User rating
Keep up with Diets in Review
Get Weekly Email Updates (sample)
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow us on Pinterest
Home 
Diets
Calorie Counting
How Does
Cabbage Soup Diet Compare?
BACKGROUND
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
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.
Do You Know the Best Diets of 2024?
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
-
-
- Dukan Diet
- 89/100
-
-
- Paleo Diet
- 87/100
-
- Plexus Slim
- 77/100
-
- Cabbage Soup Diet
- 29 /100
-
-
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
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
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
Featured Diets and Supplements
Cabbage Soup Diet?
User Feedback
(Page 2 of 37, 727 total comments)Ontario
+March 2 / 2015 . I'm male age 50 height 5'4" weight 178.8. On the start of the third day I weigh myself and 173.0. That's almost 6 pounds lost in just 2 days . I do get mild headaches . But it's the end of day 3 and I will weight in tomorrow morning again at the start of my 4 th day. It's like (Buckleys Couch med) LOL :) . It's horrible but it works :). I don't cheat on it . If you have the will power , it's only 7 day diet , Not 7 years :) just think next week when you look in the mirror how good you will feel about yourself :)). If ya got a double chin lol watch it disappear :). Good luck and let's get Er done :)
posted Mar 2nd, 2015 10:14 pmLisa Bowie
+I have done the Cabbage Soup Diet 4 times with a one week break in between. I have lost 9 kg so far. I am going on a cruise in 7 weeks and needed to fit my bikini! I am amazed with this diet. I have done every diet there is and with this one I never feel hungry which is fantastic. My goal is to get to 60 kg and I think this goal will become a reality. Im so proud of myself. I exercise every day and have never had any problems. I also have 2 protein shakes every day. The only thing I have is a bit of gas. I have never done a diet that has had such dramatic results so fast and everyone can notice how much weight ive lost. I have totally stuck to the diet each time. Lisa
posted Feb 18th, 2015 10:22 pmZee
Hi
posted Feb 6th, 2015 8:32 amAny feedback would be appreciated, confused!
I did the cabbage diet last year and my stomach became as flat as an ironing board! Result! Went down a jeans size and my arms lost weight too.
This time round I'm very confused and upset .i have followed the diet strictly as suggested but I see no real physical weight loss. I started the diet this time in hope for the flat belly as I'm going on holiday but Iv probably lost at minimum weight.
I am due to start my period in ten days n I wondered if this maybe the reason and would I possibly shrink after that ?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks, Zee
CJackson
+I'm on Day 5 of this diet and have been exercising moderately both running (2-3 miles 7:00 min miles) and strength training. So far I've lost 13 lbs (Starting Weight - 222, Current Weight -209 - Muscular Build)
posted Jan 15th, 2015 1:29 amI don't add very much sodium/spices to the soup nor veggies soup which makes for a bland tasting diet. If I'm going to subject myself to such a diet, I make sure to cut every calorie possible. My suggestions are, meditate, pray, and persevere. It's not only about losing weight it's a mental challenge, take the challenge and conquer it! Good Luck and God Bless!
Michelle
+Ive done this diet before and it did the trick. Have just started day 1 again and don't feel hungry yet. Been on a 30 min run too. I blend my soup up and add lots of smoked paprika and also some fat free yogurt once heated with a splash of balsamic vinegar. On banana day i make banana milkshakes with skimmed milk. Hoping to lose 5 kgs in 7 days
posted Dec 15th, 2014 8:18 amqiuuu
am gg to start day 1 today will let ur know how it goes!!!!
posted Nov 18th, 2014 12:15 amTay
Our office decided to do a cabbage soup diet challenge. Everyone pays a $4 no-refundable fee, and the winner wins all. I am beginning day4, and it is looking pretty good. II have lost 4 lbs. I drink 8 + glasses of water each day. On banana day, I decided to make a smoothie, and it was delicious. Good Luck
posted Nov 3rd, 2014 7:11 pmMs Tee
+Started this past Monday 5/5/14 results thus far pd a day. Did not weigh in today, but as of yesterday Friday 5/9/14 I lost 6 pds. Today is steak day and your stool is sorta loose. Not too bad, I would recommend it for a quick fix and especially for an outfit and or an engagement. Yes, you should always incorporate EXERCISE... =) Good Luck!
posted May 10th, 2014 10:43 pmDiane
+I have done this diet 3 times over the past 5 years. I am beginning again tomorrow after putting on 7 lbs over the holidays. Its only 7 days to drop 7 to 10 lbs and it works!! The better you stick to the program the better the loss. I have a major sweet tooth and it really does take away the desire after the first few days and after the week of diet continues to work. I have found it easy to keep the weight off because it changes my junk food desires. Whenever I gain a few lbs I begin again. I find it pretty easy to follow, to make up variations in what your allowed to eat, and do not ever feel hungry. I would rather follow a diet for 7 days that you see real results and stay in check than having to be on a diet for weeks or months. This diet works great.
posted Jan 13th, 2014 2:59 amhayley
I started this diet on monday as i am off on holiday soon and need to shed a few kgs. I am currently on day 4 and have so far lost 2kgs. I have felt fine doing my normal exercising, on monday i had a 4 hour dance training and coped perfectly fine. I also went to the gym last night to a 1 hour yoga class and a 15 min run on the treadmill. The only thing with this diet i find annoying is that i have to pee almost every half an hour lol. I consume about 1 or 2 bowls per day, but am starting to get sick of it. I drink lots of water and green tea throughout the day and haven't had any headaches or hunger pains yet which is a good thing. Hope the last 3 days i continue to lose a few kgs, definitely recommend this diet for quick weight loss :)
posted Nov 21st, 2013 1:21 amfab
+Hello to all.
posted Oct 13th, 2013 6:00 amDiet started last Monday and today Sunday on the seventh day , lost 3.2 kg :-) .
Started 82.4 kg and now 79.2 kg.
On the fifth day the soup I could not eat it anymore and I made a little trick , shake the soup and taste changed much by adding spices such as soy, sweet paprika and some hot pepper .
Yesterday was the only day I did sports, running for 40 minutes.
During the week I had absolutely no hunger pangs .
I will continue the diet for another 3 - 4 days . I try to lose a couple more kilos.
The diet I recommend it to all , with regard to weight loss do not expect a 7 or 8 kilos because these values are only for people who are too overweight.
The final target is to reach 74 - 75 kg this goal to be achieved with a more balanced nutrition , weight I had a few years ago .
The most wonderful feeling is to get back pants that when you're 82 - 83 kg you cannot ;-).
I hope that my experience will be of help to everyone.
Wheeler
-I am currently have way through day 2, my first day went ok - but I woke up around 2am with the worst heart burn I have ever had. ughh too much totatoes and spices in the soup most likely the culpret. I have been eating my vegies all day, and feel more bloated and fatter than I was before I started this diet. I am pounding down the water and stuffing myself with vegies. sure hope this bloating feeling goes away, and trust me I will remember to take Prilosec for the next week!
posted Apr 2nd, 2013 7:38 pmsaa
can anyone tell me if u lose any wieght with out doing any exercise or do i need to do some
posted Mar 20th, 2013 1:48 pmSherry
Hello all, I am on day 1 of the CSD and have quite a headache. Have you all experienced headaches on the first day? I am going to stick with it but thought I would ask.
posted Mar 19th, 2013 8:11 pmSherry
purplemon
+Hello everyone,
posted Mar 3rd, 2013 11:34 pmI'm on my second day off the CSD and lost three pounds already. :D My weight was 191.5 and now I am 188.5. Can't wait to eat my baked potato. Today was pretty tough, because my husband ate some IN-N-OUT :/, but i kept thinking to myself you lost 3 pounds already! So wish everyone good luck.
Kat
+Starting my day 1 today.
posted Feb 19th, 2013 8:51 pmI have done this diet before and had good results.
Will keep everyone posted.
Will
+Today is only my 2nd day, I am a big guy weighed in at 489 before I starting this diet. This morning I weighed in at 486, down 4Pounds!!!!!!!! From just the first day WOW….. completing this diet is so important to me, getting ready for Gastric Bypass Surgery.
posted Jan 31st, 2013 5:56 pmyulelog
Just starting this today after feeling like I gained 10lbs over the xmas and new year break. Starting weight 144.8lbs
posted Jan 7th, 2013 2:19 pmJamie
+I am almost finished with day 2. I must admit, it is hard, and i am craving other foods, but i weighed myself this morning after only 1 day and already saw great results. I am also doing 45 min of cardio every morning as i always do. I plan on doing this to quick off my healthier diet. I would def reccommend it.
posted Jan 3rd, 2013 9:57 pmROAR
-THIS SUCKS!
posted Dec 12th, 2012 6:26 pm