The cabbage soup diet has been around for several decades and is known by various names, including the "heart patient diet," and the "sacred heart soup diet." It is rumored to have been created in a hospital for heart patients who were required to lose weight quickly to undergo surgery safely. However, this has never been confirmed by any medical professional or institute.
Advocates of the cabbage soup diet claim to experience weight loss of between 8 and 15 pounds after following the diet for one week. It is not recommended to adopt this weight loss plan for longer than seven days.
Step 1
Place all the vegetables into a large pot. Add water and allow to boil. Stir in the soup mix and bouillon if desired (both are optional) and boil gently for five minutes.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Add seasoning or fresh herbs to taste.
Step 2
Transfer the soup to containers. When the soup is cool, close the containers and refrigerate. If you wish to make enough soup to last the whole week, increase the ingredients proportionally and freeze half of the soup for the latter part of the week.
The soup should be consumed on every day of the diet. The amount of soup you are allowed to eat is unlimited.
Step 3
Take stock of beverages. During the seven days of the diet, you are permitted only water, herbal or black tea, and black coffee unless otherwise stated on the daily list of permitted foods. Added milk and sugar are not permitted. Absolutely no alcohol should be consumed while following the cabbage soup diet.
Step 4
Follow each food allowance for the corresponding days of the diet.
Day 1: Consume as much soup as you desire and eat any fresh fruits in unlimited quantities except bananas.
Day 2: Consume the soup with a combination of any vegetables, including one baked potato with a little butter.
Day 3: Consume the cabbage soup, plus as many fruits and vegetables as you wish, but exclude potatoes and bananas.
Day 4: Consume the soup and unlimited skim milk, plus eat up to eight bananas.
Day 5: Eat up to 20 oz. of beef and up to six tomatoes, plus unlimited soup.
Day 6: Consume the soup plus as much beef or chicken and vegetables as you desire.
Day 7: Consume the cabbage soup plus unlimited brown rice and vegetables. You may also drink unsweetened fruit juice.
Tips and Warnings
- Follow the steps of the diet exactly to lose approximately 10 lbs. in one week. Do light exercises to increase energy levels. An activity such as an unhurried stroll can boost your energy levels by up to 20 percent. Avoid strenuous exercise while on the cabbage soup diet, as your daily calorie intake is lower, and too much exercise can lead to you feeling faint or dizzy.
- When starting a weight-loss plan, you are advised to first consult with your primary care doctor or a nutritionist.
Things You'll Need
- 6 large green onions
- 2 green peppers
- 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes
- 4 stalks celery
- 1/2 head cabbage
- 1 packet onion soup mix (optional)
- 1 or 2 cubes bouillon (optional)
- 1 48 oz. can V8 Juice (optional)
- Seasoning to taste: salt and pepper, parsley, curry, cumin powder and garlic powder
- Other Permitted Foods:
- Fresh fruit
- Baked potato with a little butter
- Up to eight bananas
- Skim milk
- Brown rice
- Beef or skinless chicken
- Mixed vegetables
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