Understanding the Cabbage Soup Diet and Its Claims
The cabbage soup diet has gained popularity over the years as a rapid weight loss solution. Proponents of the diet claim that it can help you lose up to 10 pounds in just one week. However, like most fad diets, the cabbage soup diet has drawn skepticism from health experts regarding its safety and effectiveness.
What is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The cabbage soup diet is a very low-calorie diet that centers around a fat-free, high-fiber cabbage soup. The diet works on the premise that cabbage itself has fat-burning properties. By eating primarily cabbage soup multiple times per day for a week, along with select high-protein foods, proponents of the diet believe that rapid weight loss will occur.
Each day on the cabbage soup diet allows you to eat unlimited amounts of homemade cabbage soup along with certain additional foods for each day. These include:
- Day 1: Unlimited cabbage soup + fruit (no bananas)
- Day 2: Unlimited cabbage soup + vegetables (no potatoes or corn)
- Day 3: Unlimited cabbage soup + fruit and vegetables (no bananas or potatoes)
- Day 4: Unlimited cabbage soup + bananas, skim milk, and yogurt (up to 8 bananas)
- Day 5: Unlimited cabbage soup + 20 ounces of skinless chicken or beef + tomatoes plus 6-8 tomatoes
- Day 6: Unlimited cabbage soup + beef and vegetables (no potatoes)
- Day 7: Unlimited cabbage soup + brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices, and vegetables
As you can see, variety in food choices is very limited, with a dependence on cabbage soup at every meal. The diet claims that you can lose 10 pounds after completing this 7-day regimen. However, it is not intended as a long-term eating plan.
Examining the Nutrition in Cabbage Soup
Before diving into the claimed effectiveness of the cabbage soup diet, lets first take a look at the nutritional value of cabbage soup itself.The standard recipe for basic cabbage soup on the diet contains:
- 1 head green cabbage, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 package mushrooms, sliced
- 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
- Bouillon cubes or powder
- Seasonings of choice (basil, oregano, etc)
- Water to cover ingredients
This soup is very low in calories, providing only about 150-200 calories per gigantic bowl. It also delivers a hefty dose of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Folate
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Manganese
- Powerful antioxidants from the cruciferous veggies
Additionally, cabbage soup is fat-free, dairy-free and gluten free when prepared properly. It can make for a nutritious, plant-based foundation of your diet given these stellar nutrition qualifications.
Does the Cabbage Soup Diet Cause Rapid Weight Loss?
When it comes to fast weight loss, the cabbage soup diet certainly seems to deliver for the short-term. Stories and before-and-after photos from dieters who have completed the 7-day plan frequently cite losing up to 10 pounds from the diet alone.
Experts attribute this rapid weight loss to both the diets severe calorie restriction and the limited choice of foods. Consuming primarily low-calorie cabbage soup multiple times per day keeps daily calories very low, generally under 1,000 calories depending on the exact recipes used. Severely slashing calories puts the body into fat burning mode.
Additionally, the diet eliminates common trigger and craving foods like bread, chips, pizza, cheese, soda, alcohol, and sweets during the strict 7 days. This forces dieters to avoid mindless eating or emotional eating behaviors that may contribute to excess weight gain.
In the first days of the diet, the dramatic drop on the scale is likely due to water weight loss in addition to fat loss. Nevertheless, sticking to cabbage soup recipes and allowable foods for a week straight can certainly ignite some initial fat burning.
Examining the Safety and Effectiveness of the Cabbage Soup Diet
While proponents rave about the cabbage soup diets weight loss effects, health experts have raised many concerns regarding its safety and efficacy in the long run.
Safety Concerns
Due to the very low daily calories permitted while following the strict cabbage soup diet, there are some notable health risks to consider.
Potential safety concerns include:
- Nutrient deficiencies - With most days limited to under 1,000 daily calories and zero calories from fats on some days, you may develop vitamin, mineral or essential fatty acids deficiencies over time.
- Muscle loss - Consuming minimal protein while crash dieting can lead to loss of lean muscle mass.
- Extreme hunger - Trying to subsist mostly on cabbage soup can leave you feeling hungry, fatigued and moody which leads to poor compliance.
- Gallstones - Rapid weight loss increases gallstone risk for some people.
- Electrolyte imbalances - The diet provides very little sodium, potassium and other key electrolytes we need for proper hydration and body function.
Due to these risks, most health professionals advise against following the cabbage soup diet, especially without medical supervision. They strongly caution the diet should never be followed for more than one week at a time.
Likelihood of Keeping Weight Off Long-Term
While the cabbage soup diet may take off pounds rapidly in the short term, like most crash diets, weight regain is extremely common afterward.
Reasons the cabbage soup diet sets you up for weight regain include:
- It is an extreme calorie restriction that is unrealistic to maintain.
- It promotes rapid weight loss, which is linked to greater weight regain over time compared to slow, steady loss.
- It does not teach healthy eating habits you can sustain long-term.
- It may lead to loss of metabolism-boosting lean muscle.
- It involves severe food restrictions which often leads to intense cravings and binge episodes after the diet.
For lasting weight loss without quickly regaining what you lost, most experts recommend following a healthy, balanced diet you can stick with indefinitely while slowly creating a modest calorie deficit through diet and exercise.
Healthy Cabbage Soup Recipes to Try
While health experts may not approve of the cabbage soup diet plan itself, incorporating beneficial cabbage soup recipes into your regular balanced diet can be advantageous.
Enjoying nutrient-packed cabbage soup and other non-starchy vegetables regularly can promote:
- Lower calorie intake
- Increased satiety between meals
- Disease protection from vitamin, minerals and antioxidants
- Better blood sugar regulation
- Weight loss (when consumed instead of higher calorie choices)
Check out these delicious, healthy cabbage soup recipes you can add to your diet without needing to follow the strict fad diet rules:
Spicy Lentil Cabbage Soup
Pack a punch of plant-based protein into your cabbage soup with fiber-rich lentils, diced tomatoes and zesty seasonings for a filling, nutritious alternative.
Loaded Veggie and Barley Cabbage Soup
Barley gives this chunky soup extra thickness and heft along with satisfiying protein and fiber. Chopped veggies like carrots, celery, mushrooms and tomatoes boost nutrition.
Creamy Cabbage Soup
Get a creamy cabbage soup flavor minus all the calories and fat by pureeing part of the soup along with low fat milk or plain Greek yogurt and seasonings.
You can also find many other great, healthy cabbage soup possibilities online from food bloggers and health experts. Trying new cabbage soup recipes can help you reduce overall calories without starving yourself.
The Bottom Line
In closing, the cabbage soup diet leads to quick, short-term weight loss of potentially up to 10 pounds in just a week due to its extreme calorie deficit. However, malnutrition risks along with common weight regain make health professionals strongly advise against this crash diet.
For lasting weight management, balance regular physical activity with a nutritious diet you enjoy and can maintain long-term. Occasionally enjoying low-calorie, antioxidant-rich cabbage soup recipes can be part of your healthy lifestyle. But restricting your diet to only cabbage soup or other dangerous fad diets is an approach best avoided.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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