to South Beach,
Diva!
So glad you've read the book! It's really important on any plan, I believe, but especially so with South Beach. The new book has the newer lists and has updated scientific info along with an increased emphasis on exercise, so it might be work skimming it for that extra info--you could just pick up a copy at the library so you don't have to pay for it.
Ruth answered your questions very well (as she always does!
). As far as I know, Dr. A made changes only when scientific info indicated it would be useful. For instance, bananas were on the "Foods to Avoid" list in the beginning. Later on, when more information about Glycemic Load (GL) as well as Glycemic Index (GI) was learned, he took bananas off the "Foods to Avoid" list and put
medium sized bananas on the "Foods to Enjoy" list. They had learned that even though bananas have a very high GI number, the amount of them that you eat at a sitting (in other words, the GL) has an impact on that GI. A medium banana (or smaller) doesn't have enough of an impact on blood sugar to make it a food to avoid.
Glad to have you with us!