The Cabbage Soup diet is another fad weight loss diet that is centered around eating cabbage soup. The origins of the soup are uncertain, but it is believed to go back as far as World War I. During that time, besides cabbage the American soldiers had few options for vegetables. Also eating it offered them protection against scurvy, a disease deficiency caused by inadequate vitamin C in their diet.

Over the years the diet has been know by many different names: TWA Stewardess Diet, Model’s Diet, Dolly Parton Diet, Military Cabbage Soup Diet, Sacred Heart Hospital Diet, and the Skinny Diet to name a few.

The reason for its popularity is that many of the diet proponents claim that you can lose 10 or more pounds in a week. Whether this is true or not, no studies have been performed that demonstrates that cabbage possesses any properties that can help to speed up the fat burning process like grapefruit.

Description of the Cabbage Soup Diet

The diet consist mainly of a recipe for the soup. Besides the cabbage, the ingredients of the recipes may also include other vegetables such as tomatoes, celery, green peppers, and onions.

Early versions of the soup would cook for an hour. However for newer versions of the recipe, the cooking time is 10 to 15 minutes. The shorter cooking time helps to preserve the nutrients found in the cabbage.

Also the dieters are expected to follow specific menus for each day. Many of the menus consist of some fruits, beans, and potatoes. On most of the days no meat is included in the diet. Also, depending on the version of the diet that you are following, cabbage soup is to be eaten once per day or in some case in an unlimited amount, or whenever you feel hungry.

Benefits

The limited benefits of the diet are that cabbage is a healthy vegetable and that it is in expensive to make and store. Given that 3 1/2 ounces of the vegetable only has 20 calories, you can eat a lot and not have to worry about ingesting an excessive amount of calories.

Precautions and Risks

There are many concerns that you should keep in mind about the diet. Since the diet is nutritionally restrictive, the primary precaution that you have to take is not to follow it longer than seven days. And again because of its restrictive nature, if you have health problems, you would be wise to consult a health professional before you start.

And since many of the pounds that you will lose will be water weight, you may also get in the habit of losing and then putting the weight back on– the dreaded yo-yo dieting syndrome.

Some other effects that you should be aware of is the increase in flatulence, which can be embarrassing. Also, many of the recipes include lots of salt. So if you are trying to restrict your sodium intake, you need to be conscious of this fact.

Assessment of the Cabbage Soup Diet

As with most diets, because of its calorie restriction you will lose weight. For this same reason, following it over an extended period will probably be hard, not to mention unhealthy.

Hearing that you can lose 10 pounds are more on this diet does make it tempting to try, but over the long haul, it will not be worth it. This is mainly due to the nature in which you lost the weight. Even if it were healthy, it is very doubtful that you could follow this diet the rest of your life. Good dieting is not just about weight loss or burning fat, but also about sustaining your success and living healthy.

There are many diets out there that are healthier and can help you sustain weight loss permanently without compromising your health. Do yourself a favor and avoid the temptation of using this diet as the centerpiece of your weight loss plan. The only thing that you should take from it is the recipes for cabbage soup.

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