The Cookie Diet was designed in 1975 by Dr. Sanford Siegal. He aimed to help his obese patients lose weight by creating a diet that was desirable and filling to help alleviate hunger. The cookies are a blend of amino acids that are supposed to control your appetite while providing nutrients. Dr. Siegal outlines the Cookie Diet in his book, "Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet Book."
Cookie Diet General Guidlines
The Cookie Diet is a calorie restricting diet, allowing consumption of only 1,000 calories per day. It provides pre-made cookies that are baked in Dr. Siegal's bakery in Miami. You are supposed to eat six cookies throughout the day when you are hungry. You only eat one meal, which is dinner. ABC News online reports that Dr. Siegal states, "the dinner consists of 6 oz. of chicken, turkey, fish or seafood." You can consume one cup of vegetables with your dinner. You are to refrain from red meat for dinner because it is high in fat. The diet is quite stringent on what you can and cannot eat, so snacks may be difficult to work in, but there are some options.
Cookies and Shakes
The cookies are not meant to be specific breakfast and lunch replacements, but rather eaten when you're hungry, according to ABC News online. Therefore, the cookies themselves are snacks you can eat throughout the day. They come in various flavors, including chocolate, oatmeal raisin, banana, coconut and blueberry. Dr. Siegal offers shake mixes in the diet as well and one shake replaces one cookie. You can incorporate shakes as snacks if you want a change from the cookies. The shakes come in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, crème brulee, and pina colada and are formulated similarly to the cookies to reduce hunger as well.
Tea and Vegetables
You are allowed to drink tea throughout the day in high quantities on the Cookie Diet. Tea can be used as a snack between cookies and shakes and Dr. Siegal offers green tea and pomegranate tea sweetened with honey and lemon in his product line. Along with tea, you can forgo your vegetables in the evening with dinner and have them as a snack during the day. You can steam them or eat them raw at work for a snack. Vegetables that are allowed on the diet include cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, lettuce and Brussels sprouts.
Warning
The Cookie Diet may be a risk for diabetics because it is low in sugar and carbohydrates, according to ABC News online. It is low in calories and essential nutrients, which can lead to malnutrition, fatigue and insufficient fiber. Since the diet is only 800 to 1,000 calories, you may lose the weight and then gain it back when you are done, according to MayoClinic. You should talk with your doctor before vastly lowering your caloric intake.
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