The Cabbage Soup Diet is one of the more persistent diets that has hit the mainstream and stayed on the landscape. While the origins of the diet are lost, it was seen at least as early as the 1980s as it spammed office fax machines. Some evidence links it back to a military recipe from the 1930s. In the 1990s and 2000s, the diet has its way around via email and has even been highlighted in major magazines.
Diet
As much as the recipe has changed over time, the basic regimen of the diet have stayed the same. Often, the dieter is instructed to eat the soup plus one or two new ingredients per day, alternating on different days of the week. The Cabbage Soup diet is supposed to be followed for no longer than seven days at a time, followed by eating a balanced diet.
Nutrition
In a 2002 article in the University of Florida News, dietary expert Elaine Turner notes that the soup is rich in some nutrients but lacking in others. The diet is suspiciously high in sodium and low in proteins and carbohydrates.
In a statement from the American Heart Association, it warns: "Despite what quick-weight-loss diet books may say, the only sensible way to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight permanently is to eat less and balance your food intake with physical activity."
The AHA also warns against fad diets such as the Cabbage Soup Diet as it encourages rapid weight loss over a short period of time. Diets that do not emphasize physical activity or changes in eating habits often result in discouraged dieters when the diet is over and the weight comes back on.
Side Effects
Cabbage can produce a large amount of gas. Abdominal discomfort is reported throughout the duration of the diet. Due to drastically reduced caloric intake, headaches and irritability can occur. Some dieters may even add weight as the reduction of calories causes the body to attempt to hold onto fat to prevent starvation, and the amount of sodium in the soup can cause bloating and water retention.
Warnings
The amount of sodium in the Cabbage Soup Diet can be high and nutritional value low so it is imperative that anyone with blood pressure, heart problems or blood sugar issues speak with a doctor before adopting the diet plan.
Overall Results
The Cabbage Soup diet should be considered more of a fast than a true diet regimen. While it may work for some dieters looking to take off a few pounds before slipping into a certain dress for a big party, it is not a long-term diet solution. Dieters that intend to take off weight over a period of time should be prepared for the weight to return as soon as the diet is concluded, as most weight lost will be water weight.
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