The South Beach Diet allows most low-fat dairy products, including the following foods:
South Beach Diet Phase One Dairy Products
2-3 cups daily of any of the following are allowed:
- Milk (fat-free and 1%)
- 1% or fat-free buttermilk
- Low fat goat's milk
- Soy Milk - Low-fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing soy milk (4 grams of fat or less per cup) [I realize that this could include some very high sugar soy milks, so check out this soy milk information Laura]
- Fat-free plain yogurt (see also Yogurt on a Low Carb Diet)
- Small amounts of fat free or reduced fat sour cream
- Nonfat plain kefir
- Fat free or low fat evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)
- Fat free powdered milk or buttermilk
- Fat-free half & half (less than 2 tablespoons) - [Actually, the status of this product vis a vis the South Beach Diet is unclear to me, as it is not mentioned in the lists of the most recent book. Also, I can't find an ingredient list for this product, which makes me suspicious of it as a food product. Laura]
Dairy Produts on the South Beach Diet Phase Two
Same as Phase One, except can add:
- 4 oz fat-free yogurt that is flavored and artificially sweetened
Dairy Products to Avoid
- Whole or 2% milk
- Full-fat soy milk
- Cream
- Yogurt that is NOT non-fat and/or has sugared sweeteners
- Ice cream or frozen yogurt
Cheeses Allowed On South Beach - All Phases
All cheeses should be fat-free or low fat varieties, having no more than six grams of fat per ounce. Exceptions are small amounts of high-flavor cheeses such as Parmesan, Asagio, and Blue Cheeses which can be used occasionally. These low fat varieties could include:
- American
- Cheddar
- Cottage cheese (2% fat or less)
- Cream cheese, fat-free or low-fat
- Cream cheese substitute, dairy-free
- Feta
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Provolone
- Ricotta (part skim)
- String Cheese
- Swiss
Cheeses To Avoid on the South Beach Diet
Any full-fat cheese, except for small amounts of strongly-flavored cheeses as listed above (blue, etc). Especially avoid:
- Brie
- Camembert
- Cream Cheese, Full fat
- Mascarpone
And other cheeses with over 6 grams of fat per ounce
See the Rest of the South Beach Diet Food Lists
