Will consuming a diet of cabbage soup assist in weight loss?
A diet called The Ultimate Cabbage Soup Diet is promising potential dieters a ten pound weight loss in only a week, but does it mean dieters can’t eat anything except cabbage soup, and what are the health benefits – if any?
The CSD, as the name entails, consists primarily of cabbage soup – in as much quantity as you want – and vegetables and fruits. The diet is quite restrictive, and requires low consumption of fatty food items and high consumption of fibre rich foods.
The plan is set over the course of seven days, and begins with the first day of cabbage soup, free consumption of fruits, a small serving of either natural yogurt (low fat) or skimmed milk, coffee or tea, and salad dressing (no fat, or low fat).
The second day is cabbage soup, free consumption of vegetables, a single baked potato, and the same servings of natural yogurt or skimmed milk and salad dressing as the first day.
Diet is highly restrictive but can result in weight loss, although is not sustainable long-term
The third day’s meal plan is identical to the first day’s. The fourth day is cabbage soup, up to six bananas, eight small glasses (240ml) of skimmed milk or natural yogurt (7 servings, no more than 240ml).
The fifth day is cabbage soup, free consumption of fish of any sort, free consumption of chicken, a maximum of six tomatoes, and one serving of skimmed milk or natural yogurt with salad dressing (no fat, or low fat).
The sixth day is cabbage soup, free consumption of fish and chicken as the fifth day, free consumption of vegetables, and one serving of either natural yogurt (low fat) or skimmed milk, coffee or tea, and salad dressing (no fat, or low fat).
The seventh day is cabbage soup, free consumption of vegetables, free consumption of fruits one serving of either natural yogurt (low fat) or skimmed milk, coffee or tea, and salad dressing (no fat, or low fat).
Although dietitians state that the diet will result in weight loss, it is not a healthy long-term sustainable solution for health or weight loss goals.