Sustaining its many critics, the Cabbage Soup Diet has been around for decades, even though it's considered a fad diet. Withstanding claims of being unhealthy and gimmicky, continued discussion about the Cabbage Soup Diet show that interest still exists. Questions about how healthy the diet is are still debated by critics and interested dieters, alike.
Background
The Cabbage Soup Diet's origins are unknown; the creator of the soup recipe and the diet's rules is a mystery. It's been linked to established medical institutions, such as The Sacred Heart Hospital, but these associations are untrue. The diet's claim to fame is a promise of quick results -- a possible 15 lb. weight loss in a week. The Cabbage Soup Diet is centered around a soup of cabbage and other vegetables. Soup is supposed to satiate you, make you feel fuller faster and facilitate weight loss.
Diet Basics
"The New Cabbage Diet," outlines a seven day plan of cabbage soup paired with other allowable foods on each given day. The basic recipe for the soup is water, cabbage, green and red peppers, onions, tomatoes, green onions, brown rice and salt and pepper. The plan gives unlimited access to the cabbage soup as well as drinks of unsweetened tea, coffee, cranberry juice or water. Each day you're "allowed" an unlimited amount of a certain food along with the unlimited amount of the soup. For example, on day one, eat as much fruit as you like; on day two, it's unlimited vegetables and one large baked potato with butter; on day three, both fruits and vegetables are unlimited; day four is banana and skim milk day; day five and six allow lean meats; and, finally, on day seven it's unlimited vegetables and brown rice.
Health Claims
Because the centerpiece of The Cabbage Soup Diet is a vegetable soup, "The New Cabbage Soup Diet," claims that it's a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals. The cabbage and other vegetables contain a lot of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, lycopene and potassium. The diet claims to help motivate dieters with the rapid results, giving them a "jump start" to weight loss that can transition to healthy weight loss afterwards. The diet is not recommended for use past seven days, with guidelines for a maintenance plan described in "The New Cabbage Soup Diet," to follow up the initial diet. It's only recommended for adults who are in good health.
Criticisms
Critics of The Cabbage Soup Diet say that initial weight loss is mostly water weight, and at the end of the seven days the weight will inevitably come back. This disappointing result will surely discourage, not encourage dieters, says "Fad-Free Nutrition." Critics also say the diet is low in protein and complex carbohydrates, indicating a lack of nutrients, no matter the diet's claims of adequate nutrients from the soup's vegetables. "Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy," claims the diet causes light-headedness, weakness and impairs concentration. Finally, the diet is monotonous and boring. If you need variety, critics claim this diet's menu is too one-note to sustain you for long.
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