The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term program. It is a 7-day diet to help you lose up to 10 pounds in one week. It can be done to jumpstart your journey in losing weight as you move into a more sustainable program.
This diet is high in fiber and low in fat that really helps in helping you lose weight in a short amount of time. You can do this if you are getting ready for an event and need to shed some weight. There is also no need for exercise because of its low-calorie nature.
Continuing this diet beyond 7 days is not recommended for it does not offer complete nutrition. It can be repeated periodically, at least after two weeks. There are certain disadvantages if you overdo this diet.
Advantages of a 7-day Cabbage Soup Diet
If you strictly follow the 7-day diet, you can greatly benefit from its advantages, which are:
- Speedy weight loss because it is very low in fat and has almost no cholesterol
- Rich in fiber which promotes regular bowel movement
- You will not go hungry because there is no restriction in the amount of food you can consume
- The ingredients are inexpensive
- No exercise is involved
- It can detox the liver
How about a 14-day or 30-day cabbage diet?
The diet makes you eat virtually the same food every day. The monotony of the diet can make you bored and quite sick of the taste as days go by. This diet can also be quite unhealthy in the long run.
There are also certain side effects of this diet which can worsen when done beyond the required 7-day program. These effects can lead to more serious health problems, that is why going for a 14-day or 30-day Cabbage Soup Diet is not recommended.
Here are some undesirable effects when you overdo the diet:
- Deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals. Of course, cabbage soup contains nutrients, but they are limited. The diet is also deficient in many vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium. If the diet is done for an extended period of time, be ready for the effects of nutritional deficiencies.
- Frequent cramping and flatulence. This diet is high in fiber and it causes cramping and flatulence when used in longer periods of time.
- Protein deficiency. The diet includes almost no protein. It could affect your heart muscles as it reduces its protein content which could lead to arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats with an abnormal or irregular rhythm.
- Gallbladder issues. The diet is low in fat. This results in your gallbladder not emptying for long periods of time. Stones may form inside the gallbladder.
- Kidney problems. This diet is high in sodium. When overdone, sodium in your bloodstream rises and disturbs the balance, making it difficult for your kidneys to remove water. This results to higher blood pressure due to fluid retention.
- Weakness and light-headedness. This is because of the diet’s low carbohydrate and protein content. You are not getting the proper nutrition your body needs.
- Frequent trips to the toilet. Its fiber rich content promotes bowel movement and overdoing it can make you sit on the toilet a lot.
- Poor brain function. This is because the diet is very low in fat. The brain requires fat as a source of energy and fuel. It can also result in mood changes.
- Simply unhealthy. It doesn’t give you enough nutrients that your body requires to stay healthy.
- You also lose muscle mass along the way. Believe it or not, this is true.
Overdoing the diet has risks that outweigh the benefits. Sure, you will lose the weight but many health problems may arise. Just because you want to lose weight, it is not worth it if you become unhealthy in the process.
Is the Cabbage Soup Diet for me?
There are plenty of things to consider about the Cabbage Soup Diet. Many who have tried this diet say they quickly regained all the weight they lost, which is a very common after effect of crash diets such as this.
If you want long term effects, this diet is not for you. Keeping the weight off after the 7-day plan is tough. If you return to your old eating habits, chances are, your previous weight will come back rapidly. There is no use in doing this diet if you do not have a long-term diet plan after.
Be also aware that you may not be losing fat in the process but more on water weight. You cannot do rigorous exercises while on this diet because of its low-calorie content. So, if you want to build muscles while dieting, this is not also for you.
If you are looking for a diet that makes you lose weight fast because you are attending an important event or occasion and nothing else, this may work for you. This diet is more of a quick fix if you want to look good in a short amount of time.
It is best that you choose a diet that suits your lifestyle and can maintain your goals, whether they are long-term or short term. There are still other diet plans and ways to lose weight. Just make sure the risks don’t outweigh the benefits.
If you still feel that the Cabbage Soup Diet will work for you, no one is stopping you. Just bear in mind the pros and cons of this diet plan. Remember, your health is still the most important thing you should consider. Just make sure to do this diet in 7 days, not 14 days and definitely not 30 days.
