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Home 
Diets
Calorie Counting
How Does
Cambridge Diet Compare?
BACKGROUND
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PRO
CON
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Cambridge Diet?
Diets
Calorie Counting
Cambridge Diet Review (UPDATED 2024): Don't Buy Before You Read This!
A liquid diet that may be too calorie restrictive for long-term success.
Top Rated Diets of 2024What is it?
The Cambridge Diet is a weight loss program offering pre-packed meals, counseling, and low calorie meal suggestions. It’s considered a VLCD, which means it’s a very low calorie diet.
One can select between 415 to 1500 calories depending on one’s weight loss goals, gender, and tolerance. Consultants are offered not just to guide, but to recommend what calorie limit one should follow. There have been numerous diets observed by our experts, and the highest rated one has been the 18Shake Diet. It offers a diet pill and meal replacement shakes that aim to reduce appetite for hours, all while providing fat burning effects with its all natural ingredients. More information about the 18Shake Diet can be seen in the link here.
Do You Know the Best Diets of 2024?
Cambridge DietIngredients and Side Effects
Here are some noteworthy ingredients added to their prepackaged foods:
|
Skimmed Milk Powder |
Maltodextrin |
Guar Gum |
Refined Fractionated Palm Oil |
Acesulfame K |
|
Sucralose |
Carrageenan |
Flavourings |
Dried Glucose Syrup |
Silicon Dioxide |
|
Oligofructose |
|
|||
Guar Gum:Fiber extract taken from the guar plant. It’s used as a general thickener in processed foods, as well as a laxative. It can promote side effects that include:
• Diarrhea, gas, and loose stools.
• Indigestion, nausea, and stomach pains.
Acesulfame K: Artificial sweetener around 200 times sweeter than standard sugar. A study by PLOS One found that:
“Long-Term Artificial Sweetener Acesulfame Potassium Alters Neurometabolic Functions”
This study showed that in mice there was an effect on insulin and leptin levels. The same study added:
“chronic use… could affect cognitive functions, potentially via altering neuro-metabolic functions”
It also has shown the potential for other side effects according to a review by the Oxford Journals:
“long-dated function on the adult’s sweet preference”
This study was conducted on mice that were given their mother’s breast milk or amniotic fluid in birth, and their preference for sweets changed.
Sucralose: Artificialsweetener that can be around 1,000 times much sweeter than sugar. It has been used controversially since some studies have shown it to be potentially dangerous. One such study was performed by Duke University and it revealed:
“numerous adverse effects”
“reduction in beneficial fecal microflora, increased fecal pH, and enhancedexpression levels of P-gp”
This means the body considers it a toxin, and it reduces healthy bacteria which helps support the immune system according to this clinical study.
Carrageenan: Thickener and binder extractedfrom red seaweed.The University of Iowa ran a study which showed:
“carcinogenic properties of degraded carrageenan”
“ulcerations and neoplasms in association with exposure to carrageenan”
This has shown the possibility for causing serious issues in the body.
The link provided here has the top 10 ranked diets of the year.
The types of foods offered by the Cambridge Diet are meal replacement shakes, bars, pasta, rice, soups, desserts, and other snacks. According to the official website:
“products contain the vitamins and minerals you need for balanced nutrition and healthy weight loss”
Most of what one eats will be the prepackaged foods. This can make it easier to handle a caloric loss, as the foods are specially formulated to be lower in calories. There are also 6 steps outlined one must follow, though where one begins depends on what the counselor advises. Here are the steps:
• Sole Source: 3 to 4 prepackaged foods are eaten a day. The Sole Source Plus option allows for 3 prepacked goods alongside meal of 200 calories, or 4 of the companies meals with 200 ml of skimmed milk.
• 2nd Stage: Protein rich meals are added as well as some skimmed milk and vegetables alongside up o Cambridge meals. It’s typically limited to 810 calories a day for a week long period.
• 3rd Stage: 2 of the meals, some milk, and a 1,000 calorie a day limit. This is enforced for 2 weeks.
• 4th Stage: 2 prepackaged meals, some skimmed milk, and more regular meals.
• 5th Stage: One Cambridge meal and breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner for a total of 1500 calories.
• 6th Stage: Once your heathy weight is reached, this stage helps maintain results. One prepackaged meal a day is recommended alongside continued support from a consultant.
It’s unclear whether or not the consultants have any background in diet and nutrition. It’s unlikely however that they use real certified dieticians, which can be potentially dangerous or lead to wrong advice. Our experts have analyzed many diets and have ranked the top 10 in the list here.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as 18 Shake for better results.
Cambridge Diet Quality of Ingredients
Since the beginning of the program asks for a majority of foods to be selected from the company’s prepackaged foods, it’s important for the ingredients to be wholesome.
Unfortunately, they use artificial sweeteners and cheap thickeners often used to replace fiber. These kinds of additives can actually make weight loss harder, as studies have shown they may cause metabolism disorders as well as other side effects.
It’s also difficult to understand what kind of help is provided by the counselors, which remains to be seen whether or not they are actually certified to give health and nutrition advice. The link provided here has a list of the highest rated diets.
A review on the Cambridge Diet was performed by the British Dietetic Association, and they have listed possible side effects which include:
“bad breathe, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, and constipation”
They also advise for medical support when a person is to receive less than 600 calories, which some plans offered by the company suggest only 450 calories a day. It’s unclear if the counselors offer any support for this type of reduction in calories.
The Price and Quality of Cambridge Diet
The price depends more on how often once decides to use the prepackaged meals. The official website states it will cost per week 48.30 pounds, which rounds to a weekly price of $63.46. Since this is a UK based plan, no consultations are available outside the US. In fact, on the official site there is a map where support and availability is offered, and there are no listings for the US.
The quality of meals is poor, as the additives included are often found in processed foods. It can also be expensive to have to keep using the company’s foods, as the final stage of maintenance requires one pre-packaged meal a day.
Business of Cambridge Diet
The contact information for the diet is as follows:
Phone Number: (44)(0) 1536 403344
Address:Stafford House, 10 Brakey Road
Corby, Northants, NN17 5LU
Email: [email protected]
The official website lists how to become a paid consultant for the company. Nowhere in the job skills is there any notice for people to have a background in health and nutrition. The company only asks for people with a background in sales who are organized and can plan ahead.
This means that it’s likely the people who are meant to give support have no skills in helping people with weight loss. The link cited here has the top 10 ranked diets.
EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.
Customer Opinions of Cambridge Diet
Here are some direct quotes from user reviews:
“not the best diet health wise… nails went brittle thin, hair began to thin rapidly”
“never felt full, I always felt hungry”
“Having a bad time with motivation”
“the first few days are the hardest”
Though there were some weight loss results for people, there were also issues due to a lack of calories. Many felt weakened, less energetic, and much more fatigued than usual.
Some also had symptoms that are clear signs of nutrient deficiencies such as brittle and weak nails, thin hair, and increased stress. This was often the case for people who attempted this diet.
The top 10 ranked diet plans can be seeninthe link provided here.
Conclusion - Does Cambridge DietWork?
The Cambridge Diet is similar to other diet plans which offer pre-packaged foods. There’s also counseling offered, but it’s clear that the support is from people who are more business people rather than nutrition experts. Many of the foods offered have processed ingredients, though they are low in calories. Reviews have been mixed with some experiencing health issues and hunger. Though a low calorie plan like this can work, any reduction in calories can result in weight loss. There’s nothing special added to the prepackaged foods which isn’t found in a standard processed meal.
Our experts have performed many reviews and have discovered that the most effective diet is the 18Shake Diet. It provides a combination of a meal replacement and a diet pill. They both provide only natural ingredients, no stimulants, and no unwanted artificial or additives. Its effects include appetite suppression, increased fat burning, and more. When used together it enhances weight loss at a faster rate. Customers have also left positive testimonials on the official website.
The 18Shake Diet is also supported by a full 30 day money back guarantee. This allows for people to try this product risk free, and with no questions asked. More information about the specifics of the 18Shake Diet is available 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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- Cambridge Diet
- 35 /100
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BACKGROUND
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
With new diets hitting the market faster than we can lose a pound, it is not too often that you stumble upon a diet that has been around for more than 20 years. The Cambridge Diet has proudly clocked some years under its svelte belt. Developed in the 80s, it still enjoys a very loyal and passionate audience of dieters who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off.
It is a liquid diet program that involves drinking 3 servings of the signature Cambridge Diet formula each day with or without food. The three servings provide you with protein (either 30 or 50 grams), carbohydrates, fat, fiber and your daily-required vitamin and mineral allowances.
About ten years ago, the Cambridge Diet added an additional product to their 330 Original Product. The 420 Food for Life product contains 100% of the required daily protein needs in 3 servings whereas the 330 Product contains 75% of the required protein. The protein source comes from whey and soy. Both of them are nutritional supplements that do not contain drugs, medicine, stimulants or herbs.
There are four ways for you to follow the Cambridge Diet: - The Fast Track: Consume 3-4 servings of Cambridge a day and no additional food. - The Alternate Program: Use 3-4 servings of Cambridge for one day with no food and then the following day, consume 3 servings of Cambridge with the addition of 400-800 calories of low fat, low calorie health food. Continue to alternate in this manner. - The Regular Program: Eat 3 servings of Cambridge 15- 20 minutes prior to each low calorie meal. Calories should not exceed 400-800 for the entire day. - The Regular Program 2: Consume 3 servings of Cambridge and eat one meal of low calorie food each day. Calories should not exceed 400- 800 calories for the entire day.
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
PRO
- Cambridge Diet contains all the essential nutrients
- Has a proven success rate
- Safe for diabetics and those with high blood pressure
CON
- Its limited consumption of food may incite excessive eating
- May be too calorically-restrictive for some individuals
- Does not teach you to eat in a healthy and long-term way
- Long-term weight loss may not be sustained
- Calories might be too restrictive for exercise
DIET and NUTRITION
The foundation of the Cambridge Diet is its signature line of shakes. They come in an array of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, eggnog, strawberry, cappuccino, banana cream and many more. The shakes come in two styles: The Original and the Food for Life.
The Food for Life product contains 51 grams of protein, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fat and 140 calories per shake. It also includes 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. The Original contains 31 grams of protein and contains about 110 calories per shake.
There is also a line of additional Cambridge products like soups, nutrition bars, and super oats.
When taken the prescribed three times a day, you'll only consume 420 calories. If you select to follow a plan that allows for food, you should not consume anymore than an additional 800 calories a day and these calories should come from low-calorie and low-fat foods like vegetables and lean proteins. If you are on the smaller side, it is recommended that you only consume an additional 400 calories on top of the 420 calories for the Cambridge products.
You are also strongly encouraged to drink at least 3-4 liters of water each day.
EXERCISE
Since the Cambridge Diet is so restrictive, exercise should be done cautiously. It is not recommended to start a new strenuous exercise program while on the Cambridge Diet. Moderate exercise like walking or biking is useful once you start to lose weight, providing that it is approached with caution and not done with excess.
CONCLUSION
There is no question that The Cambridge Diet has been around for a long time. And in the process, many have had luck losing weight by following its strict dietary regimen. Since the diet is so low in calories, check with your doctor before starting it, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
The Cambridge Diet devotees swear by the diet's ability to help them lose weight as long as the program is followed correctly. But like most diets that rely on shakes or supplements to shed pounds, its potential for long-term weight loss and for instilling sound and healthy eating habits in you is not that promising.
Common Misspellings
cambrdge Diet, cambradge diet, cambridge deit, camebridge diet, cambridge liquid diet, cambridgediet.com
Featured Diets and Supplements
Cambridge Diet?
User Feedback
(Page 7 of 59, 1175 total comments)donna
hi everyone, im am starting ss on mon as i have 8 wks til i go on holiday and 2 stone to lose! i did this diet last year april-july and lost 3 1/2 stone and managed to maintain it till xmas but have since eaten like a pig and put nearly 2 stone on- gutted!! am determined now to get into it again and start to feel great again. best diet ive ever done- will keep you posted. well done everyone and keep up the good work!!
posted Apr 9th, 2010 9:33 amperminder kaur
+I THINK THIS IS THE BEST DIET I HAVE BEEN ON,AS I HAVE STARTED TO LOSE THE WEIGHT.AND I FEEL SLIM AGAIN.
posted Apr 8th, 2010 5:16 pmhayley
+i've been on cambridge for 5 days now and the first 2 days were awful! mind tricks, feeling sick, dizzy, weakness, sweats...ec.t, but now i have past that iam doing fine, i have now got over the temptation of eating food around me. At the start of this i had 3 stone to lose, in 5 days iam already 8lb lighter! Good Luck everyone, if you ever feel like throwing in the towel...remember we are all going through the same and will get through it together. :-)
posted Mar 19th, 2010 1:28 pmsuzi
+hello
posted Mar 11th, 2010 9:45 amI have 4 stone to loose i am starting on Tue i am so nervous any advice people x
sarah
Hi all i start cambridge diet on monday and have 41/2 stone to loose. Think giving up booze guna be hard as i like my wine!! but i like being slimmer more! and i feel soooo fed up being this big.I think hearing other people going through same things and feelings is really inspirational. Good luck to everyone and lets all get focused!
posted Mar 3rd, 2010 11:21 amJaney
I am starting CD tomoz, read lotsa reviews on here and now quite nervous!!! Hope I can manage it as need to lose about 4 stone. Have a hol at end of May and wud like to have lost about 2 - 3 by then.
posted Mar 3rd, 2010 6:32 ampinky
-Not for me I'm afraid Donna. I was waiting for day 4 to be a magical feeling of getting to feel better, but it was not to be. Was talking to someone on this diet last week and she obviously wasnt aware of her but her breath smelt horrible. Obviously well ketosed!. Good luck anyway.
posted Mar 2nd, 2010 3:48 amDonna
im just finishing day 3 feel crap does it get better ...
posted Feb 24th, 2010 12:52 pmpinky
Unfortunately I have come off this diet. I really didnt feel well. My counsellor said I should have more energy but I just felt so weak. I am trying to stick to low carb foods and just being sensible. So far this week I have lost 2 pounds and feel much better as I feel human again. I know it will take a bit longer but as long as it comes off im ok with that. I feel that staring on the diet has given me the boost i needed to start eating more healthily. I decided to continue to drink all the water as my husband said my skin looked better and I knew that I didnt drink enough throughout the day anyway. I shall still come on the site from time to time to see how everyone is doing. Good luck to everyone who has started on this adverture. xxx
posted Feb 22nd, 2010 10:50 amsally
+i have done the cambridge diet . i lost 3 stone . i started the diet because im only 21 and wieghted 14 and a half stone and i looked it aswell .it was really hard for the first 4 days and then u already start to see results on the scales and you think right im goin to do this.i got to 11 and a half stone i wanted to be ten and half but as i was goin on holiday i stoped the diet .im 12 stone now so i have put on only half a stone in 4 months (could of been worse) but now im on day one again to get a stone and half off !! im excited to do it ,i felt brilliant when i was doing it ,my skin looked amazing and i jus felt great ..dont get me wrong there was times where i felt so tired and board because i didnt go out much because i was asked to go clubbing n 4 meals but u cant eat or drink soo haha!! anyone doing it just keep on it . good luck !!! xx
posted Feb 22nd, 2010 7:02 amClare
I started cambrige a week ago, and got weighed yesterday but i have put on 2lbs. I didnt cheat at all and drank my water. My counsler didnt know why it happened but does anybody on here have any idea of what could have happened. Thanks :)
posted Feb 20th, 2010 12:27 pmASHLEIGH
FOUND IT EXTREMELY HARD FOR FIRST FOUR DAYS BUT THEN IT WAS AS IF ID BEEN GIVEN A BOOSTER OF ENERGY ON THE FIFTH DAY.
posted Feb 19th, 2010 12:25 pmShall
Hey all, newbie here. Have just survived day 1 on CD and have to say it's been a toughie! Everytime I feel a bit low though i've come on here and read success stories (i'm on page 34 now lol) and it keeps me going...I know it'll be worth it in the end.
posted Feb 18th, 2010 6:31 pmI had an apple porridge this morning...really didn't like it (but i'm so hungry that i'm looking forward to it tomorrow ha), a chilli soup for luch (lovely) and a warm choc-mint shake for dinner (not bad but I was so hungry I didn't even wait to get rid of all the lumps!)
I'm finding it so helpful that i'm doing this with my sister in law, i've lost track of the amount of texts and calls we've had today...we both keep telling one another we CAN do this...and we can!
Not finding it to difficult drinking all the water, have had about 3 litres and I do find it takes the edge of my hunger.
Don't get weighed until next Wednesday but will keep you posted.
PS, you've all done SO well, its amazing reading how well xx
crazyclare
I am starting this diet on monday as i have tried everything else and it has not worked. Just wondered if someone could answer this, i am looking to lose around 8 stone, but worried about having loose skin due to fast weight loss, how can i stop this happening. I am so excited at starting this plan as there is so much encouragment on this site
posted Feb 16th, 2010 3:54 ampinky
Had a terrible day yesterday. I felt sick all day long. Did my porridge up for my breakfast and it made me heave just putting it to my mouth. Couldnt stomach the shakes. Friend gave me a very low carb soup at lunch time as I felt really ill. Tried cottage cheese and salad when I got home, but couldnt eat that either. I think I am waining but going to keep trying today. My counsellor says I should have more energy as I loose weight but I just feel so lethargic. Its killing me to walk up the stairs I'm so breathless when I get to the top, my legs are still wobbly and I dont feel right. Am trying desparately to continue with this but dont know if I can stand feeling so ill all the time, miserable etc. I sat at work yesterday and cried and cried when I got home. Keep you posted. Good luck to Peachy.
posted Feb 16th, 2010 3:35 ampeachey
+day 1 of cd i have 5 stone to lose. so far so good, had 2 shakes so far and plan to have another and a light meal later. will keep u posted on how i get on at first weigh in! im hoping for 3/4 pounds a wk do u think this is realistic?
posted Feb 15th, 2010 8:32 ampinky
Today is day 8. Went to be weighed yesterday and had lost 7 pounds. Dont know if I am pleased with that or not are my expectations too high? I am doing the 3 per day plus low calorie meal at night - its the only thing I look forward to. Cant stand the soup. The porridge just about palatable. I got some flavouring for my water yesterday as I dont do good with drinking all the water and it is making it a little easier to drink. I dont feel well still and am trying to decide if I've just ben ill anyway or whether its the diet. I dont know whether its just like the bodies response to a bit of a detox as use to have a drink of g n t most nights and not had any of those either. Not sure if I can sustain this. The weekends are awful. Wish me luck.
posted Feb 15th, 2010 5:05 ampinky
Today is day 4. I feel a little better today. Last night I felt awful with legs like bricks and a bit wobbly but has passed now. Looking forward to getting weighed on Sunday.
posted Feb 11th, 2010 7:08 ampinky
Day 3 of the diet. I didnt sleep well - dont know if this is related to the diet or not but legs feel like led weights and dont feel that well today. Know when I did Atkins some years ago felt like this on day 3 so am sticking with it. I dont really like the porridge or the soups if I am honest and the shakes dont seem to mix up right - maybe I am doing something wrong. I really look forward to my meal at nite. I need to stick with this but am finding it hard today.
posted Feb 10th, 2010 9:05 amLizaB
+I have lost 22 lbs in 6 weeks. Very pleased with that! But can anyone tell me how CD fits into the glacaemic index?
posted Feb 8th, 2010 9:51 am