Benefits of the cabbage soup diet

The cabbage soup diet is a very popular diet plan. It is believed to have originated from diet plans used in hospitals to help the patients lose weight before surgery.

What is cabbage soup diet?

The basic element of this diet is cabbage soup. This soup is believed to have fat-burning properties while containing a negligible amount of calories. This 7-day diet plan insists on large amounts of this soup - the more soup that is consumed, the more weight will be lost. People who have tried this diet claim they have lost as much as 10 pounds or 4.5 kilograms during the seven days of the diet, although most experts agree, that much weight loss is impossible over such a short period.

Basically, a person on cabbage soup diet can eat as much cabbage soup as he or she wants, and there are certain foods that can be added, depending on the day. The first day it is allowed to eat as much fruit as desired, but not bananas. On the second day vegetables, including one jacket potato with some butter, are allowed, and on the third day it is allowed to eat fruit and vegetables, except for bananas and potatoes. On the fourth day the dieter can eat bananas and some skimmed milk, on the fifth 20 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes, on the sixth day he or she can have as much beef and vegetables as desired and on the seventh it is allowed to have brown rice, fruit juice and vegetables except for potatoes.

Benefits of the cabbage soup diet

This diet, if followed strictly, can lead to substantial weight loss over a short period of time. It is therefore suitable for those who need to lose weight fast, for example obese people before surgery.

The weight loss with this diet plan is really fast, but there are other benefits in it too. Since cabbage is relatively cheap, this diet is one of the most inexpensive ones. It allows the dieter to abandon the unhealthy lifestyle based on fast foods, sugary and greasy meals, and to purify the body from the inside.

In addition, vegetables of the Brassica family, which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and similar, are very healthy, packed with vitamins, and there is even some evidence they can prevent cancer.

However, this diet should never last for more than one week, otherwise it can lead to some health problems. It can be done four times a year at most, and it is recommended to see a doctor first before starting it.