Is the South Beach Diet Safe During Pregnancy?

Dieting isn’t a good idea when you’re pregnant, but there are some diets that are considered more of a lifestyle change than a diet.

Personally, I swear by the South Beach diet, because I lost 30 pounds and kept it off before I was pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, I was concerned that I would have to change the way I ate because dieting is a big no-no.

In no way is the South Beach diet an unhealthy diet. It’s not like Atkins where you only eat fat and protein. South Beach is all about being strict with sugar consumption in Phase One. Doctor’s even recommend you watch your sugar intake when pregnant because of gestational diabetes. South Beach also asks that you limit starchy carbohydrates like white breads, pastas, and potatoes. There is nothing wrong with limiting those “bad” carbs when pregnant. You can substitute them with yams instead of potatoes, wheat bread or brown rice instead of white pasta. This probably isn’t a good option for Phase One, but you really shouldn’t be in that phase if you’re pregnant. Phase Two and Three of the program are very healthy.

South Beach claims if you are pregnant you should start the plan on Phase Two. It is the basis of eating lean proteins like boneless skinless chicken breast, lean meats, and turkey. The carbohydrates you can eat are loads of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. That is hardly destructive to a pregnancy. It’s important to remember, if you do follow Phase Two, you shouldn’t have the mindset that you are dieting. It’s important that you focus on the nutritional needs for the healthy development of your child. I have a great South Beach recipe that is a perfect pregnancy snack either mid-morning or mid-afternoon. You can even make this as a side dish for dinner. It’s called the stuffed tomato. You have your serving of a healthy vegetable and ricotta cheese for protein and calcium.

Slice an heirloom tomato in half. Using a knife and a spoon, scoop out the insides of the tomato and place in a bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of ricotta cheese to the bowl. You can either mince a clove of garlic or sprinkle garlic powder to the bowl. Add fresh chopped basil and salt and pepper. Combine all of the ingredients and scoop it back into the sliced tomato until it’s filled. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. I eat this alone as a snack or with a 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese. It is perfectly healthy for a pregnancy snack.