Is The Cabbage Soup Diet a Stupid Way To Lose Weight?

Posted by Jason Feldman MS, RD on May 4, 2010

The cabbage soup diet is one of the most popular diets in the world. Despite this, it has a (very) long list of detractors. Some even go as far to say as the diet is a stupid approach to weight loss. Is this criticism warranted?

The Case for Cabbage

It’s popularity and longevity cannot be topped. This suggests that there must be something to the cabbage soup diet that makes it so darn popular.

For one, it’s extremely straightforward. There’s no macronutrient ratios or super foods to worry about. Just eat cabbage soup till your heart’s content.

Also, the cabbage soup diet gets results. People lose at least 5lbs. in a single week on this weight loss program! The same can’t be said for other diets.

Finally, there may be health benefits unrelated to weight loss. The incredibly high intake of fresh veggies and fruit would make any dietitian worth his or her saltĀ  give his or her stamp of approval. Not only that, but you cut out junk food like chips, soda, and refined grains for the duration of the diet.

Why The Cabbage Soup Diet May Be Stupid

That being said, it’s far from perfect. Critics say that the diet is bland, ineffective, and maybe even dangerous.

Sure, downing cabbage soup for 3 meals a day gets monotonous, that much is true. For some, it may be enough for them to quit the diet altogether. As anyone knows, sticking to a diet is challenging enough -never mind when it bores you to tears!

People also say that the weight you lose isn’t fat -it’s muscle and water. Anytime you quickly and dramatically cut calories, the body shifts into “starvation mode”. This means it clings to fat and lets muscle and water loose. In other words, you may weight less, but you’re just as fat as you were before.

Another criticism is the lack of protein. The old cabbage soup diet has very limited portions of protein. However, the new and updated version has added protein and even a multivitamin supplement to ensure that you get the nutrients your body needs.

The Final Verdict

No diet is perfect, with the cabbage diet soup being no exception. However, when it comes to rapid weight loss, the diet has no equal.

Especially when you try the new and updated version, which helps curb hunger and keeps you sane for the 7 days, it’s a perfectly intelligent (if not genius) way to go about losing those extra pounds.

Add Your Comment