The cabbage soup diet has been around for many years and is still popular today. Dieters following this diet can expect to see results in just seven days, but is it a healthy diet to follow?
As the name of the diet implies, it involves eating large quantities of cabbage soup.
The diet promises slimmers to help lose up to ten pounds in a single week.
It is generally considered a quick fix diet for short-term weight loss as it requires minimal effort and has proved to be effective.
This diet is likely to cause weight loss in a short amount of time because it severely reduces your calorie intake. To lose weight, your daily calorie intake needs to be in a deficit, meaning you are burning more calories than you are consuming.
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Weight loss: How to lose weight fast with the cabbage soup diet (Image: Getty)
For one week, you eat homemade cabbage soup. Each day, you can also have one to two other foods, such as skimmed milk, fruit or vegetables.
This diet is perfect to jump start weight loss or to shed a few pounds for a specific occasion or event.
The cabbage soup diet is also known by other names like the Mayo Clinic Diet, because it was developed in a hospital for quick weight loss before surgery for heart patients.
It is recommended to prepare large batches of the soup at the beginning of the week for the entire week.
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Ingredients:
• 2 large onions
• 2 green peppers
• 2 cans of tomatoes
• 1 bunch of celery
• 1 head of cabbage
• 3 carrots
• 1 pack of mushrooms
• 1-2 stock cubes (optional)
• 6-8 cups of water
Recipe:
• Chop all the vegetables into cubes
• In a large stock pot, add the onions and a small amount of oil
• Then add the remaining vegetables and cover with water and add stock cubes
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
• Let simmer until all vegetables are tender for about 30-45 minutes
As the name of the diet implies, it involves eating large quantities of cabbage soup (Image: Getty)
Healthline recommends only sticking to the diet for around a week at a time.
You may repeat this diet if you wish to as long as you wait at least two weeks before starting it.
A positive of the diet is that you are not forced to go hungry, as you may eat as many other of the allowed foods as you want each day.
Here is a basic diet plan to follow.
The basic plan
• Day 1 – Unlimited cabbage soup and fruit, but no bananas
• Day 2 – Only soup and vegetables. Focus on raw or cooked ready greens. Avoid peas, corn and beans. You may also have one baked potato with butter or oil
• Day 3 – As many fruits and vegetables as you can eat, in addition to the soup. However, no baked potato and no bananas
• Day 4 – Unlimited bananas, skimmed milk and cabbage soup
• Day 5 – You are allowed 10-20 ounces of beef, which you may substitute for chicken or fish. You may also have up to six fresh tomatoes. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water
• Day 6 – Soup, beef and vegetables. You may substitute the beef for grilled fish if you did not do so the day prior. Focus on leafy greens. No baked potato
• Day 7 – You may have vegetables, brown rice and unlimited fruit juice – but no added sugar
Mayo Clinic dietitian, Katherine Zeratsky said: “You may feel weak or tired while on the diet. And once you stop the diet, it’s easy to regain any weight that you lost.
“Fad diets like this one may be tempting, but keep in mind that long-term weight loss depends on making lasting healthy changes in your eating and exercise habits.”
It is advised for long-term weight loss to opt for a healthy lifestyle change which involves exercise to keep the pounds off.
Source: Daily Express | Diet
