Americans spend in the neighborhood of $30 million annually on weight loss products, including foods, books and plan memberships dealing with weight loss. Eating cabbage soup to lose weight should only be done short term. While good health begins with a balanced diet, healthy eating habits and regular exercise, this diet provides none of those elements. Always consult with your health care practitioner before starting any diet or exercise program.
Background
This diet promises -- or implies -- that you can quickly lose weight by eating a low-calorie, cabbage-based soup over a seven-day period. Cabbage soup diet proponents claim that you can achieve accelerated weigh loss without exercise or any changes to your lifestyle. These claims are unsubstantiated by credible research. While variety and balance are the mainstay of a healthy diet, this soup consists of only six essential ingredients.
Grocery List
Keep in mind that there are numerous variations to this diet. To make a full week's supply of soup for one adult, you need six green onions, two green peppers, 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes, one large bunch of fresh celery, one-half head of fresh cabbage, onion soup mix, two cubes of chicken bouillon cubes and assorted seasoning for taste. Additional allowable foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas, potatoes and tomatoes, a lean cut of beef, skim milk, brown rice and unsweetened fruit juice. No grains of any kind -- aside from the brown rice-- are permitted on this diet.
Recipe
Saute the onions, peppers and celery in a large stock pot until tender. Shred the cabbage and add it to the vegetable mixture. Add 12 to 14 cups of water to the stock pot and stir until mixed. Add bouillon and soup mix and any additional seasoning. Simmer for approximately one hour. Add two cans of tomatoes and simmer for an additional one-half hour or until all vegetables are tender. For variety, you can hold the seasoning and add different flavors to each individual serving.
Additional Allowable Foods
The typical menu for the cabbage soup diet for day 1 is soup and fresh fruit, minus bananas. Day 2 is soup and vegetables, plus one baked potato. Day 3 includes soup, fruit and vegetables, with potatoes and bananas being the exception. Day 4 includes soup and up to eight bananas with skim milk. Day 5 includes soup, 10 oz. of beef, and fewer than six tomatoes. Day 6 is soup, beef and vegetables, but no potatoes. Day 7 includes soup, brown rice, vegetables, but no potatoes, and fruit juice with no added sugar. You can drink water at any time, in any amount on this diet.
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