Cabbage Soup Diet Review
Caitlin Fitzgerald, 54, from Morpeth, Northumberland, tried the Cabbage Soup Diet. But how did she get on? And did she lose any weight ?
My husbands work do was coming up and I wanted to fit back into a slinky black dress Id had for years. I put off dieting until I only had a couple of weeks to go then suddenly panicked! The cabbage soup diet seemed a good way of losing weight fast.
I made a fresh batch of the cabbage soup every two or three days and followed the other bits of the plan, like eating lots of fruit and veg. Though I didnt mind the cabbage soup to start with, by about day four, Id gone right off it! I tried to make it more interesting by adding different veg and herbs but it didnt make it much better.
It had rotten side effects too my husband nearly ended up sleeping in the spare room I was so full of wind! But I stuck at it for a week and lost four pounds. I fitted into my little black dress but, to be honest, Id put all the weight back on two weeks later!
Cons Of The Sacred Heart Diet
Experts argue that the sacred heart diet does not contain all the nutrients the body needs. This makes it potentially dangerous, especially for those with longstanding conditions and deficiencies. Another argument against the meal plan is that the weight loss is not sustainable. While it is very possible to lose weight rapidly on this diet, some regain it as soon as diet patterns return to normal.
For those looking for a weight loss kick start, the sacred heart diet can be a solution worth trying. However, for this meal plan to be effective, it requires discipline and a long-term fitness plan to sustain weight loss after the diet has ended. Make it a point to consult your doctor before starting as this diet can be potentially harmful to your health.
Pros Of The Cabbage Soup Diet
The only real positive of this diet is that it can cause rapid weight loss.
While there are no specific studies on the cabbage soup diet, similar restrictive diets have been looked at. One study from Karolinska Hospital in Sweden looked at three groups of obese patients over 6 weeks, on diets ranging from 420 calories per day to 880 calories. They found that all the diets were equally effective in the long-term treatment of obesity, however the slightly higher calorie diets had fewer side-effects.
Another looked at weight loss as a result of a 800-calorie diet over three months and a 458-calorie diet over one month.
One 2006 study looked at weight loss as a result of the 800-calorie diet over three months and a 458-calorie diet over one month. Researchers found that both sets of participant lost substantial amounts of weight over time periods. However, over half of all participants suffered trivial complications during this time, with gastrointestinal issues and anxiety coming up as the two most common.
The cabbage soup diet aims to cut calories to an even lower level than any of the diets in these studies, leading to the natural conclusion that its not a healthy way to lose weight.
You May Like: Turtle Soup Ben And Jerry’s
Cons Of The Cabbage Soup Diet
The ultimate negative of the cabbage soup diet is that its incredible restrictive and too low in calories.
Low in calories and unsustainable
If done for a number of days the person could miss out on vital calories, protein, vitamins and minerals essential for the body to function and to allow you to carry out your day-to-day tasks, Nutritionist Jasmine Carbon says. The person following such a diet may see the effects, but a diet like this is not sustainable and should not be practiced for an extended period of time.
Wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels
Nutritionist Mina agrees, adding that the diets focus on cabbage soup can wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar often leaves people feeling faint, weak, unable to concentrate and its dangerous particularly for those with diabetes.
Causes flatulence and bloating
The cabbage soup diet is also famous for leaving those who follow it with serious flatulence, an unwanted side-effected backed up by science. It happens because cabbage is high in fibre, which naturally causes wind, and it can cause additional digestive issues for those who arent used to eating so much fibre in their daily diet.
Expect to experience some gastro-intestinal discomfort such as bloating, gas build up, nausea and flatulence, adds Jasmine. Diarrhoea is another common side-effect of the cabbage soup diet plan.
The Sacred Heart Diet Soup Recipes
Most Popular Sacred Heart Soup Recipe
- 1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
- 3 plus large green onions
- 1 large can of beef broth
- 1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix
- 1 bunch of celery
- 2 lbs Carrots
- 2 Green Peppers
Season with salt, pepper curry, parsley, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.
Alternate Soup Recipe
- 2 11oz. cans chicken noodle soup
- 5 stalks of celery
- 1 lb. pack frozen string beans
- 4 carrots
The diet also bears a striking resemblance to the cabbage soup diet.
Also Check: Kicked Up Tater Tot Hotdish
Research And General Acceptance
The Sacred Heart diet has not been the subject of any significant scientific studies. Although the name implies that it was created by doctors or other medical professionals, this is probably not the case. The origin of the diet is unknown and many Sacred Heart Hospitals have made statements indicating that they did not create it and do not recommend it.
The United States Department of Agriculture makes recommendations for what healthy children and adults should eat each day in MyPyramid, the updated version of the food guide pyramid. For most people these are good recommendations for the number of servings from each food group required daily for good heath. Because the Sacred Heart diet is extremely limited in the foods allowed it does not
How To Make A Cabbage Soup
Ingredients:
- A pinch of Cayenne pepper, curry powder, mixed herbs or any other seasoning for added flavour
Method:
You May Like: Campbells Chicken And Broccoli And Rice
Replace Refined Grains With Whole Grains
Whole grains are made up of the germ, endosperm and bran. The germ and bran contain important vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. Refining grains removes these nutritious parts, leaving a rapidly digested starch.
Refined grains have shown to contribute to major swings in blood sugar levels and overeating . By comparison, eating whole grains can lead to a 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke .
Some simple ways to reduce the saturated fat in your diet include:
- Barley
- Whole grains
What Is The Sacred Heart Diet
Although there is no official record to confirm this, the sacred heart diet is believed to have begun at the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital. This 7-day meal plan was supposedly used by patients to shed weight before surgical procedures. Today, it is a diet followed by millions of people around the world, some of whom claim to have lost between 5-17 pounds in just a week.
Read Also: Lipton Onion Soup Potatoes With Butter
How Does The Cabbage Soup Diet Help You Lose Weight
In general, soup diets focus on reducing calories and fat for several days. This can lead to quick weight loss and shedding a few pounds, helping some people stay motivated to eat healthier as they move on to a long-term diet. The cabbage soup provides many essential nutrients, and it can increase satiety, helping you feel fuller, so you eat less. However, diets like this should only be temporary because they do not include all food groups and can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Other Weight Loss Diets Like The 7
Cabbage soup for weight loss is considered a fad diet . Fad diets are trendy eating patterns that encourage rapid weight loss without paying attention to the nutrients that your body requires. Some even force you to abstain from particular foods at stated times of the day while others demand that you eat certain foods along with specific others. Such weight-loss plans are not sustainable, lack long-term benefit, and may result in health issues.
Read Also: Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix Substitute
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Cabbage Soup
Since the cabbage soup recipes differ, there is no standard set of nutrition facts. However, on average, a bowl has about 50 to 100 calories . Other than the calories, the cabbage soup alone contains:
- Calcium: 64 mg
- Vitamin A: 960 IU
- Vitamin C: 51.9 mg
Therefore, if you take six cups of this magical soup, each containing about 66 calories, you will be consuming a total of 396 calories only. Adding the low-calorie foodstuffs and beverages outlined above, you will consume about 860 calories. On the days when fish or chicken are allowed, your calorie consumption will be about 1030 .
The soup is very high in sodium, and a cup contains about 3 to 5 grams of fiber from the vegetables used. The contents of most cabbage soup recipes offer about 5 grams of proteins, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and as little as 1 gram of fat .
Note that you can take as much as you want of the above foods on specified days until you are satisfied. If after the 7 days you still have more pounds to lose, experts suggest you wait for a fortnight before repeating the eating plan . Following it for over a week will lead to the deficiency of some key nutrients. So it is recommended that you only follow it for a week to jump-start a healthy, long-term diet plan.
The menu options are very limited, so you will get bored with this quickly. You will always feel hungry, weak, sometimes sick, lose concentration, feel lightheaded, irritable, and dizzy.
May Change Your Blood Sugar Levels
akzamkowy.org” alt=”Heart attack soup diet recipe > akzamkowy.org”> If you have diabetes and youre interested in going on the Cabbage Soup Diet, proceed with caution. The low carb and calorie content may cause big changes in your blood sugar levels.
That said, the diet is not likely to have dangerous side effects for most healthy people as long as it is only used for one week, as intended.
Summary
The Cabbage Soup Diet is not suitable for long-term use because it lacks key nutrients. Despite some uncomfortable side effects, going on it for one week is probably not dangerous for most healthy people.
Don’t Miss: Is Knorr Caldo De Pollo Vegan
What Is The Cabbage Soup Diet
The Cabbage Soup Diet is a rapid weight loss diet. Its proponents claim that seven days on the diet can lead to weight loss of up to 10 pounds .
The diet works exactly as its name implies for one week, you eat almost nothing but homemade cabbage soup. Each day, you can also have 12 other foods, such as skim milk, fruit or vegetables.
The diet is intended to last no longer than seven days for the purpose of slimming down or jump-starting a longer-term diet plan.
The Cabbage Soup Diet is also known by other names, such as the Sacred Heart Hospital Diet or the Mayo Clinic Diet, supposedly because it was developed in a hospital for quick weight loss before surgery for heart patients.
But the implicated hospitals have denied these claims.
No one knows exactly where this unique diet originated from, though it first gained popularity during the 1980s and has stuck around ever since.
Summary
The Cabbage Soup Diet is a one-week weight loss diet that promises to help you lose up to 10 pounds .
The Cabbage Soup Diet Guidelines
This Cabbage Soup Diet menu should be closely followed. You can drink lots of water. Alcohol is not permitted. The Copy of Cabbage Soup Diet:Day 1: cabbage soup made from the recipe below and lettuce leaves without dressing, eat as much as you like. Day 2: cabbage soup and vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli, celery, 1 medium baked potato with small amount of butter.Day 3: cabbage soup and fruits such as apples, grapefruit, skimmed milk. Day 4: cabbage soup, 1 skinless chicken breast, lettuce leaves and cucumber salad. Day 5: cabbage soup, quinoa, buckwheat or barley and vegetables . Day 6: cabbage soup, up to 20 oz. beef and vegetables . Day 7: cabbage soup, cottage cheese and pineapple.
You May Like: Hamburger Patties With French Onion Soup Mix
How Does The Cabbage Soup Diet Work
The concept is fairly simple: you make and eat as much cabbage soup as you want.
Generally though, people eat between two and three bowls per day.
Cabbage soup contains virtually zero calories, so the idea behind the diet is that you feel full while losing weight due to being in an intense calorie deficit.
While the cabbage element is naturally essential for this diet, you can eat other low-fat foods while on the plan. Mina, founder of Formulate Health, says, The soup doesnt only contain cabbage. Many recipes include green peppers, onions, mushrooms and other vegetables.
As well as cabbage soup, the diet allows you to start incorporating different fruits and vegetables in the first few days, and slowly reintroduces lean meats, dairy and rice towards the end of the 7 day program.
Experts About Sacred Heart Diet Plan:
This soup-based is supposed to be healthy because of its rich vegetarian content. But dieticians do not recommended a fast weight loss as it can mean losing muscles alone and not fat.
- Experiencing a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds in a week is best
- Exercising for 30 minutes a day is enough if you watch what you are eating
- Do sit ups and pushups while watching TV to keep your body toned
Final Words about Sacred Heart Diet:
- Sacred Heart Diet Soup contain vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- Early morning detox drinks are important to flush out harmful toxins
- Drinking tea is recommended as it contains antioxidants
- Though soup is healthy, it is not recommended to take it beyond seven days
- Before starting this soup based diet, consult your dietician
- Light stretching exercises are recommendable than heavy duty exercises
- People with a medical history should check with the doctor beforehand
- Do not skip breakfast
Read Also: Chicken And Rice Campbells Soup
Heres Why I Adore The Cabbage Soup Diet:
- It works!! Its not science. Cut your calories, unhealthy sugar, starches, for a period of time while drinking lots of water and youll lose weight quickly.
- Its quick!! By the morning of my 8th day, the scale is always 7-10 lbs lighter. My clothes fit differently, and my usually bloated gut is flat. I love it!!!
- I cheat!! Ive discovered that I can cheat a bit on this diet. Ive snuck a muffin in a few times. BEST. MUFFIN.EVER!! Ive also used some condiments to spice things up.
- Great for pre-diets! This diet is GREAT for the start of a real diet/eating plan. You know, one where you eat a variety of healthy foods and a decent balance of calories. Sometimes you just need a jumpstart, a cleanse, a boost of confidence on the scale. This diet does it!
Side Note: If youre interested in trying the green monster smoothie, to see how I prep my smoothies!
I know some people HATE these types of quick diets, but I love them! They work well for me, and the weight stays off as long as I eat a balanced post-diet. If you jump back to eating harmful sugars and carbs right away, youre going to gain the weight back quickly.
Pace yourself. I mainly use this diet for quick weight loss for an event, the week before Thanksgiving, or jump-start my spring dieting before swimsuit season.
As always, consult a doc before cutting your calories like this!
Level Of Effort: Medium
Limitations: Your menu options are severely limited on this diet. It gets very boring, very quickly. If you want to try it again, it’s recommended that you wait 2 weeks first.
Cooking and shopping: Get out your soup pot. You will need to make the cabbage soup and cook some of the vegetables recommended in the plan. Your shopping list will be very short for the week.
Packaged foods or meals? No.
In-person meetings? No.
Exercise: The cabbage soup diet doesn’t include exercise, and working out at high levels isn’t a great idea on such a low-calorie diet. Your body just won’t have enough gas in the tank for exercise.
Read Also: Pillsbury Pie Crust Chicken Pot Pie
How Is Weight Lost By Following The 7
The weighing scale will tip in your favor because this meal plan causes a massive calorie deficit in your daily diet . This limited menu will give you less than 1000 calories a day. Men are generally not recommended to consume fewer than 1500 calories per day, while the minimum is 1200 for females. Since you are taking much fewer calories, you lose most of your water weight rapidly.
Why does cabbage soup make you lose weight? This restrictive soup makes you shed several pounds because the severe reduction of calorie-intake leads the body to utilize fat as an energy source when calorie intake is very low. This burning of fat is what results in weight loss.
Only 34% of the weight lost is from fat. The remaining 66% is from muscle mass and lost water weight. This water weight is from glycogen stores, where the body stores carbohydrates for energy. When you consume fewer calories than required, the body utilizes the reserve energy first before turning to fat, and also removes extra water stored with the glycogen.
