Overview

The South Beach Diet is a popular commercial weight-loss diet. Heart doctor Arthur Agatston, M.D., created the diet. He named it after a stylish part of Miami. Agatston outlined the eating plan in his best-selling book "The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss."

The South Beach Diet limits some types of foods that have nutrients called carbohydrates. These also are known as carbs. Carbs are a key source of calories that give the body energy. But taking in more calories than you burn off causes weight gain.

The South Beach Diet doesn't tightly limit all foods that have carbs. It just limits the ones that are more likely to cause weight gain. Another version of the South Beach Diet places strict limits on carbs. It's called the keto-friendly South Beach Diet. Keto is short for ketogenic. A ketogenic diet aims to force the body to use fat for energy instead of carbs or protein.