Cabbage Soup Diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet

People looking for a quick weight-loss diet may be tempted by the cabbage soup diet. But this diet that goes in and out of popularity may not be a good idea for a number of reasons.

By Katherine Lee

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Of the many diets that have appeared and disappeared over the years, the cabbage soup diet is one that has surged and ebbed in popularity several times over the past few decades, at least since the 1950s.

Cabbage Soup Diet: How Does It Work?

“The cabbage soup diet has been around in various forms for years,” says Marisa Moore, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson. No one knows where it originated, but the idea of a diet that promises quick weight loss seems like one that isn’t likely to fade completely anytime soon.

The cabbage soup diet has been published in various forms in different books and other media, but the premise is pretty much the same: You eat a cabbage soup, which can be made from basic vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, and celery, for breakfast and lunch, and then consume a light meal for dinner.

The cabbage soup diet is basically a fasting plan. It can lead to quick weight loss because you’re not eating very much, says Moore.

Cabbage Soup Diet: Soup Sampler

The cabbage soup diet requires having cabbage-vegetable soup for breakfast and lunch. Most versions of the cabbage soup diet say to eat as much soup as you want, says Moore. Here is how one version of the cabbage soup diet starts off:

Day One: Eat soup and all of the fruit you want, except bananas. You may also drink unsweetened teas, cranberry juice, or water.

Day Two: Eat soup and unlimited amounts of your choice of fresh vegetables, raw or cooked, including a big baked potato with butter. There is no fruit today.

On days five and six, some beef is allowed and on day seven, if you make it that long, dinner calls for brown rice, vegetables, and, of course, soup.

Cabbage Soup Diet: Pros and Cons

One benefit is that cabbage is healthy, and on this diet you can have as much as you want. Cabbage is low in fat and calories and is full of fiber and antioxidants such as vitamin C. And it’s likely you will lose weight on this diet.

Among the problems with the cabbage soup diet is that most people are likely to get bored after a few days; there’s only so much cabbage you can eat. Another downside is that the cabbage soup diet is very nutritionally unbalanced.

“The diet is void of essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, and B vitamins,” says Lona Sandon, RD, also a spokesperson with the American Dietetic Association. “You’d be setting yourself up for nutritional deficiencies if you did this for an extended period of time.”

Another problem is that there are no guidelines for lifestyle changes, which means that anyone on the cabbage soup diet is likely to gain the weight right back once they stop following the diet. “There are no recommendations for exercise or behavioral changes,” says Moore. “You may lose weight, but it won’t be sustained.”

Finally, there’s the high likelihood of flatulence and gastrointestinal problems. “Cabbage can leave you feeling gassy and lead to stomach upset,” says Sandon.

Cabbage Soup Diet: Short-Term Effects, Long-Term Effects

The immediate effect of the cabbage soup diet is quick weight loss, which is exactly what it promises. But the problem is that the quick weight loss is not likely to be sustained because there are no tips on weight management or healthy eating. That means the quick weight loss would be followed by a quick weight gain, which could then lead to yo-yo dieting.

Worse yet, if someone stayed on this type of nutritionally unbalanced diet for an extended period, he or she could experience health problems. “Over a period of time, not having enough protein could lead to the reduction of protein content inside your heart muscle,” says David J.A. Jenkins, MD, PhD, chair, nutrition and metabolism at the University of Toronto. “That can lead to big swings in mineral balance, and then that could lead to arrhythmia, which could be fatal,” Dr. Jenkins warns.

If you’re a fan of cabbage soup, it’s probably a good way to start a meal and curb your appetite — if you’re on a well-balanced diet. But when cabbage soup is virtually the entire diet, it’s not likely to be a winning situation.