The South Beach Diet for Your Heart
The South Beach diet has been one of the most popular diets on the “popular diet” market for over four years. It quickly overshot the popularity of the Atkins diet quite possibly because while the Atkins diet advocates the complete restriction of carbohydrates from the diet, the South Beach Diet acknowledges that some carbohydrates are good for people.
Since its release, the South Beach Diet has inspired a wide variety of companion books, and recently Dr. Agatston (the creator of the South Beach Diet) has developed a version of the South Beach Diet that is designed to increase the healthfulness of the heart. It was only a matter of time, considering that Agatston is a cardiologist.
The new diet, the South Beach Diet Heart Program Agatston advocates the avoidance of trans fats (these come from the hydrogenated oil that is often used in fast food and some baked products), eating more fruits and vegetables instead of taking dietary supplements and eating more fish to increase the omega-3 fatty oil intake. Like the original South Beach Diet, the South Beach Heart Diet is divided into three phases with the first phase being the most restrictive.
There has been some controversy surrounding the book. Some doctors are very skeptical as to the overall healthfulness of the South Beach Heart Diet. The first phase is very restrictive of heart-healthy foods and that could prove disastrous for someone with a heart condition. What the book is good for is teaching people how the heart and cardiovascular system work. Learning how the cardiovascular system works is the first step to making sure you eat a heart healthy diet, whether you follow the South Beach Heart Diet or not.
Here are some background tips on the South Beach Diet:
