Diet, cabbage

Related Terms

Cabbage diet, carrot soup diet, fad diets, soup diet.

Background

The cabbage diet is also referred to as the soup diet. Creators of the diet claim that dieters can lose 10 pounds in a single week, and do not recommend this diet for long-term weight loss. The diet is low in fat, high in fiber and is marketed as a way to jumpstart a more sustainable eating program. The diet lasts seven days.
Some people that have tried the cabbage soup diet found the soup boring and reported feeling light-headed, weak, and suffered from decreased concentration.
The diet primarily works by drastically cutting calories. The contents of the diet are generally considered healthy. However, the broth of the cabbage soup may be very high in salt.

Theory / Evidence

There is currently no evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of the cabbage diet. It is speculated that people participate merely as an attempt to find a quick fix to their weight problem.

Author information

This information has been edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

Bibliography

Cabbage Soup Diet Information. 11 May 2006
The Cabbage Soup Diet: Report. 11 May 2006.

Diet

Day 1 of the diet usually consists of cabbage soup plus as much fruit as the dieter desires with the exception of bananas. Day 2 includes cabbage soup, vegetables and 1 jacket potato with light butter. Day 3 is cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables with the exception of potatoes and bananas. Day 4 includes cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skim milk as desired. Day 5 is cabbage soup plus up to 20 ounces of beef and up to 6 tomatoes. Day 6 consists of cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables, with the exception of potatoes, as desired. Finally, day 7 is cabbage soup, brown rice, vegetables, with the exception of potatoes, and unsweetened fruit juice.
Recipes for cabbage soup tend to vary but all are based upon cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, green peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms and onion soup mix.