You might find it hard to believe that it is possible to lose weight while eating cookies, but Dr. Sanford Siegal believes you can, and he created the Cookie Diet to prove it. Of course, Dr. Siegal's cookies aren't loaded with sugar and fat. Instead, the Cookie Diet relies on high-fiber, low-fat cookies laced with protein to aid in weight loss.
History
Dr. Siegal invented the Cookie Diet in 1975. According to the Cookie Diet's official web page, Dr. Siegal wanted to find a way to help his patients control their hunger and stay true to their diets, inspiring him to create his special cookie recipe. At first, Dr. Siegal offered his cookies only to his patients, but he soon distributed cookies to other doctors and eventually to franchised weight management centers bearing his name. In 2007, Dr. Siegal began offering his cookies and other weight-loss products, including a line of shakes and soups, directly to the public.
Features
On the Cookie Diet, dieters eat six of Dr. Siegal's specially formulated cookies throughout the day and one meal at the end of the day. Ideally, the meal would consist of 1 cup of vegetables and 6 oz. of either chicken, turkey, fish or other seafood. While it permits coffee and tea, the Cookie Diet also recommends drinking at least five to eight glasses of water per day. If you properly follow the Cookie Diet, you will consume 800 calories a day, enabling weight loss.
Function
According to Dr. Siegal, his cookies contain special amino acids designed to suppress hunger. The cookies also contain oats, rice, whole wheat flour and bran to provide fiber and protein, both of which makes dieters feel full. Since the cookies help eliminate hunger pains, dieters manage to maintain the restrictive 800-calorie diet plan.
Types
Dr. Siegal's cookies come in five varieties: blueberry, banana, chocolate, coconut and oatmeal raisin. Each cookie contains 90 calories. For people who don't like cookies, Dr. Siegal also produces meal-replacement shakes in flavors such as chocolate, crème brulee, pina colada, strawberry and vanilla.
Benefits
The idea of eating cookies might help dieters stick with the weight-loss plan and avoid binging on sugary snacks. Dr. Siegal's cookies also provide protein, fiber and amino acids, making the Cookie Diet more healthy than many other fad diets.
Considerations
Some dieters might find the Cookie Diet's calorie limit too restrictive, compromising the plan's effectiveness. Nutrition experts also doubt the diet's safety. Amy Campbell, a nutrition and diabetes educator at Boston's Joslin Clinic, believes the Cookie Diet's 800-calorie limit doesn't make for healthy weight loss and expresses concern that the diet also lacks fruits, vegetables, calcium and vitamin D.
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