The cabbage soup diet is a popular fad diet among people who desire to lose weight at a rapid pace. It provides a seven-day diet and eating plan that uses cabbage soup as the base of the program. It is important to understand that this diet is not intended to be a long-term program, but rather a short-term solution.
Soup Recipe
The cabbage soup diet has numerous versions, but nearly all of them begin with the recipe for the soup. According to "The New Cabbage Soup Diet" by Margaret Danbrot, a basic recipe calls for one head of cabbage, six green onions, one bunch of celery, one can of diced tomatoes, two green peppers and one package of powdered onion soup mix. Some recipes also call for vegetable juice and bouillon cubes. The directions state to cut all the vegetables into small pieces, place them in the pot and submerge all of the vegetables until they are covered with water. When the mix comes to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes to allow the vegetables to become tender.
Diet Details
The cabbage soup diet lays out specific foods that you can eat on various days of the diet. Regardless of the day, you are allowed to eat unlimited amounts of cabbage soup. The order that new foods are introduced varies depending on which version of the diet you are following, but the foods themselves seldom change. Over the course of the week, you will add fruits, vegetables, beef and brown rice. You will also be able to consume water, unsweetened tea, cranberry juice, black coffee and skim milk. According to "The Ultimate Cabbage Soup Diet," carbonated soft drinks, bread and alcoholic beverages are not permitted at any time while on the diet.
Limited Benefits
The main benefit of the cabbage soup diet is that it is a short-term, rapid weight-loss fix for someone who needs to lose a few pounds for a wedding, class reunion or to look good at the beach. Others find the diet to be beneficial as a cleansing diet that is used to give them a head start on a normal, low-calorie diet. The diet is also considered safe for adults with no health conditions, assuming they remain on the diet for seven days or less.
Cautions
If you have an eating disorder, Type 2 diabetes or any condition that requires you to eat a special diet, you should not begin this diet without consulting your doctor. According to "Encyclopedia of Diet Fads," the weight that is lost on this diet is almost entirely water weight and will likely return once normal eating habits resume. After completing a week on the diet, you should not attempt the diet again until you have eaten normally for at least two weeks. According to MayoClinic.com, side effects of the diet may include gas, light-headedness and dizziness.
References
- "The New Cabbage Soup Diet"; Margaret Danbrot; 2004
- "The Ultimate Cabbage Soup Diet"; Madeline Cooper; 2003
- "Encyclopedia of Diet Fads"; Marjolijn Bijlefeld; 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Cabbage Soup Diet: Can It Help With Weight Loss?
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