South Beach states in the book - Chapter 1, I think - that it is NOT a low carb diet.

That said, the Atkins Diet has gone from being completely trashed and condemned to being stolen and presented as something new with adaptations: Protein Power, CAD etc. And now even not-low-carb plans are using it to start. I just wish Dr. A. had lived to read all the studies that are proving him right after all.