No matter how nutritionally sound and viable a diet purports to be, every diet has its drawbacks. When dealing with the more commercially successful diets, sheer inundation in marketing drivel might have you believe that these plans can do no wrong, but this is hardly the truth. Like anything else, there are risks to a popular plan like the South Beach Diet. As understanding those risks is the key to making an informed decision, read on and discover what you are dealing with.
Risk 1--Saturated Fat Deprivation
The South Beach Diet recommends eating nothing but lean protein sources, which could have a negative impact on your overall hormonal profile. According to Mike Roussell, a doctoral student studying nutrition at Penn State, while excess consumption of saturated fat is linked to increased cholesterol, some saturated fats are nonetheless required by the body to produce hormones--namely the sex hormone testosterone. If you abstain from saturated-fat consumption for a lengthy period of time, do not be surprised when your testosterone levels plummet as well.
Risk 2--Mercury Contamination from Fish
The South Beach Diet also heavily recommends seafood consumption. Unfortunately, this discounts the reality of the matter--that many fish are now contaminated with mercury, thanks to pollutants in the environment. As mercury buildup in the body is related to a number of potential illnesses, the blanket recommendation of seafood consumption in the South Beach Diet is cause for concern.
Risk 3--Fails to Properly Catgorize Carbs
The South Beach Diet attempts to draw a working distinction between "good" and "bad" carbs, and for the most part it succeeds. However, your weight loss results on the South Beach Diet could be compromised by its recommended consumption of whole-grain carbs. John Berardi, biochemist Ph.D. and nutritional consultant, never places his clients on diets consisting of whole grains, opting instead to restrict their carb intake to only fruits and vegetables. Canadian physique transformation coach Christian Thibaudeau agrees--adding that carbs must be earned by becoming leaner. Until you attain a significant degree of leanness, you should avoid whole-grain carbs.
Risk 4--Trans Fat Confusion
While the South Beach Diet rallies against trans fats, its creator nevertheless recommends consumption of french fries and potato chips over baked potatoes due to the supposed positive benefits conferred by the fat in which they are cooked. What the South Beach Diet fails to grasp is that potato chips and french fries are high in trans fats precisely because of the fat in which they are cooked. This confusing recommendation could lead you to believe you are abstaining from trans fats, when in reality you are consuming them over more nutritious alternatives. This observation was made by Dr. Joseph Mercola, who advocates avoiding the South Beach Diet entirely.
Considerations
Understanding these risks will allow you to properly tailor the South Beach Diet into a healthier and more workable plan for achieving your weight loss goals. Although some of this advice is no doubt difficult to hear, especially the prohibition on whole grains, if your goal is sustainable weight loss, you must be willing to make sacrifices. Altering the South Beach Diet in accordance with the aforementioned guidelines will ensure your success, bringing you one step closer to your ideal physique.
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