The first association of many people who want to lose weight quickly is the cabbage diet. It has been popular for years for a reason - first of all, it is easy to use, it requires only cheap ingredients, and most importantly, it provides quick results.
When talking about dishes with cabbage, people usually think of sauerkraut, sarma, sweet cabbage or cabbage salad. But the cabbage diet is not based on any of these dishes, but on cabbage soup. We know, this doesn't sound appealing, but cabbage soup has been shown to be effective in both removing fat deposits and detoxification of the body.
Read on to find out what the Cabbage Diet is, its menu, its pros and cons, and the results.
What is the cabbage diet?
The cabbage diet belongs to the diet for rapid weight loss and practices the consumption of cabbage soup for 7 days. One or two other foods such as milk, fruit or vegetables can be consumed with the soup. This diet was designed in the 1980s and gained popularity precisely because of the quick results that promise 4-7 kilos less in just a week.
The diet is based on consuming practically unlimited amounts of cabbage soup. Cabbage is a food that does not contain many calories, so it is difficult to exceed the daily intake even if it is eaten excessively. Only 25 calories are consumed per 100 grams of cabbage, so practically all people who start this diet consume a smaller amount of food than their body consumes in a period of 7 days. The result is weight loss using a caloric deficit. It is for this reason that this diet is popular among people who want to lose weight before an important event such as a wedding, vacation or celebration where they know they will be photographed a lot.
What is the effect of cabbage on health?
Cabbage belongs to the highly nutritious Brassica family, which includes broccoli and cauliflower, as well as kale. It is available all over the world, and in our area it is one of the must-have foods. It is used for many dishes, including sarma, cabbage salad or sauerkraut. This vegetable has several varieties; there are red, green, savoy and Chinese cabbage. Red cabbage is recommended for this diet because it contains the highest amount of vitamins and minerals, but any type of cabbage will work.
Cabbage is rich in vitamins K, C, B6, B9 and B1, and contains calcium, potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for health. Another benefit of cabbage for weight loss is that over 90% its mass consists of water.
Apart from weight loss, there are some other benefits of cabbage for the body:
1) Strengthens immunity - Cabbage contains a lot of vitamin C, which is important for maintaining a strong immune system and defense against viruses and bacteria.
2) Helps digestion - Cabbage has 2.5 grams of fiber per 100 grams, a fiber-rich food is very important for preventing constipation and maintaining healthy intestinal flora.
3) Prevents inflammatory processes - Cabbage contains glutamine, which effectively reduces inflammation in the body.
4) Maintains brain health - Cabbage has vitamin K which helps mental functions and improves concentration.
5) Increases energy - Cabbage has B complex vitamins that successfully increase energy levels.
Cabbage soup recipe
The following ingredients are needed to prepare cabbage soup:
– 1 green pepper
- 1 large tomato or 2 dl of cooked tomatoes
– 5 celery stalks
– 1 large onion
– 2 soup cubes (bouillon)
- 1 large or 2 small heads of fresh cabbage
– 4 glasses of water
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
If you want, you can add 1 tablespoon each of grains or legumes such as lentils, wheat, barley or dry peas.
First, you should fry the onion in olive oil until it becomes soft and transparent, and then add the vegetables cut into small cubes - celery, tomatoes and peppers. Then add water, add the soup cubes and cook for about 15 minutes. While these foods are cooking, you should chop the cabbage. Then you should add the cabbage to the pot and cook the soup for another 10 minutes. Cabbage is added last and cooked the shortest so that it does not lose its nutrients, minerals, vitamins and fiber.
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and carrots should not be added to the soup. The soup does not even need to be salted, and to improve the taste, dry or fresh herbs can be added to taste. People who like spicy food can add hot pepper.
Cabbage diet - menu by day
Day One (Fruit)
Apart from cabbage soup, only fruit is eaten on the first day. You can eat any fruit except bananas. In order to speed up weight loss, you should eat fruits that have a high water content - such as watermelon or melon. It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water, as well as unsweetened black coffee or tea.
Day Two (Vegetables)
On the second day, the diet begins with the consumption of vegetables, in addition to cabbage soup. Vegetables can be raw or boiled. Leafy and low-calorie vegetables are recommended, and starchy vegetables such as peas, green beans, corn, carrots or potatoes should be avoided. As for dinner, one baked potato with a little butter can be eaten, but it should not be salted.
Day Three (Fruits and Vegetables)
On the third day, the menu combines the foods from the previous two days. Along with cabbage soup, which is eaten at least once a day, you should eat fruits and vegetables. On the third day, there is no baked potato with butter for dinner, and root vegetables and bananas are still avoided. In this phase of the diet, you usually lose 2-3 kilograms if you followed the prescribed rules.
Day Four (Bananas and Milk)
During the fourth day, cabbage soup is continued, but now bananas are allowed to be eaten. It is allowed to eat up to 6 bananas during the day and drink milk that has a low milk fat content. Milk can be drunk in unlimited quantities.
Day Five (Beef and Tomatoes)
On the fifth day, it is allowed to eat 300 grams of beef and 6 fresh tomatoes, along with cabbage soup. For people who don't like beef, skinless chicken or fish is an alternative. You should still drink as much water as possible to encourage detoxification of the body.
Sixth day (Beef and vegetables)
On the sixth day, beef and vegetables can be eaten in unlimited quantities with at least one plate of cabbage soup. Leafy and green vegetables are allowed, but starchy ones should be avoided.
Seventh day (Integral rice and vegetables)
On the seventh day of the diet, whole grain rice and vegetables are eaten, along with cabbage soup. In addition to water, it is allowed to drink squeezed fruit juice without sugar.
At the end of 7 days, a break is taken and you should continue counting calories so that the pounds you lose do not come back.
Results and experiences of the cabbage diet
The cabbage diet is one of the most effective and fast diets, which can be seen from the following experiences:
- One user says that the cabbage diet was phenomenal for her and that it was not difficult. She claims that the soup should be made so that it is tasty in order to create a desire to eat it and says that she added carrots, lots of onions and low-carb vegetables, lots of spices so that instead of soup, it got the texture of soup. Despite this, she saw results. She further claims that the diet is not risky for health if it is followed for 7 days because all the necessary vitamins are found in cabbage as well as additional fruits and vegetables. She says that she managed to lose 7 kilograms and that she felt great during the diet. The main advice he has is that everyone should modify the soup to their liking in order for the diet to be successful.
- The second experience is also positive and the woman who was on a diet says that she lost 10 kilograms in 2 weeks. In addition, about 6-7 people she knows have successfully lost extra pounds with this diet, which was an incentive for her to try it herself. She says that after the first week she lost 5 kilograms and that she probably would have lost more if she had eaten less fruits and vegetables. But despite everything, she is satisfied with the results.
- The third girl reports that she successfully lost weight, but that she thinks cabbage soup is also excellent for strengthening immunity. He says that he often makes this soup after the holidays when he inevitably gains weight due to heavier food and that it is stomach removed quickly and efficiently with her. She claims that she dieted 2 times in a few years and that she successfully lost weight each time. She liked the cabbage soup so much that she prepares it even when she is not on a diet, at least once a week.
Tips for the effectiveness of the cabbage diet
Here we will list some guidelines for greater effectiveness of the cabbage diet:
1) The most liquid you should drink is water, and it is recommended to drink 2 liters of water per day
2) The diet should not be followed for longer than 7 days, because it may cause damage to health
3) After the passage of 7 days, a break of at least 50 days should be made before following the diet again
4) Cabbage soup can be eaten unlimitedly, with a minimum of 1 per day
5) The soup recipe should not be changed
6) You should not mix the days from the menu or combine them because each day has its own purpose
7) Light physical activity 2-3 times a week (walking, cycling) is recommended along with the diet.
8) All is prohibited fattening food – sweets, salty snacks, carbonated and non-carbonated sweetened juices
9) Alcohol is prohibited throughout the diet
10) When cooking the soup, care should be taken not to overcook the cabbage because it will lose its nutrients
11) In case of any illness, you should consult a doctor before starting the cabbage diet
Advantages and disadvantages of the cabbage diet
Like any diet, the cabbage diet has certain advantages and disadvantages.
The biggest advantage of this diet is that it quickly and efficiently sheds pounds. Users claim that they saw changes in their body already after two days, so after 7 days they had 5-7 kilograms less. Some have successfully lost 10 kilos in a week, and one woman followed this diet for 2 weeks to lose 10 kilos.
Another advantage of this diet is that cabbage is cheap, especially if bought in season. Also, cabbage is easy to prepare and users do not have to count calories when on this diet. Cabbage is a vegetable full of fiber, so it quickly provides a feeling of satiety, and the soup can be eaten whenever hunger strikes. This diet can be said to be among the rare without starvation. In addition, fibers have a beneficial effect on digestion and prevent constipation, which often occurs when protein-rich diet.
Cabbage diet is recommended for people who want to lose weight but do not like to cook every day. Cabbage soup can be cooked in a few days and stored in the refrigerator. Before the meal, a smaller amount can be heated to avoid spoiling the soup by constant heating.
As for the disadvantages of this diet, users say that the biggest disadvantage is the monotonous selection of foods. This is especially emphasized by people who followed this diet, but are not cabbage fans. Some people say that due to a lower calorie intake, they have experienced a lack of energy, lethargy, and some also complain of heartburn - a burning sensation in the chest and throat.
Although practically all users of this diet agree that it gives excellent results, many of them also claim that it is accompanied by a "yo-yo" effect, that is, that the lost kilograms return. Weight gain is especially likely to occur if you start eating too many calories after dieting. People emphasize that the weight lost is mostly excess water and toxins from the body, but that by following the menu, fat deposits also melt.
In short
Losing weight quickly is always tempting, especially before going on vacation or attending an important event. It is for this reason that the cabbage diet has proven to be effective in shedding 5-7 kilograms in a week.
But if you still think that this is another too drastic diet, then we suggest that you turn to light physical activity and a healthier diet. Only in this way will you lose weight effectively and prevent weight gain. This is exactly what the FittPro Team can help you with through 2 nutritional regimes: it's here ByeBye Weight if you want to lose weight in a healthy and natural way, as well Hello Balance if you want to eat a balanced and healthy diet.
