Phase I Foods to Enjoy - (updated January 2012)

[Sherry T]

have them for as a treat with a couple lunches some time.

Turnips as a treat? Now I've heard everything! How in the world would you prepare them to make them a treat to eat? I've only had them in soups before. They didn't seem to be very tasty.

[Hotstuff]

Wow..forgot about this! LOL thanks guys..I'll have to try to find that..er...vegetable LOL

[Kimboroni]

The new version of the Good Fats/Good Carbs Guide says that turnips (½ cup) are "good" starting in phase 2. (and that's different from rutabaga-- see post lower on this page)


Here is some information on salad dressings (2 Tbsp in all cases) from the new Guide, which applies to all phases:

Good (can use regularly, w/ "South Beach Diet common sense")
regular Caesar
regular Italian
regular Ranch
regular Russian
regular Thousand Island
regular Balsamic Vinaigrette

The above Good dressings range from 10-16 g of total fat, with no more than 2½ g of saturated fat and an emphasis on good fats (see Dress It Up below).

Limited (no more than once a week)
regular French
regular Blue Cheese
reduced-fat Blue Cheese
reduced-fat Caesar
reduced-fat Italian
reduced-fat Ranch
reduced-fat Russian
reduced-fat Thousand Island

Limited dressings tend to be too sugary (4+ g), too cheesy or creamy, and/or too low in good fats (only 2-9 g of total fat).

Very Limited (once every 2 or 3 months)
reduced-fat French

Avoid
all fat-free dressings
link: Why not fat-free salad dressing?


I'd better put this Daily Dish here as well (it's part of the label-reading series that can be accessed in my FAQ) as a supplement:

Dress It Up

This Daily Dish is part of a series on how to read nutrition labels

Knowing how to read a nutrition label can be extremely helpful when choosing a store-bought salad dressing. What's the key to finding a South Beach Diet-friendly dressing? Again, it's all about the type of fat and amount of added sugar.

Dressings with less than 3 grams of sugar per serving are permitted on The South Beach Diet.

As for fat content, look for commercial dressings made with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil. Other vegetable oils are okay, but they don't carry the same health benefits. Be careful of dressings touted as "low-fat" or "nonfat," since manufacturers often add extra sugar to improve the flavor. And always avoid dressings made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Olive oil and vinegar make a great salad dressing-- the acid in the vinegar helps lower the glycemic load of the meal.

[Sherry T]

Thanks for that information, Kimboroni. I have been confused on salad dressings. Still wondering about 1000 Island. I read the labels on all of the 1000 Island dressings at my grocery store, and they all had high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. Still o.k. to use? I thought that nasty stuff was to be avoided at all costs.

My husband and I like to use 1000 Island as a condiment on burgers, so I'm happy to know it's o.k. Sadly, we love bleu cheese also, but will save it for an occasional treat.

[Kimboroni]

It's best to avoid high fructose corn syrup, but if there isn't very much of it, then the overall glycemic impact is lessened. I'll add a helpful Daily Dish about dressings to my above post.

[Sherry T]

Thank you very much for clearing that up. I always look at the sugar content, but now I know what to look for.

[tommyp]

So, now I am confused on the turnip. The Good Fats Good Carbs book I bought lists turnips as "good", and yet they are on the avoid list just posted. Are they OK or not?

I must really be strange or something, but I actually enjoy eating raw turnips! In fact it is one of my favorites!

Any word on why it says it is OK in the book and the list just posted lists it as "avoid"?

Tom

[CarolG]

It may depend on what part of the turnip you're referring to. I found this in an answer from one of the SBD nutritionists on the official site:

"Turnip tops are allowed in Phase 1. Turnip bottoms [i.e., the root] have a higher glycemic index value and are allowed in Phase 3."

[Kimboroni]

That's funny, Carol, because that's different from what they just published in the new Guide about turnip (the root part, not the greens) being "good" starting in p2. The rutabaga, however, is "limited" starting in p2. Both are "avoid" in p1. Turnip greens are, as you said, "good" in all phases.

tommyp, part of the confusion there is that the old Guide didn't break things up into phases. It gave all food breakdowns from a phase 2&3 perspective since that's the bulk of the diet.

[swirlgirlx]

by "Processed Chicken" (food to avoid), do you mean something like Chicken Sausage? It's lo carb, doesn't appear to have any sugar, and low fat. Is it something to avoid?

[stewart]

NUTS AND SEEDS
(Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted recommended.)
Almonds - 15
***************************

Please tell me what 's unit of the Nuts?
15 ouces?
15 cups?
15 TBS?
or 15 pieces?

[CarolG]

NUTS AND SEEDS

(Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted recommended.)
Almonds - 15
Brazil Nuts - 4
Cashews - 15
Flax Seed - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Macadamia - 8
Peanut Butter, Natural, and other nut butters - 2 TBS
Peanuts, 20 small (May use dry roasted or boiled)
Pecans - 15
Pine Nuts (Pignolia) - 1 ounce
Pistachios - 30
Pumpkin Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Sesame Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup
Sunflower Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Walnuts - 15

It's individual nuts - 15 almonds, 15 cashews, 15 walnuts, 30 pistachios - unless a specific measurement is specified like 3 Tablespoons of Soy Nuts, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter, etc.

[Stump0414]

I have read the Do's and Dont's about cheese, but I am not sure if there is a limit to how much I can consume during the day. And, should all of it be low fat? Thanks, just started today!!!

[BCBG Gal]

I was wondering if Chili is okay to eat on Phase 1?
Does anyone know?

[Hollyfan]

Refried beans are now OK in P1. But if possible use the fat free kind to cut down on animal fats (lard) and transfats. .

some companies make Vegetarian Refried Beans so no lard or transfats