Cabbage soup diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet is another one of those fad diets that claims to result in rapid weight loss in 7 days time. The drawback? You should not stay on it for more than 7 days. Let’s think for a minute here: any diet that severely restricts calorie intake is going to lead to rapid weight loss. In all actuality, the Cabbage Soup Diet is not the healthiest, but it does provide a decent amount of some vitamins and minerals because of all the fruits and vegetables it allows; and if it is only followed for the week, it won’t cause any major or life-threatening nutrient deficiencies. You should, by no means, expect to live off this diet because you simply cannot. As with most diets, cheating will get you nowhere. Be prepared to eat high-fiber, low-fat, and low-calorie foods with practically zero room for food choice.

The Diet
The foods, while certainly limited, in this diet include a homemade cabbage soup, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and beef. Each day is different and it is important to follow the diet exactly as it is written or you will be disappointed.

  • Day 1. Eat all the soup and fruit you want, except bananas. To drink, you can have unlimited quantities of water, unsweetened tea, and cranberry juice. The drinks are the same throughout the duration of the diet.
  • Day 2. Eat all the soup and vegetables you want. The vegetables can be fresh, raw, or cooked. Avoid eating dry beans, peas, and corn because these are starchy vegetables. For dinner you are allowed, and should have, a baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit on day two.
  • Day 3. This day is a combination day from the first two: you can eat all the fruits, vegetables, and soup that you want, except no baked potato.
  • Day 4. This day incorporate new items into the mix. You can eat up to 8 bananas and drink all the skim milk that you want on this day, along with the soup. The idea is that you will have less sweets cravings.
  • Day 5. On day 5 you can eat 10-20 ounces of meat (beef, broiled or baked chicken with no skin, or broiled fish) and 6 fresh tomatoes. Drink at 6-8 ounces of water on this day to eliminate the uric acid from your body. The soup should be eaten at least once on day 5 as well.
  • Day 6. Eat all the meat (the ones listed for day 5) and vegetables you want on this day. Also eat the cabbage soup at least once. Don’t eat any of the starchy vegetables listed above, or a baked potato.
  • Day 7. On the last day of the diet you may eat all you want of brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices, and vegetables. Eat the soup at least once. Do not consume any bread, alcohol, or carbonated beverages, including diet soda.

Recipe for Cabbage Soup
Some of the recipes for the cabbage soup will vary, but they all have pretty much the same ingredients, with a tweak here or there. Here is a typical recipe.

  • 6 green onions, sliced
  • 2 green peppers, chopped
  • 2 cans of tomatoes, diced or whole
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 6 carrots, sliced
  • 1 head green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 package dry onion soup mix
  • 1 or 2 cubes bouillon/stock cubes, chicken or beef flavored (optional)
  • Salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, soy sauce, curry powder, or other seasonings, to taste

Directions: Spray a large pot with cooking spray. Put all the vegetables (except cabbage and tomatoes) in the pot and cook until tender. Add cabbage, tomatoes, 12 cups of water, onion mix, and bouillon cubes; bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, gently. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until all vegetables are soft and tender, about 30-45 minutes. Stir in the desired herbs and spices.

The Criticisms of the Cabbage Soup Diet
Following a diet that severely restricts calories to lose weight at a rapid pace (what a breath that took) is not good in and of itself. When you lose weight, it should be coming from fat, not muscle, in order for it to be considered healthy weight loss. It takes time to lose fat, like ‘2 pounds a week’ amount of time; not 7 days. In 7 days you will lose a lot of weight from fluids. This diet does not provide any sustainable weight loss because when normal eating is resumed, which it must be, the water weight is regained. In addition to the poor weight loss, many people report feeling light headed while on this diet. Many experts say the only benefit from this diet is that it encourages people to eat more fruits and vegetables.

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Last updated on Jun 8th, 2010 and filed under Weight Loss. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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