Southbeach Diet Phase I Foods

The South Beach Diet is a low-carb diet that is relatively easy to follow, offering a clear-cut plan without too many tricks and rules. The question, though, is what you can eat. Whereas on the Atkins Diet, another popular low-carb diet, unlimited amounts of fatty proteins could be consumed, the South Beach Diet stipulates that you adhere to some general healthy guidelines, which include limiting your consumption of animal fats. Additionally, there are some specific guidelines about certain foods in each category

Phase One: Meat

• You are allowed unlimited protein at each meal. This is great news for carnivores. But the guidelines about which proteins to choose are important. Poultry must be skinless turkey or chicken breast, a Cornish hen or turkey bacon (limited to 2 slices per day); beef must be lean cuts (for ground beef, nothing below 90/10), pork must be either boiled ham, Canadian bacon, loin or tenderloin (no pork chops or bacon); and lamb must be center cut, loin or tenderloin. All kinds of seafood are allowed.

Phase One: Vegetarian Protein

• For vegetarian South Beachers, there are plenty of options, with a few caveats. Tofu must be lite or low-fat. Eggs can be eaten whole. Soy-based protein sources just have to have less than 3 grams of fat per serving. However, a 2 tablespoon serving of peanut butter is allowed as a substitute for a serving of protein (and this contains about 16 grams of fat). Dairy, including cheese, must be low-fat or fat-free, and yogurt must be sugar-free. Nuts as a source of protein should be limited to approximately 15 nuts at one sitting.

Vegetables

• Fruits, any starchy foods, alcohol and fatty foods such as brisket or full-fat cheese is to be avoided. However, vegetables can be consumed freely. There are a few to avoid--the starchier vegetables or those high in sugar, which provide a serving of carbohydrates. These include beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and corn. There are many creative ways to prepare other vegetables, including zucchini, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes (though these should be limited to 1 per meal), cauliflower and beans. And, of course, salads. Try black bean taco salad, lentil spinach soup, or roasted portobello mushrooms with pesto. There's no need to feel deprived even without carbs.