The South Beach Diet was born when cardiologist Arthur Agatston wrote The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss in 2003.

The South Beach diet has three phases. Phase one, which is two weeks long, bans all eating of high-carbohydrate products including rice, potatoes, bread and fruit. Then in phase two, mild quantities of carbohydrates are allowed back into the diet. This lasts until the desired weight is reached. The final phase, phase three, lasts indefinitely and consists of simply eating normally but smartly.

This diet tries to promote good health by limiting “bad carbohydrates” (carbohydrates that contain high levels of sugar, thus leading to cravings) and “bad fats” (saturated and trans fats which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease).

There are side effects, however. During the first two weeks, fatigue is common due to fluid loss by fat breakdown and low blood sugar levels. Additionally the South Beach diet recommends the use of sugar substitutes such as saccharin, which is believed to be carinogenic, and sucralose, which is believed to cause serious health problems.