One of the most famous fad diets, the Cabbage Soup Diet is a very low calorie low fat diet based on (you’ve guessed it) cabbage soup, plus a few other foods, including vegetables, fruits and restricted carbs and protein. Typically the advice is to follow it for 7 days, then eat normally for 14 days, then return to the Cabbage Soup Diet for another 7 days and so on.
Despite claims to the contrary, cabbage does not possess any ‘fat-burning’ properties. The reason the Cabbage Soup Diet causes weight loss is because it provides no more than about 800-900 calories a day.
Cabbage Soup – Diet Recipe
The soup itself is usually made from: 3 onions, 1 head of celery, 1 green bell pepper, half a cabbage, 2 tins of tomatoes, 1 pack of onion soup mix and 3 pints of vegetable stock. Herbs and spices are not recommended. This is sufficient for about 6 servings.
What You Eat on the Cabbage Soup Diet
- Day 1
Unlimited cabbage soup; unlimited fruits (most allowed, except bananas.) - Day 2
Home-made cabbage soup, plus other vegetables, including a baked potato with butter for dinner (potatoes are off-limits on other days) - Day 3
Unlimited cabbage soup; unlimited fruits (most allowed, except bananas.) - Day 4
Home-made cabbage soup, plus anything up to 6 bananas and fat-free milk. - Day 5
Home-made cabbage soup, plus 6 tomatoes and up to 450 grams of meat or fish. - Day 6
Home-made cabbage soup, plus unlimited lean beef or chicken and vegetables. - Day 7
Home-made cabbage soup, plus unlimited brown rice, pure fruit juice, and vegetables.
Cabbage Soup Diet – Advantages
Probably quite good as a short term break from the average junk-food diet. In addition, home-made soup is a good weight loss food – although any vegetable soup will do – and is reasonably filling. Little cooking required.
Cabbage Soup Diet – Verdict
Okay if you want a 7-day break from junk food, or if you have only a little weight to lose. But be aware than it is not nutritionally based and should not be followed long-term. Also, after 7 days of vegetable soup you may never want to eat another vegetable again!
