The South Beach Diet is a popular diet plan that was designed by a cardiologist in Miami, Florida. The diet balances good fats and carbohydrates. It includes lean meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. There are many cheese varieties allowed on the South Beach Diet.
Cheeses Allowed
When deciding what cheese to eat, keep in mind that the cheese should have no more than 6 g of fat per ounce. There are some exceptions which will be discussed in the section below. Some of the cheeses allowed on the South Beach diet include: American, cheddar, cottage cheese (2 percent or less), cream cheese, feta, Swiss, string cheese, mozzarella and ricotta (part skim). All of these varieties must be be of the low-fat or fat-free type.
Cheeses Not Allowed
Cheeses to avoid would be any cheese that contains full fat such as full-fat cream cheese, mascarpone, brie or camembert.
Exceptions to the Rule
There are some cheeses that are very full-flavored that contain high levels of fat, but if used in small amounts are acceptable on the South Beach Diet. They include: parmesan, asiago and blue cheeses. These should only be used occasionally and sparingly to add flavor to a salad, chicken entree, etc.
Three Phases
The South Beach Diet includes three phases. In the first phase, the average person is said to lose anywhere from 8 to13 lbs. in the first two weeks. No carbohydrates are allowed in this phase. In phase two, low-carb foods such as fruits and whole grain breads are reintroduced. In phase three, all food types are allowed and this is the phase that people should try to stick to as a healthy diet that is now integrated into their lives. Cheese is allowed during all three phases of the South Beach Diet. For a full list of all foods allowed, see the resource below.
Cheesy Dishes
There are many recipes to try on the South Beach Diet that include low-fat or fat-free cheese. Some popular ones are spinach-cheese stuffed chicken, nuclear cheesecake, salsa omelet, Greek salad and much more.
How much cheese is enough?
Nutritionists suggest that cheese be limited to one serving per day. A serving is 1 oz. of hard cheese or one half cup of soft cheese such as ricotta or cottage cheese.
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