The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term weight loss diet. As the name implies, it involves eating large quantities of cabbage soup.
Proponents of the diet say it can help you lose up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg) in one week.
However, many health experts warn that the diet is unhealthy and its results are unsustainable.
This is a comprehensive review of the Cabbage Soup Diet and whether it works or not.
How to Do the Cabbage Soup Diet
In order to start, you need to prepare large batches of soup to eat for the entire week.
The ingredients vary based on the source, but this is the basic recipe:
The Cabbage Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
2 large onions
2 green peppers
2 cans of tomatoes
1 bunch of celery
1 head of cabbage
3 carrots
1 package of mushrooms
1–2 bouillon cubes (optional)
6–8 cups water or vegetable cocktail
Directions:
Step 1: Chop all vegetables into cubes.
Step 2: In a large stock pot, sauté onions in a small amount of oil.
Step 3: Then add remaining vegetables and cover with water or vegetable cocktail and add bouillon cubes or other seasonings, if desired.
Step 4: Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30–45 minutes.
Step 5: You may season the soup with salt, pepper, hot sauce, herbs or spices. You may also add other non-starchy vegetables, such as spinach or green beans.
Every day you should eat as much cabbage soup as you want, at least for several meals. Supposedly, the more soup you eat, the more weight you lose.
Rules of the Diet:
Each day of the diet, you are allowed to fill up on one or two other low-calorie foods in addition to the soup. However, it is important not to make any other substitutions and to drink only water or other calorie-free beverages, such as unsweetened tea.
A daily multivitamin is often recommended because the diet can limit nutrient intake.
These are the rules for each day of the Cabbage Soup Diet.
Day one: Unlimited cabbage soup and fruit, but no bananas.
Day two: Only soup and vegetables. Focus on raw or cooked leafy greens. Avoid peas, corn and beans. You may also have one baked potato with butter or oil.
Day three: As many fruits and vegetables as you can eat, in addition to the soup. However, no baked potato today and still no bananas.
Day four: Unlimited bananas, skim milk and cabbage soup.
Day five: You are allowed 10–20 oz (280–567 grams) of beef, which you may substitute for chicken or fish. You may also have up to six fresh tomatoes and unlimited cabbage soup. At least 6–8 glasses of water.
Day six: Soup, beef and vegetables. You may substitute the beef with broiled fish if you did not yesterday. Focus on leafy greens. No baked potato today.
Day seven: You may have vegetables, brown rice, unlimited fruit juice, but no added sugar. And of course, cabbage soup.
You should not continue the diet for more than seven days at a time. However, you may repeat the diet as long as you wait at least two weeks before starting it again.
*Click here to read the benefits, drawbacks, safety and side effects of Cabage Soup Diet before trying it out.
Source: Authority Nutrition.
