Also known as fad diet or a crash diet, the Cabbage Soup diet is considered one of the most modern diets that (if used properly and regularly) can be a good way to experience quick and effective weight loss.
What is a Cabbage Soup diet?
The Cabbage Soup diet is based on a fat-burning soup and unique combinations of food along with a regular, daily consumption of a specially prepared cabbage soup.
This very specific low-calorie homemade vegetable soup includes green onions, green peppers, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, cabbage, vegetable flavored soup mix, bullion, vegetable juice and various condiments.
Duration of the Cabbage Soup diet plan
According to the most weight loss experts and nutritionists, this diet should only be utilized for seven days which essentially involves eating cabbage soup along with a selection of specific fruits, potatoes, bananas, skimmed milk, tomatoes, beef, vegetables, brown rice and unsweetened fruit juice.
One-week Cabbage Soup Diet Plan
Day 1 (Fruits): You are supposed to eat only the cabbage soup and the fruit on the first day. Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). For drinks, you are can drink unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and a plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses).
Day Two (Vegetables): On the day 2, you can eat all the vegetables (no fruits) you want along with your soup. These many include fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice including leafy green vegetables. You are instructed to stay away from dry beans, peas and corn. At dinner, you can eat a big baked potato with butter.
Day Three (Fruits & vegetable mix): The day 3 is basically a mixed combination of the previous 2 days. You can eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want except the potatoes.
Day Four (Bananas and skim milk): The day 4 is recommended to reduce your cravings for sweets and desserts. On this day, you can eat as many as eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your regular cabbage soup.
Day 5 (Beef & tomatoes): On day 5, you are supposed to eat ten to twenty ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomatoes. You should also drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water to wash the uric acid (found in the beef / meat) from your body. However, if you do not like beef, you may eat broiled or baked skinless chicken instead of beef (but no skin-on chicken). Alternatively, you can also substitute broiled fish for the beef on one of the beef days i.e. day 5 or day 6 (but not both).
Don’t forget to drink your cabbage soup at least once this day.
Day 6 (Beef and vegetables): You can eat as much as lean beef and leafy green vegetables (except potatoes) as you like. However, don’t forget to drink your cabbage soup at least once.
Day 7 (Mixed): On this last day, you can eat brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables. While there is no limit to the servings, try to be modest. As usual, be sure to eat your cabbage soup at least once this day.
Benefits of Cabbage Soup diet
If the diet is correctly followed, it should cleanse your system of impurities and give you a sense of wellbeing with weight loss. One of the very attractive benefits that is claimed to be associated with this diet is “rapid weight loss” as, according to the claims, you can lose from 10 to 15 lbs. in 7 days.
Also, the diet is simple, easy to prepare and follow and does not require several and multiple recipes that require weeks or even months to be consumed.
Limitations & drawbacks of Cabbage Soup diet
Risk of weakness & disorientation: Experts suggest that if you commit to this diet for more than seven days, you could suffer from weakness and become disoriented due to an insufficient caloric intake. As this diet is low in calories, if consumed for longer period of time, it actually deprives your body of the necessary nutrients to lead and sustain a healthy life.
Finally, while the Cabbage Soup diet is still popular, it is well worth the effort to research its drawbacks and limitations before you decide to try it as your health comes first in any diet plan you choose. One of the best ways to increase effectiveness of Cabbage Soup diet is to add up a safe, natural appetite suppressant like Proactol Plus in your 7-day diet plan for daily usage. This will not only help you lose weight faster but will also reduce your food cravings naturally especially in the initial 3-4 days when the hunger is the greatest.