Some people may lose weight using the cabbage soup diet. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the diet’s suitability for healthy weight loss.

The cabbage soup diet is a diet fad that became popular in the 1980s. It involves eating primarily cabbage soup for 1 week.

Supporters of the diet claim that people who strictly follow it can lose around 10 pounds (lb) in a week.

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.

This article discusses how the diet works, how to follow it, whether or not it is effective for weight loss, and some potential drawbacks and health risks associated with it.

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There are several variations of the cabbage soup diet.

Most involve eating soup comprising white cabbage for a week while gradually introducing other low calorie foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, into the diet.

As well as cabbage, some people may make soup from other low calorie vegetables, such as:

How much soup someone makes depends on how much they intend to eat.

Because cabbage soup is very low in calories, there is no limit to how much a person may consume while following this diet. Most people will need at least 2 bowls daily for the week to avoid feeling excessively hungry.

While following the cabbage soup diet, individuals can eat as much cabbage soup as they want. They can also drink unsweetened, low calorie drinks, such as herbal tea and black coffee.

At certain points throughout the week, a person may add other low calorie foods back into the diet, as follows:

  • Day 1: Eat cabbage soup and raw fruits, but no bananas.
  • Day 2: Eat cabbage soup and cooked or raw vegetables, but no potatoes.
  • 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.

Generally, following this diet provides a lot fewer than 1,000 calories per day during days 1 to 3 and around 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day during days 4 to 7.

Because it provides so few calories, people following the cabbage soup diet should not exercise during the week. Their bodies simply will not have enough caloric energy to healthily expend during physical activity.

Some anecdotal sources say that people following the cabbage soup diet may lose 10 lb per week or more.

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, in most cases, individuals quickly regain this lost weight once they return to their regular diet.

It is important to note that only around 34%Trusted Source 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.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the cabbage soup diet is safe or effective for weight loss. No health authorities recommend following this eating regimen.

Proponents of the cabbage soup diet also encourage people not to exercise while following it. However, getting enough exercise is very important to health overall. Regular exercise is also far more likely to lead to sustainable, long-term weight loss.

According to an older 2006 study, crash dieting can also reduce someone’s rate of metabolism, which can increase weight gain after returning to their typical diet.

When the body does not receive sufficient calories, it views this as a form of starvation and compensates by burning fewer calories to conserve energy.

At best, the cabbage soup diet may lead to the temporary loss of a few pounds, though this weight loss is likely to be both temporary and less healthy.

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.

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:

Losing weight rapidly and following low calorie, low fat diets can also increase the riskTrusted Source 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.

The cabbage soup diet is a fad diet without scientific research to support its safety or effectiveness. It involves eating cabbage soup almost exclusively for 1 week.

Crash diets usually cause sudden weight loss, which can be significant. However, this lost weight will usually return once someone stops following the diet.

Although the diet is relatively cheap and easy to follow, it is not a sustainable plan for weight loss or optimal health. It also carries many health risks and drawbacks, some of which can be severe.

A person needs to talk with a doctor before trying the cabbage soup diet. Even with a doctor’s supervision, people should never follow the diet for longer than 1 week.