South Beach Diet Claims and Truths

Written by controldiet.org

Most popular diets like South Beach diet have claims that can be misleading to common people. These claims are their bait for you to join their program because it works. But you have to be alert and careful when believing all these because some of them may only be half-truths. Some of these claims have not been scientifically-proven meaning they may work well for others but some are unfortunate enough not to succeed in their goals. By reading this article, somehow you will be enlightened about the truth in weight loss and correct some misconceptions about dieting.

Claim # 1: Bad carbs make you fat because they make you crave more.

The Truth: The first point is there are no such thing as bad carbs and good carbs. All carbohydrates are important in the body because they supply the energy needed by it. Sometimes you need simple sugar like candies to boost energy for the time being. We all need carbs in whatever form they are.

Second point, it doesn't directly make you fat because excess total energy intake or decrease energy output is the reason for weight gain. Dietary energy doesn't only come from carbs but protein and fat also yield energy. In addition, not having a physical activity means you don't expend the excess energy so it stays in the body. Did you know that 1 pound of body fat is equivalent to 3,500 kcal? So if you have excess energy intake, then that's the time you gain weight. The only time carbs make you fat is when you eat too much of it causing surplus of kcal.

Third point, carbs do not cause cravings or addiction the same way as drugs can. The reason why most people feel they crave for sweet is because it's one way of increasing their level of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter, which elevates mood. Another reason why they crave is because they restrict themselves from eating because they label these foods as "bad carbs". When one restrains himself, usually the desire heightens causing to indulge for more.

Claim # 2: Consuming low glycemic index foods will result to weight loss.

The Truth: There is no scientific evidence that choosing foods based on glycemic index leads to shedding off unwanted pounds. This is because not all carbohydrate-rich foods have their glycemic indices determined and GI is based on a mean of several tests thus having wide variations. These variations may also be due to discrepancies in the characteristics of foods. In addition, the GI of a meal is influenced by different factors such as the preparation method and is the food eaten alone or along with other foods. These affect GI because of the variations in contents of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is a known fact that fat slows GI motility so carbs eaten with fat may slow down its rate of absorption.

The underlying principle in weight loss is still calories and not glycemic index.

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