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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
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- 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 34 of 37, 727 total comments)Anonymous
Just wondering how long it took for others to start noticing a differance in weight. I have been on the diet for 5 days now and have not lost an ounce. I havent cheated AT ALL!! Im kinda getting discouraged but am going to finish off since Ive already come this far just to see what happens. Did anyone else have similar results?
sheila
I started the cabbage soup diet three days ago. I have lost almost 4 pound in two days. The first day to me was the hardest. Cant wait for the meat days. lol. I am not dizzy, or weak, but I do have lots of gas. I love the soup but am getting tired of it. Plan on doing low fat/ low glycemic when off this diet. No one said if you can do two weeks in a row without consequences?
Lisa
the first day is the hardest then it just gets easier. Its better if you have a buddy to do it with , it was pretty easy for me that way
gricelda
tomorrow i start the diet with my sister just have to go buy the fruit and veggies ill post my results later wish me goodluck bye
Amanda
Seriously Tiff...what's the name of the fruit and veggie detox that you did? I've tried searching for it, but I'm finding all different versions. can you post the details of the one you followed here? Thanks!
Anonymous
ive started this diet and feel that it is working because i go to bed not soo hungary unlike other diets and its mainly the excitement at the end that motivates me to go on further. im on my 4th day today which only strives me to go on further and cant wait until the results at the end...
Sharon
I start day 5 tomorrow. Steak and tomatoes. The problem is I can't stand straight tomatoes. Any suggestions?
NYCGirl
TIFF WHAT DIET DID YOU DO??? fruit and veggie detox right now, I just finished a water, juice, tea, and all natural soymilk fruit smoothie detox (14 days) I want to start 1 this weekend I got my cabbage lol
Anita
I am starting diet Tuesday morning. I am going to get ingredients tomorrow and prepare soup. I'll post my results the next day. I weigh 148 now and I am 5' 9". I would like to be 135. We'll see.
Anita
Is it okay to drink black coffee on the diet? And how about a whole bag of grapes? I can eat a lot. How much is allowed?
Lauren
I di the diet it made me lode about 8 pounds that first week its good for weddings and partys coming up also i had a hard time starting and staying on but when i set my mind to it i did it!
Shelly
I am on day 2 of the diet. I am hungry all the time and have to pee from all of the water and soup that I'm drinking. I can't wait to have my baked potato tonight.
Holly & Nicole
ERIKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR OUTCOME WITH YOUR SECOND ROUND OF THIS DIET. YOU CANT JUST LEAVE US ON A CLIFF H ANGER LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! -love holly and nicole, cabbage soup fans
Anonymous
i think the fresh fruit, fresh raw veggies and cabbage soup every day is what we should be eating all the time. that's not a fad. what is a fad is stuffing yourself with one food on each of those days. i've been "following" the diet, but been eating a boiled egg with lettuce salad every morning to make sure i get protein (i'm a vegetarian). it has totally refocussed me on what is healthy eating and if there's a quiche around i just have a thin sliver. glad i started this "diet" even though i didn't follow it through properly. i've lost the bloatedness i had, and it's great when you're premenstrual cos it is so diuretic. i think eating cabbage soup every day is a great way to get lots of fibre and liquids, and fill you up before the temptations of fattening, unhealthy foods are served at a meal. highly recommend you eat a bowl of cabbage soup before you go out to eat so that you're not tempted by an unhealthy option.
Mary
I was given this diet back in 1989. It took me a couple of tries to make it through the first day. I stayed on it very strict for 4 1/2 months and only planned 1 day in all that time of cheating by eating a chicken sandwich with fries from Burger King, which I had been craving. I did this 1/2 way through my weight loss. At 5'3" I went from 168 lbs down to a very thin 108. If it wasn't on the diet, I did not eat it, not even one bite except I did drink lots of coffee with Sweet-n-Low and skim milk (an appetite suppressor). I kept the weight off for many years afterwards. Whenever I would put on up to 20 lbs (in a year's time) I'd go back on it and drop the extra pounds. I look back at the pictures of myself when I was at such a low weight and see how sickly I looked so now I'm around 125-130. A much more desirable weight. Whenever I feel like my clothes are getting too tight I will go back on the diet for about 3-4 weeks and drop around 20 lbs. I do agree that if you really want to do this diet you must do 5 things. 1. You must be in good health. (good idea to check with your doctor) 2. You must be ready mentally and emotionally. 3. If it is not listed on the diet, don't eat it. (no, sausage is not on it). 4. You must take a multi-vitamin. You will get dizzy and light headed if you don't. If you find you are getting this way anyway, then go off of it. Your body is telling you that you are not getting the vitamins you need. 5. Do some sort of exercising, (my job alone provides me with that). Also I had eaten so much of the soup that I can no longer stand the smell of it, much less eat it so whenever I go on it I drink V-8 juice instead. If you do eat the soup there are so many different things you can do to change it like on beef and tomato day (never heard of eating chicken) you can always cook your beef, hamburger, steak, etc. and add it to the soup. On the 6th day of all you can eat beef and vegetables I would bake a roast for my family and add potatoes, carrots and onions. I just would not eat the potatoes. On brown rice day (I hated the most) I would add some of the rice to my bowl of soup. I would sometimes make a vegetable & rice stir-fry using "Pam Cooking Spray". On some days I have even blended the soup up in a blender to make it a little different. The juice had to be unsweetened. If I start the diet and cheat at any time I would start all over again the next day because I would find that I would not lose the weight I was told I'd lose. I went on the diet last year and dropped around 25 lbs and my doctor jumped all over me and told me that this was not healthy. He said it was too much too fast. If know I need to drop a few lbs not by what the scales say, but by how my clothes fit. I never try to get back to the 108 lbs., size 3-4. I just like to lose enough where I don't have to go out and buy new clothes. My closet gets full of the different size clothes, I like to stay around an 7-8. So when they feel snug I just have to diet for a couple of weeks and drop the lbs. You cannot do this diet, stop and go back to old eating habits and expect to stay at that size. You must change the way you eat. You cannot go back to eating chocolate cover donuts before going to bed. I had to change the way I did my grocery shopping. Like buying "Light", "Sugar Free", and "Fat Free". This way you can have your pancakes and syrup, chocolate pudding, but without the unwanted calories, and not every day. You should never completely deprive yourself of everything you like that is high in calories. Use these things as a reward. The key rule to that is in moderation. Plan for it, don't eat these things every day. I think if you can make it through the first day, then you can make it through a week. I've been doing this diet on and off for the past 18 years and it does work for me when I follow it exactly. Good Luck!
Claire
Just finished my 1st round of the cabbage soup diet. Had done this years ago and it worked. Soup taste the same but the other foods you can eat are a lot different. I lost 8 lbs and feel great. Had lots of energy. I also exercised daily. Think I'll probably give it another round in a few weeks. I'd highly recommend it if you have only a few lbs to lose or if you want to jump start your weight loss and then transition to heathier eating. Oh, I did drink diet sodas but also lots and lots of water.
pumpkin
I'm starting today. I had an apple for breakfast and I have a huge container of the soup in the fridge:D My question is...if you're going out to eat can you get a brooth based soup with just vegetables (such as thai tom yum) without any starches in it?
jill
what about drinkin diet pop when on the diet
Anonymous
Do you still have to eat if your not hungry?
Tiff
I am on a fruit and veggie detox right now, I just finished a water, juice, tea, and all natural soymilk fruit smoothie detox (14 days) I have lost 16 Pounds in 14 days on that. Hopefully I will lose atleast another 7 pounds on this fruit and veggie. I am excited to start the cabbage soup diet in about 12 days. I really want to lose weight but more importantly I want to change my life. I have discovered on this journey I call life, I must renew my mind to have a right relationship with food. I also have to watch what I say, if I say things like "I am fat, it's hard, I'll never lose weight, then what I say will be what comes to past. I am not just losing weight but I am changing my "stinkin thinkin"