The list of condiments allowed on the South Beach Diet is the same as the standard low-carb condiment list. As a rule, you should avoid foods and condiments that contain sugar.
Acceptable sauces and condiments include sugar-free peanut sauce, pesto, and red and white clam sauces. You can use tomato-based sauces such as pizza sauce, pasta sauce, and marinara with no added sugar. Basically, you should choose sugar-free foods and condiments. The list of sauces to avoid includes many homemade sauces and commercial sauces. They contain saturated fat and a lot of starch. Sauces to avoid include white sauces such as Mornay, Bechamel, and Bearnaise, and cheese sauces such as Alfredo. You can have gravies as a rare treat and after phase 1. You should avoid barbeque sauce because it contains a lot of sugar. Buy sugar-free cocktail sauce and tomato-based chili sauce. Salad dressings with sugar and regular ketchup should be avoided. The same goes for plum sauce, steak sauce, and jellies and jams.
The list of low-carb condiments includes sugar-free condiments such as dill pickle relish and low carb ketchup. The list of allowed condiments on a low carb diet also includes Tabasco and other bottled hot sauces, capers, and sugar-free salad dressings. Choose dressings that are high in monounsaturated fat and read the labels carefully. You can use mustard but avoid honey mustard and other sweetened mustards. The list of condiments also includes rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, but it is important to check the labels.
Apart from condiments, there are plenty of foods you can eat on the South Beach Diet. There are a few restrictions on bacon, prepared luncheon meats, shellfish, and organ meats. You can eat poultry, including Cornish hen, goose, duck, and chicken. The list of allowed meats includes veal, lamb, and pork. Mussels and oysters are high in carbohydrates, and you should limit them to 4 ounces a day. Processed meats such as salami, pepperoni, and ham contribute carbs because they are cured with added sugar. You should avoid fish and meat products that are cured with nitrates. They are carcinogens. Avoid products that are not exclusively fowl, fish, or meat, such as breaded foods, meatloaf, and imitation fish.
