What is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The cabbage soup diet is known to be a quick and easy weight loss diet program. Fans of the diet claim to have lost up to 10 pounds following this week-long regimen. Diets such as this one are usually known as crash diets (1) .
The literal meaning of a crash diet is a weight loss diet which is undertaken on an urgent, short-term basis, with the aim of achieving rapid and efficient results. The bulk of this specific diet is its fat-free cabbage soup, as mentioned in the name of the diet.
The main goal of individuals partaking in the cabbage soup diet is to shed a few pounds before a big event or to give a kick start to their weight loss plan. The cabbage soup diet plan occurs over a period of 7 days in which Cabbage soup, the main dish, is consumed 2-3 times daily, along with other foods which are assigned to each day. The following describes the intakes of the Cabbage Diet Plan on a day to day basis (2).
What exactly is the 7-day Cabbage Soup Diet Plan?
Does the Cabbage Soup Diet really work?
Many companies and weight loss programs have claimed to devise a sort of quick, easy, efficient way to lose weight. Although, most of their claims have been proven wrong and have been defined as gimmicks to make easy money. So now the first question that comes to mind when hearing of a new fast and effective diet plan is, “Does it really work?”
We have already deduced that the cabbage soup diet is a type of crash diet, in which you lose a decent amount of weight in a very small period. The truth is most crash diets do work, as will the cabbage diet if implemented correctly; although, crash diets are not known to be permanent weight loss solutions.
You will lose weight, but only in the short run. The intake in this diet is 1000 calories per day. Normally, adults are recommended to eat approximately 2000 calories in a day. Due to the very few calories being consumed, weight loss is bound to occur, what some people fail to realize though is that most of the weight which is shed is water weightt and will be gained again as fast as it went down as soon as the individual returns to consuming a normal diet (3).
This Diet has not been as efficient due to the factor of taste. Eating the same soup several times every day for a week straight can become bland and boring. Many individuals demand taste and flavor and variety when it comes to diet plans so it feels as if they aren’t missing out on the savory joys of life. The routine of eating the same dish repeatedly has even caused nausea in a high amount of people who attempted the diet. People have even commented that they had trouble in getting the soup down after days of eating it. When individuals get sick of the taste they immediately drop the diet which results in its ineffectiveness.
The main purpose of this diet is not to lose weight permanently. Every crash diet is designed to give a quick start to a more slow and steady weight loss program or to lose weight for a special event which is coming up quick. If used correctly, the cabbage soup diet will give positive results, and after the completion of the 7-day diet plan, if the person wants to continue to lose weight, they can do so by gradually decreasing their calorie intake over time and exercising daily.
Is the Cabbage Soup Diet good for your Health?
Social media has been the main influencing cause of weight loss in men and women worldwide. Models and actors all portray a similar slim and toned body image. The desire to attain this “perfect body” can be very detrimental to an individual’s health. These kinds of fad diets could be extremely dangerous for individuals who already have a history of eating disorders. Even patients who face obesity and weigh more than they should are not recommended crash diets by doctors.
The main component of this diet, which is cabbage soup, is low in complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is very important that even if you choose to follow this diet routine it is only followed for 7 days. Even during the 7-day period, people who have tried the diet have complained of being light-headed and feeling weak and have had trouble concentrating (4).
It’s clear that if the effects of this diet or so severe within only an amount of days it should most definitely not increase the given time. There have also been complaints of stomach cramps and gastric problems. Depending on the recipe of the cabbage soup, there may be a high intake of sodium and the excessive amount of cabbages can make one prone to flatulence.
Diets like these can be tempting, If you really need a rapid start into losing weight, go ahead, but you must keep in mind that the healthier and more effective way to lose weight is with exercise and lasting healthy changes in your lifestyle.