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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.
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
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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 36 of 37, 727 total comments)Anonymous
i just started the soup diet, and i saw a picture of it and it was kinda green. Mine is red, cause i used the v8 juice instead of water. And it is spicy. So i didn't know if this was normal. And how quick till you see results?
Anna
Today is my first day on this diet. I'm within my first two hours, and I already have gas. I'm 5'2 and my choice of career requires that I remain at 137 or less. Right now I'm 142. I'm just lucky that they haven't weighed me in. I'm going to stick to this diet, and eat right on Christmas. I won't overdo it like I did on Thanksgiving. I nearly ate an entire apple pie in one sitting thinking it'd be okay. Well it wasn't, and now I'm seven pounds heavier. I'm ready to take on this challenge of the cabbage soup diet. I'll keep you informed on my daily progress.
Shannon
Mary, I don't think you're supposed to practically live on this diet...but it seems to have worked for you (by "worked" I don't mean you lost weight, I mean you don't seem to be hospitalized or anything, although the state of your internal organs might make for an interesting study). What I found with this diet is that Yes, you do get gassy. Cabbage will do that - it's a brassica. It also does seem to make you hungrier than you were before you ate it. For all those who are asking "can I have X, Y, Z" on the diet, you aren't supposed to have anything that isn't on the list. The whole list can be found at the actual diet website, which is easily Googled. I didn't lost a ton of weight on it - I think only about 7 pounds and I started at 185 - but the real weight loss happened afterwards, when I could no longer stand the feeling of any kind of fat in my mouth so stayed completely away from things like chips, chocolate, butter, etc. They left this slippery, grainy feeling in my mouth. Altogether, then, after about 3 months I ended up 18 pounds lighter than I had been before. I have only ever done the diet once, since it was enough to change my eating habits. I am planning to do the first three days of the diet once per month this year - see what happens. It would be more a cleanse than a diet, then - less about weight loss and more about being mindful about what goes into my mouth. Plus I find banana day the hardest by far - though the photocopied diet I was given (about 8 years ago) was different - you were only allowed four bananas, not eight. The soup was different too - not the one with the carrots and mushrooms. It was plainer.
Jo Ann
My hubby and I are starting the diet in the morning. I did it years ago and did well on it. We are both VERY overweight and are hoping the Cabbage Soup diet will give us a kick start. I loved reading everyone's comments. Very encouraging. Good luck to all.
Trace
It works, I used this diet back in 1999 to lose weight so I could join the military, lost 12 or so pounds. I'm starting day 2 tommorrow of my second go around. I don't think anyone mentioned beano. It's a supplement you can get at the store to help with the gas. If you don't take something to help with the gas you can be hurtin.
Jamie
I would be sick of eating soup. I could only eat once in awhile.
Carla
well today is my first day on the cabbage soup I have ate a 1/2 apple and a orange and a boul of soup it was really good i am still real hungry tho.I also spiced it up a bit i hope i loose atleast 10 lbs . my husband is very lean but he ate 3 bouls and loved it lol... to be continued...
gricelda
im going to start the diet in a few days. i hope i do it my mother in law did the diet she says it works so im going to take her word for it
Anonymous
Do you have to eat the meat on days 5 and 6. I'm vegetarian but the diet has worked for some family members.
Emily
Yeah - as the above comment. I'm vegetarian. What could you possibly substitute for the meat? Maybe Quorn? Cheers
Yelli
I love reading everyone's comment. Very inspirational. I'll start the dies in the next day or so and let everyone know about my progress. I LOVE food, but I am so motivated to lose the weight since I have 2 wedding to go to in 2 weeks time.
Anonymous
I have heard some people puree the soup so it is smoother and doesn't have chunks. Personally, I like the chunks so I feel like I'm eating something. I learned the hard way that I need to have lots of fruits and veggies on hand those first days. Day one I ate so much soup because all I had bought fruit wise was apples, an orange and a pear. I couldn't survive on that. For day three, I bought a couple bowls of pre cut up fruit mix from the deli. It was so much better. Grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, pineapple. I did better that day and also had a small veggei tray. I did dip in ranch, so not sure if that hurt or not. I'm now on day 4, the banana day and I really am not craving much. Let's see how I do at the end of the week. I am not a tomato fan so I won't be adding tomatoes tomorrow. But there are plenty of pureed ones in my soup.
Anonymous
can you have deit juice on the cabbage soup diet? Please let me know asap
Anonymous
i'm starting the cabbage soup diet and i'm wondering if anyone knows if you can follow this diet if you are diabetic
Anonymous
do you think I can sneak in the occasional cup of black tea with soy milk and sweetened with splenda while on this diet?
Erika
I just finished a week on this diet and I kid you not, I lost TWELVE LBS!!! However, please note that I also included 45 minutes of exercise each day except one. Headaches were definitely part of the package, and light-headedness. I learned to take aspirin every day at bed so the next morning I'd feel more normal and be able to go running. I loved that you can eat tons of fruit, which I did. By the way, I'm still losing weight several days after finishing that diet, just keeping up with the exercise and reduced calorie diet. But I'm having salads and fish and chicken now, too. I made more soup but after one week, it's very hard to think of trying to eat even one meal of it a day. But I'm trying. I think it seems to speed up your metabolism--something about the combo of veges? I almost feel more hungry AFTER eating it.... That's why the fruit was so important to have around. I totally recommend this diet, but drink LOTS AND LOTS of water all day, take an aspirin if you start to feel weird, and eat whenever you're hungry. Good luck!!!
Yvonna
Erika, Good luck on the new round of cabbage soup! We will be waiting to hear the outcome.
Anonymous
Im starting on monday!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous
can you drink the broth or do you have to eat the cabbage?
Lauren
I started the diet yesterday and weighed 140lbs. This morning I woke up and weighed 136.2. I did 40 minutes of cardio and drank one gallon of water as well. The only thing that I am having not listed in the plan is splenda in my coffee.(only 2packets) Other than that, I am being extremely strict with the diet. So, I think that it is working. I am only using this diet to jump start my new eating habits becasue I know that I will gain all the weight back if I am not careful about what I eat after this week.