south beach diet and cholesterol question..... - High Cholesterol Message Board

lane413 · 08-15-2006, 08:34 PM

Is the south beach diet safe for ppl with high cholesterol or diabetes? My mom just started the south beach diet and her fat intake has increased dramatically. Granted it is the good fats, but she used to keep her fat intake under 15%. That is how she cured her heart disease by cutting fats out of her diet.

She had stopped eating eggs, ground beef and such now she eats them every day.

She is losing weight (after six days on diet) but I am concerned about her.

Has anybody on this board tried the south beach diet and didn't get a high cholesterol reading?

Lenin · 08-16-2006, 05:52 AM

Lane,

As with all these fad diets, there are many variants of each. SB tries to get the Atkins people who are frightened of all the animal fat in the diet so it bends away from animal fats and then tosses in the glycemic index to differentiate betweeen good carbs and bad carbs.

Bottom line:
A low carb diet is good for diabetes and a low fat diet is good for proper blood lipids.
Look at her diet and calculate the amount of her calories coming from animal fats. If it is anywhere above 50% she is harming her heart and if she is eating eggs and hamburger every day, she is probably WELL over that 50% and into the 70% range...I guess she is among those who are tossing awway the burger bun? Or has that idiocy stopped for low carbers?

What has her doctor said about her dieting?

lane413 · 08-17-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenin

Lane,

As with all these fad diets, there are many variants of each. SB tries to get the Atkins people who are frightened of all the animal fat in the diet so it bends away from animal fats and then tosses in the glycemic index to differentiate betweeen good carbs and bad carbs.

Bottom line:
A low carb diet is good for diabetes and a low fat diet is good for proper blood lipids.
Look at her diet and calculate the amount of her calories coming from animal fats. If it is anywhere above 50% she is harming her heart and if she is eating eggs and hamburger every day, she is probably WELL over that 50% and into the 70% range...I guess she is among those who are tossing awway the burger bun? Or has that idiocy stopped for low carbers?

What has her doctor said about her dieting?

Lenin, thanks for the info. I am glad to know that low carb is the way to go, but like I said too much animal products can't be good for her. My mom keeps a food journal and chart her intake of nutrients and fat intake. She is losing weight.. She got on this stupid diet bcuz her 300 lb friend lost 200 lbs using the south beach diet. My mom only has to lose 30 lbs. She didn't tell the dr. about the diet yet, but her dietician said south beach would benefit her.

Dave-K · 08-20-2006, 03:33 PM

I had a few questions similar to the South Beach diet such as the Glycemic index. I was wondering if it would have any effect on Cholesterol or Tri levels.

Since quitting smoking I've gained almost 40 pounds and kept it on. It's better than smoking but...

Dave

Lenin · 08-21-2006, 06:33 AM

Ohhh Dave,
So sorry to hear about that 40 pounds. I and most of my friends gained and kept the magic, but evil, 15#...FOREVER it seems. Forty pounds is awful.

Low glycemic index carbs (legume starches) are always better than high glycemic carbs (sugar,) especially for people with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. They keep you full longer and thus help you eat fewer calories during the day.
But there's no substitute for counting every calorie and keeping them in a certain range.

I think stopping smoking forever resets your metabolism to a lower level and you must forever lower your caloric intake. Sad but true.