Good Carb Diet Overview & Over 350 diet food Recipes

The program is based largely on reducing or eliminating foods with a high

glycemic index -- a measure of the rise in blood sugar after eating a particular food. The South Beach Diet, Agatston writes, "corrects the way your body reacts to the very foods that made you overweight," especially sugar.

Reality Check: "The glycemic index is interesting," notes Wadden, but there isn't enough evidence to prove its effectiveness in weight loss. Adds Wing, "For weight loss, the bottom line continues to be calories, not the glycemic index."