The cabbage soup diet is a short-term, rapid weight loss plan centered around consuming large quantities of cabbage soup for seven days. It's designed to be a low-calorie and high-fiber diet, often resulting in quick weight loss, although primarily water weight. This ultra-restrictive seven-day diet has been around for ages, with its origins possibly dating back to the 1950s. Over the years, it has undergone many name changes, such as the Dolly Parton Diet in the 1980s, but has always kept homemade cabbage soup as its mainstay. But does it really work, and is it safe?
What is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The Cabbage Soup Diet, as the name suggests, revolves around eating cabbage soup. The soup is typically made with cabbage, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, carrots, celery, and broth. The diet also allows for limited consumption of other low-calorie foods, like fruits and vegetables, on certain days.
Cabbage Soup Recipe and Variations
There are many variations of cabbage soups available today. And the soup is sometimes also called wonder soup, weight loss soup, miracle soup and weight watcher soup. The closest recipe to the original version basically consists of only cabbage, onions, tomatoes or tomato juice, celery and carrots.
Instructions: Add the vegetable broth, onion, garlic, cabbage, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and diced tomatoes, then stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until cabbage and carrots are tender.
You can vary the cabbage soup recipe by using chicken broth, bone broth or water instead of vegetable broth. While white cabbage is typically used, you can also use red cabbage. You can also add bell peppers, spinach, zucchini or any other non-starchy vegetable (no potatoes). If you're watching your sodium, choose low-sodium broth and low-sodium canned tomatoes. Let me just say there is NO WAY I would be eating this soup every day if I made it with plain water. Yuck!
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How the Diet Works
The cabbage soup diet allows you to consume as much cabbage soup as you like while requiring you to include certain ingredients on certain days of the week. This diet basically works as you would expect given its name; in other words, you eat a lot of cabbage soup, as much as you want at mealtime. Other raw or cooked non-starchy vegetables. Over the years there have been several modifications.
Here's a typical breakdown of the 7-day plan:
Days 1-7: Eat all the cabbage soup you want.
Day 1: Eat cabbage soup and raw fruits, but no bananas. Apple or Grapes.
Day 2: Eat cabbage soup and cooked or raw vegetables, but no potatoes. However, you get to start the day with a baked potato (russet or sweet).
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Day 3: Eat cabbage soup and raw, low fat fruits and vegetables, but no potatoes or bananas.
Day 4: Eat cabbage soup, skim milk, and no more than 8 bananas.
Day 5: Eat cabbage soup, 6 tomatoes, and 565 grams of lean beef or a substitute, such as pork, fish, or chicken.
Day 6: Eat cabbage soup, unlimited vegetables but no potatoes, and unlimited beef or another protein option.
Day 7: Eat cabbage soup, sugar-free fruit juice, and brown rice. Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
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Throughout the diet, I also use salt (very lightly), pepper, lots of herbs and seasonings, olive oil, and a small amount of butter on potato days. I also add 0-5 calorie flavorings to my water to ensure I get in all my water if needed. (Update: I now add detox tea with a squirt of fresh lemon to my mornings. WOW is all I can say! Try it!
Weight Loss Potential
Some people may lose weight using the cabbage soup diet. Supporters of the diet claim that people who strictly follow it can lose around 10 pounds (lb) in a week. Those strictly following the diet will likely lose some weight, potentially 10 lb per week or more. This is because it involves eating so few calories each day.
However, there is no scientific evidence to support the diet’s suitability for healthy weight loss. Crash diets such as the cabbage soup diet may cause initial weight loss. However, most individuals gain the weight back once they stop following this eating plan.
It is important to note that only around 34% of weight loss that occurs during the first week of a very low calorie diet is from body fat, according to an older 2016 study. The rest of the lost weight will likely come from muscle tissue and water from reserves inside and outside cells. And any weight loss achieved will most likely be regained once the week is over and any type of normal eating is resumed.
Potential Benefits
The diet promotes consuming fruits and vegetables daily, which have long been associated with positive health benefits, such as decreased cancer risk, heart disease and stroke. Specifically, cabbage is a good source of antioxidant-rich vitamins E and C, which have anti-inflammatory properties and maintain immune health. With almost three grams of fiber per cup, cabbage may also help lower cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and promote satiety.
Overall, this seven-day fad diet is low in fat and high in fiber - both good things.
Risks and Drawbacks
The purpose of the cabbage soup diet is to restrict calories by restricting your food intake severely. Because this diet is highly restrictive, a dieter may suffer from weakness, fatigue, dizziness, irritability and headaches. Some individuals, especially those not used to a high fiber intake, may experience bloating and gas. Because it promotes rapid weight loss and limits protein, muscle loss may occur.
The cabbage soup diet has several drawbacks. Like many other fad diets, the cabbage soup diet is not a realistic long-term weight loss plan. Eating so few calories will likely not provide enough nutrition for the body to function properly, which may lead to loss of muscle mass and feelings of illness or exhaustion. Most people also find eating the same food every day unappetizing and mundane. Therefore, they are less likely to stick to the diet. Additionally, eating a large amount of beef on day 5 may be difficult for many. Following the cabbage soup diet can also be difficult socially, as its restrictive nature makes eating with other people or dining out difficult. Additionally, because the cabbage soup diet excludes most sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, individuals may need to take supplements and vitamins during the diet.
If a person continues this diet longer than the recommended seven days, it may lead to malnutrition due to limited calories, protein, fat and other critical micronutrients for optimal health.
Aside from feeling generally worn down while following the cabbage soup diet, some people may also experience side effects similar to those of intermittent fasting, such as:
- Gas, bloating, or stomach cramps
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Reduced metabolism
- Muscle loss
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Passing out or losing consciousness
Losing weight rapidly and following low calorie, low fat diets can also increase the risk of developing gallstones. These are hard, pebble-like lumps that form in the gallbladder or bile ducts. Gallstones typically consist of cholesterol and bilirubin - a pigment that the body releases when red blood cells die. When someone does not consume enough fat, the gallbladder releases bile less often, and bile can build up in it. This can increase the risk of gallstones forming. Losing weight quickly or not eating for long periods can also cause the liver to release excess cholesterol, which increases the risk of developing gallstones.
Because the cabbage soup diet has the potential to be low in carbohydrates, it may also lower someone’s blood sugar (glucose) levels. This can be dangerous for people with diabetes, especially those who take insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medications.
Important Considerations:
- Exercise: Not recommended. Your calories are minimal on the cabbage soup diet. Do not work out for the seven days while on this plan or a few days afterward.
- Duration: It’s not recommended to do this beyond seven days. Your body will start to hold on to weight if you cut its calories too much for an extended period.
- What happens after the 7 days? The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term, low-calorie diet designed for rapid weight loss. While it may provide a quick fix, it's not a sustainable or nutritionally balanced approach to long-term weight management.
Can you drink coffee on the cabbage soup diet?
You’re only supposed to drink water, black coffee, or unsweetened herbal tea.