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Home 
Diets
Calorie Counting
How Does
Cabbage Soup Diet Compare?
BACKGROUND
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PRO
CON
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Cabbage Soup Diet?
Diets
Calorie Counting
What is it?
Cabbage Soup Diet is a weight loss plan said to be a short term solution for 10 pounds of weight loss in a week. It emphasizes eating an unlimited amount of cabbage soup, and many different websites offer different variations.
Generally, one is allowed to eat certain added fruits and vegetables depending on the day of the diet. It’s unknown who came up it with this plan, but it’s believed to have started in the 1980’s. It’s considered a crash diet, and much like other similar diets is advised only for a few days with no guarantee of long term weight loss. Our experts reviewed many diets and found the 18Shake Diet to be the best solution for weight loss. Discover more about the 18Shake Diet by clicking on the link found here.
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Cabbage Soup Diet Ingredients and Side Effects
The Cabbage Soup Diet dies not rely on diet pills or pre-packaged foods, all the food eaten have to be prepared. One website that promotes the Cabbage Soup Diet says:
“not suitable for long-term weight loss”
It’s instead intended:
“If you have a special occasion coming up or you simply need to lose weight fast”
Often it will be advised that in order to maintain the diet one should follow these rules:
- Drink a minimum of 4 glasses of water.
- Take a multivitamin.
- Eating as much soup as possible, not starving oneself.
- Introducing different recipes to avoid boredom.
A 2 week break is recommended for people who want to restart the diet. Cabbage isn’t the only produce allowed; one can also add things like onions, celery, asparagus, zucchini, squash, barley, some meats, and many different seasonings.
Though this can be healthy, relying on it solely can potentially lead to nutritional deficiencies. Web MD also adds:
“this crash diet won’t help you in the long run, and it doesn’t give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy”
Furthermore, they add:
“Health experts don’t recommend following very low-calorie diets unless you’re under a doctor’s care”
This is due to there being numerous damaging health effects that the diet can have. A list of the highest rated diet plans is found in the link provided here.
The results of this diet are not likely to continue, as Web MD confirms:
“you’ll like regain any weight that you lose”
“It will likely leave you feeling hungry, weak, and bored. You might even feel sick”
This is because there’s a lack of adequate food options. It’s not offered as a long term solution, and instead is said to be a quick weight loss solution. There’s one Cabbage Soup Diet website that admits:
“A lot of people quit because the soup can be a bit bland, and they quickly tire of eating it every day”
There are several considerations to keep in mind. It’s not recommended for long-term use, and it’s believed the only reason one might lose weight is due to water weight and not fat. Live Strong.com adds:
“It’s possible to lose as much as 20 pounds of body weight during one week, most of which is water”
This is likely the reason why one sees any weight loss from this diet, since it’s low in carbohydrates and high in fluids, most water weight is flushed out of the body. As you’ll see in the “Customer Opinions of Cabbage Soup Diet”, many customers regained their weight as soon as they stopped the diet.
One popular variation of the diet allows for the following:
- Day one: Unlimited fruit except for bananas alongside water, tea, and coffee.
- Day two: No fruit, only raw vegetables and one baked potato
- Day three: Unlimited fruits and vegetables except for potatoes and bananas.
- Day four: 8 bananas and unlimited skimmed milk.
- Day five: 6 tomatoes and 565g of beef
- Day six: Unlimited vegetables and beef but no potatoes.
- Day seven: Some brown rice and sugar free fruit juice.
A comprehensive list of the top 10 diet plans is offered in the link provided here.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as 18 Shake for better results.
Cabbage Soup Diet Quality of Ingredients
Many of the ingredients are healthy as it relies on fresh produce and grains. However, there is an issue with boredom as the same basic good groups have to be eaten repeatedly.
Also, there’s no science that eating only cabbage soup is healthy and safe. A Dr. Melinda Ratini says:
“You’ll likely get less than 1,000 calories a day on the limited menu. That’s far fewer than the 2,000 daily calories recommended for most adults”
“The pounds come off quickly, but mostly you’ll lose water weight”
“chances are, you’ll regain it all back as soon as you start eating a normal diet again”
The diet was made to help one with weight loss in a one week period, but this does not mean it will help with long term weight loss. Health experts also agree it’s likely not a quality solution for weight loss due to its limited food options. A top 10 list of the highest ranked diet plans is offered in the link provided here.
The Price and Quality of Cabbage Soup Diet
The price depends on where one gets their grocery from, as no prepackaged foods are needed.
The diet does advise to get a multivitamin, due to the lack of food options that are high in nutrients. It’s also necessary to eat unlimited amounts of cabbage soup. This means one will have to cook for the full 7 days, as the diet also limits the kinds of seasonings through reducing sodium provided from salt.
Due to the lack of clinical studies proving that this is an effective and safe weight loss solution, it’s a very poor diet. A comprehensive top 10 list features the highest rated diet pills.
The Mayo Clinic also had this to say:
“Fad diets like this one may be tempting, but keep in mind that long-term weight loss depends on making lasting healthy changes”
The changes needed in this diet are too short term to truly be a quality solution for weight loss.
Business of Cabbage Soup Diet
It’s unknown who created this diet, though many websites offer books and tips. Each group offers slightly different advice, with the only key thing being that you can only eat cabbage soup alongside some fruits and vegetables for a total of 7 days.
The diet will often be presented in either a free format via a PDF, or through a book. There are no claims that anyone made this diet, though each book claims it has the optimal guide. There are often recipe books offered as well as tips.
No studies or proof that this diet actually works and is safe is available anywhere. This makes it impossible to determine why the diet was created and suggested in the way it’s displayed. It also allows many different groups to make claims about what to add to the diet, without providing any proof. Our experts compiled a list of the highest rated diet plans in the list featured here.
EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.
Customer Opinions of Cabbage Soup Diet
Here are some reviews from users who have used this diet:
“Cabbage soup is not a filler upper”
“I see no real physical weight loss”
“have quite a headache”
“worst heart burn I have ever had”
People did mention they lost weight, but that they often gained it all back one they resumed eating. This makes sense as it’s likely the only reason one is losing weight is due to water weight.
Some also experienced side effects such as gas, bloating, and nausea. There were also concerns from people that they quickly became bored of it, and that they often felt like quitting. A list of the highest ranked diet plans is available in the link provided here.
Conclusion - Does Cabbage Soup Diet Work?
There are many things to consider about the Cabbage Soup Diet. There’s no science or proof that this diet actually works, and that’s why there’s many different variations on it. Many people who tried it say they regained all their weight loss, which is common for crash diets that serve to reduce water weight instead of fat. Health experts on the Mayo Clinic and Web MD website also confirm its likely not safe or effective for real weight loss.
The highest rated diet plan of 2024 was found to be the 18Shake Diet. It combines a high protein, appetite suppressing meal replacement as well as a natural stimulant free metabolism booster. Many customers say it’s effective for weight loss, and that it’s easy to use. There are no added filler ingredients, stimulants, or processed additives. It contains only natural extracts and ingredients clinically shown to help with weight loss. Many users have left glowing testimonials and positive reviews on their website.
The 18Shake Diet offers its supplements with a full 30 day money back guarantee. Returns are allowed within these 30 days with no risk and no questions asked. Learn more about the 18Shake Diet by clicking the link provided here.
- Product Name
- User Rating
- Easy to follow
- Cheap Price
- Fast Results
- High Protein Diet
- 91/100
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- Dukan Diet
- 89/100
-
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- Paleo Diet
- 87/100
-
- Plexus Slim
- 77/100
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- Cabbage Soup Diet
- 29 /100
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Wikipedia
The Cabbage soup diet is a radical weight loss diet designed around heavy consumption of a low-calorie cabbage soup over the time of seven days. It is generally considered a fad diet, in that it is designed for short-term weight-loss and requires no long-term commitment. It has inspired several copy-cats based around similar principles.
BACKGROUND
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Look up the definition of fad diet and you’ll see a picture illustrating the Cabbage Soup Diet. It should not be followed as a long-term eating plan, as it is dangerously low in calories and could do more harm than good. It is possible to lose 10 pounds in a week when you stick to this uber-low calorie plan.
The Cabbage Soup Diet does offer fast weight loss, but it is completely lacking in nutrition, flavor and variety. You'll consume mostly soups of cabbage, onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms. Nutritionists argue that the pounds shed are more likely attributed to the dramatic and dangerous loss in calories and not the proposed fat-burning power found in the cabbage. This diet deprives your body of essential nutrients and has been correlated to difficulty concentrating, feeling light-headed and weak.
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
PRO
- You will lose weight
CON
- Unhealthy
- Dangerously caloric intake
- Primarily losing water weight
- Will regain lost weight if don't stick to healthy eating and exercise following completion
- Does not promote exercise; would be too weak to do so
DIET and NUTRITION
The one-week Cabbage Soup Diet relies on this simple plan:
Day One All-you-can-eat soup and fruit (no bananas). Consume plenty of water, cranberry juice and unsweetened tea.
Day Two Consume all the soup and vegetables you like (no beans, peas or corn). Have a buttered baked potato with dinner. No fruit today.
Day Three Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you like, nothing else.
Day Four Eat your soup, no more than eight bananas and all the skim milk you want.
Day Five Have at least one serving of soup today. You can also have 10-20 ounces of skinless chicken or beef and no more than six tomatoes. Drink plenty of water.
Day Six Eat plenty of vegetables and your servings of beef. Today is the day you can go a bit overboard with the meat (2 steaks if you like) - just make sure to add salad and vegetables. Stay away from the carbs - no fries, potatoes, etc.
Day Seven Have at least one serving of soup. Only eat brown rice, vegetables and unsweetened fruit juice.
EXERCISE
No recommendations are made. Given the severely low calories you'll be consuming, you likely won't have the strength for physical activity.
CONCLUSION
For rapid weight loss as a jump-start to a more healthy eating plan, the Cabbage Soup Diet could possibly be a solution. However, fasting or liquid diets like Cabbage Soup promising dramatic weight loss results in only a week are typically only helping you shed water weight. This weight will creep right back on once you stop the diet and continue with previous poor eating habits. Finishing the Cabbage Soup Diet and beginning a healthy eating and exercise regimen is the best advice anyone following this unhealthy approach can receive. Be sure to speak with your physician before beginning.
Common Misspellings
cabbge soup diet, cabbage soup deit, cabage soup diet, cabbagge soup, cabbagesoupdiet.com, cabbage diet, cabagge soup diet, soup diet
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Cabbage Soup Diet?
User Feedback
(Page 18 of 37, 727 total comments)Adrienne
+I did this diet a couple of years back and lost 9/10 lbs in the one week. I haven't put the weight back on but I could still afford to lose 10 or so more lbs so I think I'm going to do it again soon. I subbed sauerkraut for the soup because after all, it is just cabbage and I love it so I knew it would be easier to pull through the diet. You could add elements of the soup recipe to the sauerkraut also. I highly recommend this diet. It takes will power but it's only a week - you can do it!
posted Jan 18th, 2010 2:00 pmBecky1234
I'm starting it today - I just have to let you know though, don't use the Lipton Soup! I went to buy it, and it is FULL of Sodium and MSG! No wonder people complain of headaches and light-headedness. I used a bunch of veggies, broths, and some V8 juice. You can add salt and seasonings, but don't use that soup mix, it is so unhealthy.
posted Jan 11th, 2010 2:30 pmtammy
you will gain the weight back for sure if you go back to eating the way you did before the diet. i went on the diet and lost 13 lbs, but didn't gain it back afterwards because i changed my eating habits. after the diet, you can go back eating what you want, but cut your portions in half. and exercise a little-- it doesnt have to be a lot, but just for fun. continue drinking lots of water.
posted Jan 7th, 2010 7:18 pmafatchick
can someone please post the recipe for the cabbage soup that they used. Pretty please. I did this a while ago but I didnt use the recipe that is online now. It was white onions instead of green. Lipton soup mix and chicken broth, garlic (minced) mushrooms, maybe carrots and celery.
posted Dec 18th, 2009 4:01 pmPapa
+I did this diet for 1 month and lost almost 60 lbs. Yea it sucks, but you need will power. i hate that everyone says its bad for you. When we were less evolved humans, what the hell do you think we ate? We ate fruit, vegetables, and meat. There was no such thing as bread and crap. This diet works and I think they down it due to the fact that diet companies are losing money over it. IT REALLY WORKS IF YOU STICK TO IT! But it is very hard
posted Dec 12th, 2009 2:16 pmstephany
i will be starting this diet on monday after reading the reviews i feel good about it i want to lose 30 ponds and after the week of the cabbage soup diet i dont know what else to do since its not recommended to do it more then one week any ideas?
posted Dec 3rd, 2009 3:25 pmKatie
Current weight: 116 lbs
posted Nov 13th, 2009 3:17 amGoing on day 5. Hasn't been too bad, but I'm SO sick of this cabbage soup, it's hard to bring myself to eat it once a day. On day 2 I got a REALLY bad migraine to the point where I threw up everything I ate that day 4 times. I have never had a migraine before, so I don't know weather or not to blame the diet or all the onions I was eating. So watch out for that. My energy level has actually been very good, I can stay up through out the day without getting tired, unlike before. My first 3 days went pretty well, Day 4, my weight did not change at all. I was disappointed, but we'll see how it goes tomorrow. If I lose at least 3 pounds more at the end of this diet, I'll say this diet is well worth it, but until then we'll wait and see.
Katie
I just began the diet after a lot of research today. I prepared the soup, weary of how it would taste, considering the fact that I am not huge on celery, cabbage and tomatoes. I decided to play master chef, added 2 packets of onion soup and 5 teaspoons of chicken broth to 16 cups of water, added the vegetables, A LOT of pepper, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of parsley. Boiled for an hour and a half while cutting up veggies to really saturate the celery I'm not crazy about and it's incredible! Best non-creamy soup I've ever had, hands down! I'm already looking forward to the upcoming week, especially with this delicious soup.
posted Nov 9th, 2009 3:51 pmFrom research, I learned that you are aloud 1 cup of low fat or no fat yogert a day, which will really hit that sweet craving on the no fruit days. I realized it was not listed on this site, so I thought I would fill everyone in.
I will make sure to keep posted with results that I'm sure will come.
Starting weight: 119 lbs. at 5' 1"
bibi
this is my 1st day and i have to say that i really like the soup:)I never tried this diet b4 and I just wanna give my body a jump start to get to a healthier healthplan later on.I
posted Sep 26th, 2009 12:06 amNatTheCat
well Today is day 1 for me i weigh 125. lets see how this diet works out for me..i did it before and lost 4 pounds in 4 days but yeah im actually gonna do it this time!
posted Sep 20th, 2009 4:42 pmkrd
If the truth be told, most people that are skinny or at a healthy weight are on extreme diets. The people you see on t.v. take extreme measures to stay thin. And regular people do to. You can take in 2500 calories, which is normal calorie count for a person, and be a size zero. Thats bull and everyone knows it. And since when have fruits and veggies and lean meat become unhealthy.
posted Sep 16th, 2009 10:00 amMrs. M
-Not worth the trouble of cooking
posted Sep 5th, 2009 3:24 amNot HEALTHY and definately NOT FOR long term use.
Kana
It's day 4 on this diet. Im wondering if
posted Sep 4th, 2009 1:37 amI can drink soymilk instead of skim milk....cos I love soy latte and Its so hard
to stop having it!
Brandy
My Mom and I are going to be starting this diet tomm, I am 5ft and weight is 145, I just had a baby a year ago and never lost any weight from being pregnant so hopefully this diet will work like it has for so many, NOTHING else has.
posted Aug 27th, 2009 9:06 pmlisa
+This diet is what worked best for me because I saw a huge differience in weight loss. This gave me the ability to feel great how I looked and reasons to continue a safe low calorie eating plan. It was tough but I did it!!!
posted Aug 27th, 2009 10:34 amLC
Hi everyone,
posted Aug 18th, 2009 1:01 pmI started this diet yesterday, I woke up with so much enegry today. I am 5'6 and weighing 156lbs want to loose 25lbs wish me luck.
Bird
I started this diet today, done it in the past and lost a pound/day. Im at 146lb currently and need to get to 130lb! Hope I can last on this diet this time.
posted Aug 14th, 2009 10:21 amsam hogg
+This Soup diet is excellent I lost 7 Kilos in one week . It does really work . But if you get on this diet too much , it somehow doesnt work. I think u have to shift and get on it again.
posted Aug 14th, 2009 7:42 amSarah
-All you people read the DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH disclaimer and then do it anyways? What the hell? My mom used to do this diet and it made her cranky and irritable. The soup's pretty tasty though, I'll give you that. i have loads of childhood memories of that soup...
posted Aug 6th, 2009 10:21 pmklstern
My daughter and I are on day 2 of the diet and having a hard time with it. Definitely having the headaches and feeling hungry a lot. Looking forward to our potato tonight, REAL FOOD! Wish us luck!
posted Jul 23rd, 2009 3:36 pm