The cabbage soup diet is an extremely low-calorie diet plan that claims to take seven days to achieve quick weight loss. Some people refer to the diet as the Sacred Heart Soup Diet, with rumors that it originated from Sacred Heart Hospital. The diet is also sometimes erroneously tied to the American Heart Association, the Cleveland Clinic and other health care institutions. In reality, no hospital or national health care organization endorses the diet, but some people do find that it contributes to quick weight loss. Because the diet is so low in calories, it can be extremely dangerous, especially for people with pre-existing medical conditions. It is imperative that you check with your doctor before beginning any diet, especially one that provides so few calories.
The Diet Plan
Step 1
Eat as much homemade cabbage soup as you want during the entire week you follow the diet.
Step 2
Consume fresh fruits, except for bananas, along with your soup during the first day of the diet.
Step 3
Eat several servings of fresh vegetables on the second day of the diet. For dinner, cook a large baked potato with butter.
Step 4
Graze on fresh fruits and vegetables along with your soup throughout the day on the third day of the diet.
Step 5
Snack on up to six bananas and fat-free milk on the fourth day.
Step 6
Consume up to six tomatoes and 450 grams of beef or fish on the day five.
Step 7
Eat vegetables and beef on the sixth day of your diet, along with soup throughout the day to stave off your hunger.
Step 8
Finish your diet on the seventh day with cabbage soup, vegetables, brown rice and fruit juice.
Making Cabbage Soup
Step 1
Chop up half a head of cabbage, six green onions, two green peppers and one large bunch of celery.
Step 2
Place the vegetables in a pot and add just enough water to cover them.
Step 3
Bring the water to a boil and stir in one or two cans of diced tomatoes, one package of onion soup mix, one or two chicken or beef bouillon cubes, one large can of vegetable juice and spices to taste, such as pepper, salt, parsley, basil, cilantro or garlic.
Step 4
Turn down the heat to medium-high and stir the ingredients in the soup together, letting it stew for 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 5
Allow the soup to cool and pour it into plastic containers you can store in the refrigerator for quick reheating.
Tips and Warnings
- Make several small batches of cabbage soup with different spices to alter the taste and prevent the soup from getting bland or unpalatable.
- Do not follow the diet plan for more than seven days at a time and stop the diet immediately if you feel weak or ill. This diet is high in sodium and lacks adequate nutrition for a long-term use. Following this diet may result in gas and gastrointestinal upset.
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Large pot
- Cooking spoon
- Cabbage
- Green onions
- Green peppers
- Canned tomatoes
- Celery
- Onion soup mix
- Bouillon
- Vegetable juice
- Spices
- Plastic containers
- Fresh fruits
- Fresh vegetables
- Potato
- Butter
- Bananas
- Fat-free milk
- Tomatoes
- Beef or fish
- Brown rice
- Fruit juice
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