The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution by Arthur Agatston MD (2013): What to eat and foods to avoid

by Penny Hammond on July 5, 2013

The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution (2013) is a version of the South Beach Diet that is modified to help you to recognize whether you have gluten sensitivity.

4 week program avoiding gluten while following the basic principles of the South Beach Diet
Phase 1 – low carb, unprocessed, some good fats
Phase 2 – slowly reintroduce fruits and whole grains
Reintroduce gluten and see how you react to it
Lifestyle diet

Get a copy of The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution for a discussion on why so many people have gluten sensitivity, sample menus, recipes, gluten-aware kitchen, dining out gluten-aware, gluten-aware traveler, and resources

The reasoning behind The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution

Many people have gluten sensitivity, which may have arisen because of the way gluten products are produced and/or from changes in our gut bacteria because of antibiotics. Gluten can negatively affect your health through inflammation, diminished nutrient absorption, and/or autoimmune response. If you have symptoms and have tested negative for celiac disease, you could be gluten sensitive. The only way you know whether gluten is a problem for you – and to what degree – is by observing whether your symptoms are relived when gluten is sharply reduced or eliminated from your diet. Many people obsessed with avoiding gluten don’t have anything to worry about and should enjoy wholegrain wheat, barley, and rye products – this book shows you how to test that.

The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution diet plan – food list

The author recommends that you get tested for celiac disease before you try the Gluten Solution program (as if you test afterwards it can affect the test results)

Start on Phase 1 if you have more than 10 pounds to lose and cravings for sugary and starchy foods as well as symptoms of gluten sensitivity – stay on this phase for 2 weeks then move to phase 2
Start on Phase 2 if you have fewer than 10 pounds to lose and no cravings but do have gluten-sensitivity symptoms – stay on this phase and be gluten free but not grain free for 4 weeks.
Start on a modified phase 2 (a gluten-free version of Phase 3) if you have no weight to lose at all and no cravings, but believe you might be gluten-sensitive because you have the symptoms
A gluten reintroduction program helps you decide whether you are gluten-sensitive and if so how much
Phase 3 is the lifetime diet to maintain your weight

Generally, don’t forget to chew your food

The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Phase 1

Start on this phase if you have more than 10 pounds to lose and cravings for sugary and starchy foods as well as symptoms of gluten sensitivity.

Follow this phase for 2 weeks and see how you feel. If you feel great, you can enter Phase 2 to continue your weight loss at a slow and steady pace until you reach a healthy weight.

Foods to eat in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution phase 1

Lists of foods from pages 99-104 of the book

Eat 3 meals, 2 snacks, and dessert per the meal plans on pages 107-120 (the meal plans are designed to inspire ideas for healthy meals and snacks – you don’t have to follow them literally as long as you stick to the program guidelines)
Protein
- Start with a small portion (2 ounces for breakfast, 3 ounce for lunch/dinner. Eat slowly, and go back for seconds if you’re still hungry
- Be careful of any prepackaged meat, poultry, or fish products, such as burgers or canned seafood, which may contain fillers, including wheat flour, wheat starch, bread crumbs, or hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Beef – lean cuts , 10g or less total fat and 4.5g or less saturated fat per 100g portion – e.g. bottom round, eye of round, flank steak, ground beef (extra lean or lean sirloin), london broil, lean pastrami, sirloin steak, t-bone, tenderloin/filet mignon, top loin, top round
- Poultry – remove the skin – chicken breast, ground chicken breast, cornish hen, duck breast, turkey breast, ground turkey breast, gluten-free turkey bacon, gluten-free turkey pastrami, gluten-free turkey pepperoni
- Seafood – fish (all types), salmon roe, sashimi, shellfish (all types). Limit your intake of fish high in mercury and other contaminants, including marlin, swordfish, shark, tilefish, orange roughy, king mackerel, bigeye tuna, ahi tuna, and canned albacore tuna (use light tuna instead)
- Pork – loin (chop or roast), tenderloin, boiled ham, canadian bacon, smoked ham (check labels for gluten)
- Veal – chop, leg cutlet, roast leg, top round
- Lamb – eat occasionally and remove all visible fat – center cut, chop, loin, rib, shoulder
- Game meats – buffalo/bison, elk, ostrich, venison
- Deli meats – choose all-natural, lower-sodium, and nitrite- and nitrate-free meats; always check labels to confirm that a product is gluten-free. Chicken breast (regular, smoked, or peppered), boiled ham, all-natural uncured smoked ham (avoid sugar-cured, maple-cured, and honey-baked ham), turkey breast (regular, smoked, or peppered), lean roast beef
- Vegetarian meat alternatives – look for products that have 6 grams or less fat per 2-3 ounce serving. Most veggie burgers and many vegetarian meat substitutes contain gluten in the form of soy sauce made from wheat, textured wheat protein, wheat gluten, bulgur wheat, or wheat flour – read labels carefully. Tempeh – ¼ cup suggested serving size, check label carefully for gluten; tofu (all varieties without gluten-containing seasonings) – ½ cup suggested serving size; yuba (bean cured in sticks or sheets) (servings size not given)
- Cheese – fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat; all cheeses should have 6g or less fat per ounce. E.g. cheddar, cottage cheese (1%, 2%, or fat-free), farmer cheese, feta, goat cheese / chèvre, mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, queso fresco, ricotta (nonfat or part-skim), sheep’s milk cheese, soy cheese (read label carefully), spreadable cheese (light, all flavors), string cheese (part skim), swiss
- Eggs – the use of whole eggs is not limited unless otherwise indicated by your doctor. Egg whites and egg substitutes are okay if marked gluten free
Dairy and dairylike products
- Note that cheese is listed above under Proteins
- Except for evaporated milk and half-and-half, 2 cups allowed daily (limit includes nondairy milks listed under Beverages below)
- Buttermilk (low-fat 1% or light), evaporated milk (fat free, 2 tablespoons), greek yogurt (nonfat 0% plain), half-and half (fat-free, 2 tbsp), kefir (nonfat or low-fat, plain), milk (fat-free or 1%), nonfat dry milk powder, yogurt (nonfat or low-fat, plain)
- Almond milk (unsweetened), coconut milk beverage (unsweetened, plain, boxed not canned, approximately 45 calories per cup), soy milk (unsweetened or low-sugar plain or vanilla; 4g or less fat per 8 ounce serving, avoid products that contain high fructose corn syrup)
Beans and other legumes
- Fresh, dried, frozen, or canned without added sugar. Check labels carefully for gluten, since even some dried bean products have been exposed to wheat. If you are highly sensitive to gluten, avoid legumes stored in bulk bins, since cross-contamination is possible
- Start with a 1/3 to ½ cup serving size
- Adzuki beans, black beans, broad beans, butter beans, cannellini beans, cranberry beans, fava beans, great northern beans, italian beans, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, soybeans, white beans
- Refried beans, fat-free, canned
- Black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, split peas
- Chickpeas/garbanzos, hummus (2 ounces or ¼ cup)
- Lentils (any variety)
- Edamame
Vegetables
- Fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugar. Check labels carefully on frozen or canned products, since some may be high in sodium and have gluten additives
- Eat a minimum of 2 cups with lunch and dinner, and at least ½ cup with breakfast as often as possible
- Artichoke hearts, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, broccolini, broccoli rabe, brussels sprouts, cabbage (green, red, napa, savoy), capers, cauliflower, celeriac/celery root, celery, chayote, collard greens, cucumbers, daikon radishes, eggplant, endive, escarole, fennel, fiddlehead ferns, garlic, grape leaves, green beans, hearts of palm, jicama, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce (all varieties), mushrooms (all varieties), mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, pepperoncini, peppers (all varieties), pickles (dill or artificially sweetened), pimientos, radicchio, radishes, rhubarb, sauerkraut, scallions, sea vegetables (seaweed, nori), shallots, snap peas, snow peas, spinach, sprouts (alfalfa, bean, broccoli, lentil, radish, sunflower), spaghetti squash, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatillos, tomatoes (fresh and all varieties of canned, jarred, and dried with 3 grams sugar or less per serving), tomato juice (low sodium), turnip greens, vegetable juice blends (low sodium), water chestnuts, watercress, wax beans/green beans, yellow squash, zucchini
Nuts and seeds
- Limit to one serving per day as specified
- Avoid seasoned or coated nuts, which may contain gluten or sugar
- Nuts – Almonds (15), brazil nuts (4), cashews (15), chestnuts (6), coconut unsweetened (1/4 cup), filberts/hazelnuts (25), macadamia nuts (8), peanuts dry roasted or boiled (20 small), pecans (15), pine nuts/pignoli (1 ounce), pistachios (30), walnuts (15)
- Seeds – Chia seeds (3 tablespoons/1 ounce), flaxmeal/ground flax (3 tablespoons), flax seeds (3 tablespoons/1 ounce), pumpkin seeds (3 tablespoons/1 ounce), sesame seeds (3 tablespoons/1 ounce), sunflower seeds (3 tablespoons/1 ounce
- Soy – Edamame, dry roasted (¼ cup), soy nuts (1/4 cup)
- Nut butters, including peanut butter and tahini (2 tablespoons) – look for brands that are all-natural and contain 1 g sugar or less per 2 tablespoons
Fats/oils
- Up to 2 tablespoons of the following fats/oils are allowed daily
- Monounsaturated oils are particularly recommended
- Monounsaturated oils – canola oil, olive oil (particularly extra-virgin)
- Polyunsaturated oils or blend of mono- and polyunsaturated – corn oil, flaxseed oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil
- Other fats/oils – coconut oil extra virgin (1 tablespoon), margarine/vegetable oil spread (2 tablespoons; choose brands that do not contain trans fats, no stick margarines),
- Mayonnaise – low-fat or light (2 tablespoons; avoid varieties made with high-fructose corn syrup), regular mayonnaise (1 tablespoon)
- Avocados (1/3 whole = 1 tablespoon oil), guacamole (1/2 cup = 1 tablespoon oil)
- Olives – small green (15 = ½ tablespoon oil), small black (8 = ½ tablespoon oil)
- Salad dressing, prepared (2 tablespoons; use those that contain 3 g of sugar or less per 2 tablespoons; best choices contain canola or olive oil; check labels carefully for gluten)
- Cream cheese light (2 tablespoons – use occasionally); sour cream light and reduced fat (2 tablespoons – use occasionally) (note – the book also says you should limit these to 1 tablespoon)
Seasonings and condiments
- Check labels on all seasonings or condiments to confirm that a product is gluten-free; spice blends often contain gluten additives
- Herbs and spices – all pure herbs and spices that contain no added sugar
- Arrowroot, sugar-free barbecue sauce, gluten-free broth (preferably fat-free, low-sodium, or less-sodium), chile peppers (fresh and dried), chile paste, sugar-free chile sauce, chipotles in adobo, sugar-free cocktail sauce, cooking sprays (such as olive oil, canola oil), espresso powder, extracts (pure almond, pure vanilla, or others), horseradish and horseradish sauce, hot pepper sauce, sugar-free ketchup, lemon juice, lime juice, liquid smoke, mustard (all types except honey mustard; check yellow mustard and mustard powder carefully), pepper (ground and whole peppercorns; black, pink, white, and pepper blends), salsa (check label for added sugar and gluten), vinegar (all types except malt vinegar), wasabi (powdered or paste)
- Use the following only occasionally for flavor; check all labels to confirm that the product is gluten-free; also check the label for added sugar or monosodium glutamate MSG: coconut milk (lite, unsweetened, for cooking – ¼ cup max), cream cheese fat free (1 tablespoon), shoyu (1/2 tablespoon – check label carefully for gluten – we’re surprised this is included because it’s usually wheat-based), sour cream fat free (1 tablespoon), sriracha sauce (1 teaspoon), steak sauce (1/2 tablespoon), taco sauce (1 tablespoon), tamari soy sauce (1 tablespoon – check label carefully for gluten), whipped topping light or fat-free dairy (2 tablespoons), worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon – check label carefully for gluten)
Sweet treats
- Limit to 75-100 calories per day
- Candies (hard, sugar-free), chocolate powder (no sugar added), chocolate syrup (sugar-free), cocoa powder (unsweetened baking type, labeled 100% cacao and gluten-free), drink mix (sugar-free and nutrient-enhanced), fruit-flavored pops (frozen, sugar-free), fudge pops (frozen, no sugar added; check labels carefully for added gluten), gelatin (sugar-free), gum (sugar-free), jams and jellies (sugar-free), syrups (sugar-free)
- Some sugar-free products may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or xylitol), which are permitted but not encouraged on the South Beach Diet. They may have associated side effects of gastrointestinal distress if consumed in excessive amounts
Sugar substitutes
- (All sweeteners except these sugar substitutes are off-limits on phase 1)
- Acesulfame K, aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), sucralose (Splenda)
- Monk fruit natural no-calorie sweetener (Netresse, Monk Fruit in the Raw), stevia, stevia and erythritol (Truvia)
- Agave nectar (1 tablespoon daily maximum)
- Some sugar substitutes may be made with sugar alcohols – see note above
Beverages
- Nondairy milks – limit to 2 cups daily as part of total dairy servings – unsweetened almond milk, plain unsweetened coconut milk beverage (not canned; approximately 45 calories per cup), unsweetened or low-sugar plain or vanilla soy milk (avoid products that contain high-fructose corn syrup HFCS)
- Milk beverages – limit to 2 cups daily as part of total dairy servings – butter milk low-fat (1%) or light (1% or 1.5%), kefir nonfat and low-fat plain, milk fat-free or 1%
- Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea (drink caffeinated in moderation)
- Herbal teas, pure (peppermint, chamomile, etc.) – watch out for herbal teas containing barley malt or other forms of gluten
- Water, club soda, seltzer
- Diet sodas and drinks, caffeinated and decaffeinated, sugar-free (drink in moderation)
- Sugar-free powdered drink mixes
- Vegetable juices – tomato juice (low-sodium), vegetable juice blends (low-sodium)

Foods to avoid in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution phase 1

From pages 105-106 of the book

Protein – avoid:
- Beef: fatty cuts including brisket, liver, prime rib, rib steak, skirt steak; jerky (unless homemade without sugar)
- Veal: breast
- Pork: bacon (except gluten-free Canadian); honey-baked, sugar-cured, and maple-cured ham; pork rinds
- Poultry: chicken dark meat (wings, legs, and thighs), duck legs, goose, turkey dark meat (wings, legs, and thighs)
- Fish: Surimi
- Vegetarian meat alternatives: Most veggie burgers and many vegetarian meat substitutes which contain gluten (in the form of texturized wheat protein, wheat gluten, bulgur wheat, wheat flour, or soy sauce made from wheat). Unless a product is specifically labeled gluten-free, avoid the following: seitan, soy bacon, soy burger, soy chicken, soy crumbles (1/4 cup / 2 ounce suggested serving if gluten-free), soy hot dogs, soy sausage patties and links, tofu with seasonings made with soy sauced or other gluten-based ingredients
- Cheese: American (processed cheese) may contain gluten; blue cheeses (Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola (sometimes made with mold cultured on gluten); full-fat cheeses
Dairy and dairylike products – avoid:
- See above for cheese
- Ice cream (all types), milk (2% or whole), yogurt (artificially sweetened or low-fat flavored), yogurt (frozen)
- Soy milk with more than 4 g of fat per 8 ounce serving
Fruit – avoid:
- Avoid all fruits and fruit juices on phase 1
Vegetables – avoid:
- Starchy vegetables – beets, calabaza, carrots, cassava, corn, parsnips, green peas, potatoes (including instant potatoes), sweet potatoes, pumpkin, taro, turnips (root), winter squash, yams
Starches – avoid:
- Avoid all starchy foods on phase 1, including gluten-free starches
- Bread (all types), cereal (all types), croutons (all types), flour (all types including pancake and waffle mixes), matzo, oatmeal, pasta (all types), pastries and baked goods (all types), rice (all types)
Fats/oils – avoid:
- Butter
- Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils
- Solid vegetable shortening or lard
Condiments – avoid:
- Sauces and condiments with sugar: barbecue sauce, cocktail sauce, honey mustard, ketchup, teriyaki sauce
- Malt vinegar, miso, soy sauce
Beverages – avoid:
- Alcohol of any kind, including wine and light beer
- Carrot juice
- Fruit juice of all types
- Flavored coffee and coffee substitutes, like chicory blends that often contain gluten
- Tea blends with barley malt added
- Kefir (full fat / flavored), milk (full fat and 2%)
- Soy milk with more than 4 g fat per 8 ounce serving
- Soda, powdered drink mixes, and other drinks containing sugar
Sugary and processed foods – avoid
- Sweeteners: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, jams and jellies, maple syrup and other syrups with sugar, molasses
- Baked goods – including breads, bagels, rolls, cakes, cookies, crackers, cupcakes, muffins, waffles – gluten-free or not, even if they’re made with healthy flours
- All candy except sugar-free
Hidden gluten
- Watch out for ingredients with words such as: binder, binding, thickening, thickener, emulsifier, edible starch, gum base, filler, modified food starch (this is usually made from corn but it if contains wheat it must say so), modified starch, special edible starch, triticale, rusk, wheat alternative, maltodextrin (usually labeled if it contains wheat)
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein HVP must specify the vegetable or grain it’s made from, such as hydrolyzed wheat protein, which is not gluten-free, or hydrolyzed soy protein, which is
- Foods containing wheat must be identified in the USA by either listing the allergen in the ingredient with parentheses after the food, or by adding a “contains” statement at the end of the ingredient list. Note that barley, rye, and oats also contain gluten but are not covered by the labeling law – you should still read the ingredients list (rye is usually just listed as rye; barley may be listed as barley malt or malt, malt syrup, malt extract, malt flavoring, flavoring; oats may contain gluten unless they specifically say gluten-free). Most careful gluten-aware buyers use the “contains” statement only as a quick way to eliminate a product, not as a quick way to determine whether it is safe

The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Phase 2

If you started on phase 1, move to phase 2 and stay here for 2 weeks.

Start on phase 2 if you have fewer than 10 pounds to lose and no cravings but do have gluten-sensitivity symptoms – stay on this phase and be gluten free but not grain free for 4 weeks.

Foods to eat in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution phase 2

You can have all the phase 1 foods and reintroduce these additional foods once you begin the GS phase 2

Reintroduction of fruits and starches
- Add good carbs at any meal or as a snack; suggested timing is shown below under fruits and starches. If you find that you’re hungry an hour after eating a particular good carb, the next day try eating a different one – preferably one with more fiber – and add a little protein to the mix.
- Note that some people can handle adding starches and fruits quickly without igniting cravings and consequently overdoing it; for others it’s much too soon. Also, for some people, a rapid increase in fiber intake from the grains and fruits can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea, and these issues can be mistaken for the symptoms of the gluten sensitivity they’re trying to get rid of in the first place. If you find the reintroduction plan for starches and fruits is not working for you, go at your own pace and reintroduce grains and fruits more slowly to keep digestive problems and cravings under control
- If you ever find that your weight loss isn’t proceeding slowly and steadily or that you’re regaining weight on phase 2, you can go back to one good gluten-free starch and one fruit a day for a while

Food list from pages 126-128 of the book. Phase 2 sample gluten-free meal plans are on pages 131-144.

Protein
- Phase 1 proteins and serving sizes
- Meat and poultry: hot dogs (beef, pork, poultry) once a week if they are at least 97% fat-free; check labels for gluten
- Cheese: Rice cheese (cheese alternative) – look for varieties that have 6 g or less fat per ounce
Fruit
- Start with 1 serving daily, gradually increasing up to 3 servings daily. Suggested reintroduction: days 1-8 – 1 serving; days 9-11 – 2 servings; days 12-14 – 3 servings. See note above about reintroduction speed
- Choose fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugar
- Look at labels on dried fruits; some may have been dusted with wheat flour or wheat starch to prevent clumping
- Apple (1 small or 5 dried rings or 2 ounces applesauce), apricots (4 fresh or 7 dried), banana (1 medium 4 ounces), blackberries (3/4 cup), blueberries (3/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried), boysenberries (3/4 cup), cactus pear fruit/prickly pear (1), cantaloupe (1/4 melon or 1 cup diced), cherries (12 fresh or 2 tablespoons dried), clementines (2), elderberries (1 – this looks like a mistake), gooseberries (3/4 cup), grapefruit (1/2), grapes (15), honeydew melon (1/8 melon or 1 cup diced), kiwi (1), loganberries (3/4 cup), mandarin oranges (2), mango (1/2 medium or 4 ounces), mulberries (3/4 cup), nectarine (1 small), orange (1 medium), papaya yellow or green (1 small or 4 ounces), peach (1 medium), pear (1 medium), plums (2), pomegranate seeds (from 1 medium pomegranate), pomelo (1/2), prunes (4), raspberries (3/4 cup), strawberries (3/4 cup), tangelo (1 small), tangerines (2)
Dairy and dairylike products
- Phase 1 dairy and dairylike products – can now have 2-3 cups daily
- Limit artificially sweetened low-fat or nonfat flavored yogurt to 6 ounces per day; avoid varieties that contain high-fructose corn syrup HFCS or any other added sugars; check labels carefully for gluten
- Rice beverage, all-natural, limit to ½ cup daily (check label carefully for gluten)
Whole grains and starchy vegetables
- Start with 1 serving daily, gradually increasing up to 3 servings daily. Suggested reintroduction: days 1-7 – 1 serving; days 8-9 – 2 servings; days 10-14 – 3 servings. See note above about reintroduction speed
- Whatever product you buy, read the label and monitor your reaction. Many gluten-free packaged products can be just as high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium as other junk food, and these products often contain high-glycemic refined ingredients like white rice flour or fillers like potato starch that can affect your blood sugar and trigger cravings. If you can’t eat just a few gluten-free crackers, for example, without going back for half the box, this product spells trouble
- Whole grains – amaranth (1 cup cooked), buckwheat (1/2 cup cooked), millet (1/2 cup cooked), oats (gluten-free certified), quinoa (1/2 cup cooked), rice (1/2 cup cooked – basmati, black, brown, wild)
- Corn (1/2 ear occasionally), popcorn (3 cups popped – air-popped plain or stovetop cooked with canola oil), tortilla 100% corn (1 small)
- Breads – bagel (1/2 small, 1 ounce, gluten-free), bread (1 slice/1 ounce, gluten-free, minimum 2 g fiber per serving), english muffin (1/2 muffin/1 ounce, gluten-free), pita (1/2 pita/1 ounce, gluten-free whole grain)
- Pasta and noodles – cellophane noodles/mung bean threads (3/4 cup cooked), gluten-free pasta (brown rice pasta or rice couscous or multigrain pasta or quinoa pasta or soy pasta, 1/2 cup cooked, 3 g or more fiber per ½ cup), rice noodles (1/2 cup cooked), shirataki noodles (3/4 cup cooked), soba noodles (3/4 cup cooked, 100% buckwheat)
- Crackers and other products – gluten-free whole-grain crackers (follow serving size on packaging for 1 serving), matzo (1/2 sheet, gluten-free), muffins (1 small, gluten-free), oat products (gluten-free certified)
- Cereals – cold gluten-free cereal (low-sugar with a minimum of 2 g fiber per serving, serving sizes vary, follow the recommended serving size on the packaging), hot gluten-free cereal (not instant, follow the recommended serving size on the packaging)
- Flours – legume, nut, and seed flours – almond flour, amaranth flour, black bean flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour (100% buckwheat), coconut flour, corn flour, cornmeal, flaxseed meal, garbanzo bean/chickpea flour, garbanzo-fava bean flour, hazelnut flour, millet flour, oat flour (gluten-free certified), quinoa flour, sorghum flour, soy flour, teff flour, white bean flour
- Starchy vegetables – calabaza (3/4 cup), cassava (1/4 cup), pumpkin (3/4 cup), sweet potato (1 small), taro (1/3 cup), turnip root (1 small), winter squash (3/4 cup), yam (1 small)
- Other vegetables – carrots (1/2 cup), parsnips (1/2 cup), green peas (1/2 cup)
Fats/oils
- Phase 1 fats and oils and serving sizes
- Coconut oil spread, made with extra-virgin coconut oil (1 tablespoon)
Beverages
- Phase 1 beverages and serving sizes
- Distilled beverages – limit to a 1 ½ ounce serving. Most distilled alcoholic beverages made from gluten grains (bourbon, scotch and other whiskeys, gin, and vodka) are fine unless you are highly gluten sensitive. Watch out for distilled beverages with flavorings added after distillation. Sake – look for the words House of Gekkeikan (traditional) or Junmai (pure) on the bottle – other types of sake may have barley or wheat by-products added for flavor
- Cava extra brut (1 glass/4 ounces), champagne extra brut (1 glass/4 ounces), ouzo (1 glass / 4 ounces), prosecco extra brut (1 glass/4 ounces), red wine or white wine (1 or 2 glasses, 4 ounces each, permitted daily with or after meals)
- Rum (1 ½ ounces), tequila (1 ½ ounces)
Special treats
- Dark chocolate – 1 ounce – choose gluten-free brands that contain at least 70% cacao and the least amount of sugar
- Pudding – 4 ounces, fat-free, no sugar added, gluten-free

Foods to limit / eat rarely in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution phase 2

From page 130 of the book

These should be eaten only rarely on phase 2, or avoided entirely if you’d prefer, due to their high glycemic index. These foods are likely to trigger cravings in susceptible people
Starches and grains
- Cornflakes, instant oatmeal (check for gluten),
- White potatoes, plain instant potatoes (skip flavored entirely)
- Rice – jasmine rice, sticky rice, white rice, rice cakes, plain rice crackers
Vegetables
- Beets, white potatoes
Fruit
- Canned fruit in heavy syrup
- Dried fruits – dates, raisins. Look at labels on dried fruits – some may have been dusted with flour or starch to prevent clumping
- Figs, lychees, pineapple, watermelon
- Fruit juice
Beverages
- Fruit juice
- Carrot juice
- Brandy, liqueurs, port, sherry
Miscellaneous
- Honey (1 teaspoon), cane juice syrup (1 teaspoon), table sugar / sucrose (1 teaspoon – including raw sugar)
- Ice cream – 100-calorie frozen bars and treats, on occasion; check labels carefully for gluten

Foods to avoid in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution phase 2

From pages 128-129 of the book

All of these gluten-containing foods must be avoided for 4 weeks – phases 1 and 2. At that point, you gradually reintroduce gluten. Keep in mind that whether you are eating gluten grains or not, limit yourself to 3 servings maximum per day on this phase
Gluten-containing grains and derivatives
- Barley, barley enzymes, barley extract, barley grass, barley malt, barley pearls, hordeum vulgare, miso (may contain barley)
- Bran, rye bran, oat bran, wheat bran
- Bulgur, semolina
- Wheat flour, barley flour, rye flour, bleached flour, graham flour, kamut, chapatti flour
- Rye, spelt, dinkel, farro/faro, macha
- Wheat, durum, einkorn, emmer, hydrolyzed wheat protein, mir, sprouted wheat, triticale, wheat berries, wheat germ, wheat oil, wheat protein, wheat starch
All baked goods and pastries containing gluten, including cakes, muffins
All breads with gluten, including bagels, english muffins, matzo, croutons
All bread crumbs containing gluten, including panko
All pasta containing gluten, including couscous
All stuffings and dressing containing gluten
Beverages
- Beer, including gluten-free beer; if light gluten-free beer is available (it was not at the time of the book writing) it may be enjoyed on occasion in phase 2
Miscellaneous foods that may contain wheat
- Beef/chicken/fish/vegetable stock, broth, or bouillon
- Cooking spray for baking
- Communion wafers
- Dextrin, brown rice syrup
- Fu (dried wheat gluten sold as sheets or cakes used in Asian dishes), seitan
- Imitation bacon/seafood
- Malt, malt flavoring, malt syrup, malt vinegar, rice malt
- Marinades/dressings
- Meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables that are breaded, floured, served with a sauce made with wheat, or marinated in a wheat-based sauce such as soy or teriyaki; also self-basting poultry
- Sauces and gravies with gluten fillers
- Udon wheat noodles
- Flavored yogurt

Modified South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Phase 2

Start on a modified phase 2 (a gluten-free version of Phase 3) if you have no weight to lose at all and no cravings, but believe you might be gluten-sensitive because you have the symptoms

Because you are already at a healthy weight, you won’t have the limitations on fruits and starches required for those who have weight to lose
You can eat the GS Phase 2 foods that are suggested to eat only rarely
At the end of 4 weeks, begin to experiment with adding some gluten-containing foods back into your diet and see how you feel (see below)

Gluten reintroduction

After you’ve been on the Gluten Solution Program for 30 days, if you’ve been “good” you’ve probably lost 12-14 pounds and most if not all of your symptoms will have likely subsided.

If your weight loss is progressing well and your symptoms are relieved but you still need to lose more weight, you can begin to reintroduce some gluten gradually, swapping gluten-containing starches for the gluten-free starches you’ve already been eating, as long as these foods are high-fiber options as phase 2.

If after 30 days off gluten you are still suffering from the same symptoms you had before the program, then it’s likely you aren’t gluten sensitive and you will have to talk with your doctor about further testing

Which gluten-containing foods you reintroduce, if any, will depend on how you feel. Some highly gluten-sensitive people will experience an immediate intestinal reaction, typically bloating and abdominal pain, from eating just a little gluten. Irritability and fatigue may also recur quickly. Those who are less sensitive may be fine with some gluten but will still have to experiment to see which gluten-containing foods and how much of these foods trigger symptoms and/or cravings. If you are truly gluten sensitive, you will know if a particular food affects you and will continue to avoid it. Like all starches, these foods still need to be limited if you want to continue slow and steady weight loss.

Reintroduce 1 gluten-containing starchy carbohydrate (whole grain, low-sugar) in place of a gluten-free grain in your diet each day during the first week
If you are fine with 1 serving of gluten each day for the first week, you can add a second daily serving of a gluten-containing carbohydrate the second week, working up to a maximum of 3 a day as the week progresses. Remember you are swapping the gluten-containing starches for the gluten-free starches, not adding them on
Monitor yourself carefully for renewal of symptoms or cravings or weight gain

Looking out for gluten in foods

Produce – watch out for
- Prepackaged fruits and vegetables (including frozen and canned) that contain additives, sauces, or fillers with gluten
- Certain dried fruits (like dates) may have a flour dusting to prevent clumping (look out for packages that say 100% pure fruit)
Meats, seafood, and poultry – watch out for
- Fresh or packaged meats, poultry, or seafood that is breaded or marinated with a gluten mixture
- Self-basting poultry
- Any deli meats, reduced-fat hot dogs, sausages, or other smoked, cured, or processed meats that have modified starches, which are used to bind water
Dairy products – watch out for
- Canned and tub cheese spreads
- Beer-washed cheeses and blue cheese unless otherwise marked
- Cheeses that have been presliced in the deli department rather than by the manufacturer may be cross-contaminated
- Some brands of light sour cream, reduced-fat flavored yogurt, yogurt with “mix-ins,” reduced-fat flavored cottage cheese, and other flavored dairy products
Grains, flours, breads, crackers, cereals, pasta, and other starches (phases 2 and 3) – watch out for
- All flours and products made with wheat, barley, or rye
- Flavoring agents or fillers in baked goods
- Baking powder, which may contain wheat starch
- Most cereals, including granolas, which often have malt flavoring made from barley
- Wild rice blends that may contain barley
- Flavored popcorn
Beans and other legumes – watch out for
- Flavored canned legumes and canned baked beans
- Dried beans that have been processed in factories that also process wheat, rye, and barley (this will be marked on the label)
- Note – rinsing and soaking dried beans (even canned varieties) may help minimize any gluten contamination
Soy products – watch out for
- Soy milks containing barley malt
- Soy sauce (look for wheat-free tamari)
- Seitan and soy-based veggie burgers, which contain “vital wheat gluten,” the ingredient that gives these foods the taste and texture and taste of meat
- Most veggie burgers and many vegetarian meat substitutes contain gluten in the form of textured whet protein, wheat gluten, bulgur wheat, wheat flour, or soy sauce made from wheat
Soups – watch out for
- Canned soups and chicken, beef, and vegetable broths containing flour or hydrolyzed wheat protein
Oils, vinegars, and salad dressings – watch out for
- Malt vinegar and other vinegars made with barley
- Distilled white vinegar can be made from grapes, corn, wheat, or other sources
- Salad dressings made with fillers or barley malt
- Check labels on dry-roasted nuts. Also avoid nuts with sugary coatings
Condiments, seasonings, and extracts – watch out for
- Soy sauce, unless marked gluten-free
- Seasoning mixes, including chili and taco seasoning packets
Alcoholic beverages (phases 2 and 3) – watch out for
- Beer, including gluten-free beer (as of the book writing, light gluten-free beer wasn’t available)
Nonalcoholic beverages – watch out for
- Some varieties of flavored instant coffee and some brands of flavored regular coffee; the flavoring may have a base derived from gluten grains
- Certain brands of flavored teas may have natural or artificial flavorings that contain gluten; check labels on all teas, since cross-contamination is possible
- Some brands of carbonated water may contain barley malt
Eating out
- Skip most soups, since so many use flour as a thickener; instead ask for clear broth or consommé with no flour additives
- Watch out for the sauces and marinades, which are typically made with gluten-containing thickeners or may have gluten-containing soy sauce or teriyaki sauce added
- Question how the salad dressing is made (does it have barley, binding agents, soy sauce, preservatives?)
- Beware of gravies, imitation seafood, casseroles, stews, potpies, and anything breaded, flour coated, or fried
- Watch out for all baked desserts, which likely contain wheat flour and may also contain malt and rye
- There are guidelines for what to enjoy and avoid for different types of restaurant in the book, pages 178-183

The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Phase 3 – lifestyle

Once you’ve lost the weight you’ve needed to, whether it is after 30 days or a more extended period on Phase 2, then you can enter Phase 3, the lifestyle phase of the diet, where you will continue to maintain your healthy weight

Nothing is absolutely off-limits. You have learned to monitor your body’s response to particular foods, you know what triggers your cravings and/or your gluten-sensitivity symptoms, and you have learned to make the right choices for you
If, given this freedom, you find that you can’t just eat a scoop of ice cream without devouring the entire pint or a piece of 100% whole wheat bread without feeling bloated or getting cramps, it’s a pretty good sign that you might want to avoid these foods altogether. You can always try to reintroduce them in small quantities later
If you have put on 10 or more pounds or have started to have food cravings again (which the author suspects to be responsible for weight gain), you may need to return to Phase 1 for several days until your cravings subside. If your weight gain is minimal and you don’t have cravings, return to the Phase 2 eating plan
If weight gain is not the issue and you simply “felt better” on Phase 2, it may mean that too much gluten has somehow found its way back into your diet. In this case, eliminate all gluten again – usually for just a couple of weeks – and see how you feel. After that, you can once again self-monitor

Gluten-sensitivity symptoms / health benefits claimed in The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: abdominal pain, anxiety, asthma, autoimmune diseases, behavior issues, bloating, poor concentration, constipation, coronary artery disease, depression, diabetes, diarrhea, ear infections, low energy, fatigue, fibromyalgia, flatulence/gas, gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, headaches, heartburn / reflux espohagitis, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome IBS, joint stiffness, lupus, migraines, excess mucus, nausea, osteoporosis, post-nasal drip, prediabetes, psoriasis, rashes, rheumatoid arthritis, rhinitis, runny nose, sinus problems, sleep issues, stomachaches / cramps, thyroiditis

As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, not endorsing it.

{ 0 comments… add one }

Next post: The Digest Diet by Liz Vaccariello (2012): What to eat and foods to avoid

Previous post: The Overnight Diet by Caroline Apovian MD (2013): What to eat and foods to avoid