages increased consumption of good fats and good carbohydrates.The diet has three phases. In all phases of the diet, Dr. Agatston recommends minimizing consumption of bad fats.

The South Beach diet can be looked at as a low carb weight loss plan. That is because at the start, one of the first phases to doing this diet plan is to reduce your carbohydrate consumption.

The South Beach Diet is one in which the user must have the right balance of carbohydrates and fats in order to lose weight. Dieters, who are looking to lose weight, must eat only good carbohydrates and fats. All other forms should be avoided. The diet is made up of three basic phases. Phase one consists of a 14 day period. The dieter needs...

The South Beach Diet is not just another diet fad to come out of America, but a new approach to healthy eating and healthy living to promote long term health and fitness. Generally the diet involved totally restricting consumption of carbohydrates and diary products in the first stage, and then instroducing small portions of carbs later.

For awhile those of us with weight loss goals were on the lookout for fats and tried to reduce them in our diets. Today with the popularity of diets like the Atkins and South Beach diets, many of us are on the lookout for carbohydrates instead and are trying to reduce them.

The article outlines the differences between the two diets, including good carbs , bad carbs.The differences I found interesting were that one (Atkins) focuses on a low-carbohydrate diet,while the other (south beach) defines the differences between good and bad carbs.