South Beach Diet vs Atkins Diet - Major Differences
The South Beach Diet emphasizes GOOD FATS rather than SATURATED FATS, which are not as restricted with the Atkins diet and a big no-no with the South Beach Diet
Based on this, many experts agree the South Beach diet may be a more healthy diet choice than the Atkins diet. First you must understand that all fats are not created equal.
Let's first take a look at the difference between good and bad fats, because this is where the two diets are very different.
What are the GOOD FATS?
MONOUNSATURATED FATS are good fats - these are found in foods like olive and canola oils, peanuts, and other nutsand avacados. These actually monounsaturated fats lower the bad or LDL cholesterol in the blood. By lowering the LDL, you lower your risk for coronary heart disease. ATKINS: encouraged SOUTH BEACH: Highly Encouraged
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS also qualify as good fats. These are found in coldwater fish, canola oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts. There is evidence that omega-3 oils helps prevent or treat depression, arthritis, asthma, and colitis and help prevent cardiovascular deaths. ATKINS: encouraged SOUTH BEACH: Highly Encouraged
What are the BAD FATS?
SATURATED FATS are bad fats - such as those found in fatty red meats, and full dairy products and have the highest likelihood of doing damage to your arteries. The Atkins plan has very little restriction on this group of bad fats causing considerable debate as to the overall long- term health risks inherent in the Atkins diet. ATKINS: Unrestricted or limited restriction SOUTH BEACH: Not encouraged
South Beach Diet Encourages eating GOOD FATS
You'll be eating large amounts of monounsaturated fats and omega-3s in abundance in all three phases of the South Beach Diet. So, you get a heart healthy benefit by following the South Beach Diet.
These GOOD FATS by the way also improve insulin and sugar metabolisim which ultimately improve blood chemistries which help you control appetite over the long haul. For a long term diet plan to work, a natural method of appetite control is critical - and the South Beach diet gets high marks for this.
Carb Counting (Atkins) vs Modified Carbs (South Beach)
Both plans allow eating carbohydrates in limited amounts.
Carb Approach - Atkins - Strict carb counting is part of the plan. On the Atkins plan during the first two weeks - called the 'induction period', carb intake is limited to 20 net grams per day. 12 to 15 of these garms MUST come from salad greens or other low glycemic vegetables. after the induction phase a maximum of 90 grams of low glycemic carbs are permitted. Counting these carbs is required.
Carb Approach - South Beach - During the intro 2 week phase of the South beach Diet, all refined carbs are eliminated allowing only low glycemic in order to re-calibrate blood chemistries. carbohydrates allowed in the first 2 weeks of the South Beach Diet. There is no strict counting during this phase, as in the Atkins diets. Dieters are encouraged to eat the allowable foods, including carbs until satisfied. This approach may be easier on dieters because you needn't keep track and constantly scrutinize all you have eaten throughout the day.
What are the good carbs? The good carbs are low glycemic carbs. On the South Beach diet, you are allowed to choose carbs that have a LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX. These types of carbs raise blood sugar much more slowly than HIGH GLYCEMIC CARBS. The effect of this? You control appetite without eliminating foods you may enjoy eating. Some people call the South Beach diet a Modified Carb Diet ( MCD) because of the selectivity factor regarding carbohydrates.
Being able to eat more freely within the carbohydrate group may make the South Beach diet easier to "stick to". Many people just can't conform long term to a diet like Atkins, consisting solely of fatty meats, butter, eggs etc.. You may initially do 'ok' for while conforming and lose weight but most give in sooner and have some kind of carb melt-down!
Atkins Diet Vs South Beach Summarized
The major difference then between the Atkins diet and South Beach Diet is their approach to counting carbs as well as intake of the different types of fats.
The South Beach Diet eliminates the need to count carbs allowing dieters to freely eat lower glycemic carbs. Monsaturated and omega 3 type fats are highly encouraged.
The Atkins Diet plan allows carbs but they are monitored more strictly than SBD, especially durring the 2 week induction phase. With the Atkins paln you must restrict your carb intake to anywhere between 20 and 90 grams daily. The 90 gram ceiling is the upper limit of carb intake occuring at the final maintenance phase of thre Atkins diet. Saturated fats are allowed with Atkins which has caused controversy regarding heart health.
To lose weight effectively the element of compromise within food groups is critical - totally eliminating carbs is not a long term possibility for most Americans since we live in a carb crazed world. Most dieters have much better results using the LOW GLYCEMIC approach to incorporating carbs, which is at the common to the South Beach diet as well as the Atkins.