Three-Day Soup Diet

The three-day soup diet, also known as the cabbage soup diet, is a calorie restricted diet that allows dieters to consume only cabbage soup and limited quantities of fruits and vegetables. Critics argue that the three-day soup diet offers limited positive results as a weight-loss measure due to lack of balance.

Features

• The three-day soup diet starts with unlimited quantities of cabbage soup. Dieters are encouraged to make their own soup using vegetables such as cabbage, celery, onions and tomatoes. In addition to unlimited quantities of cabbage soup, dieters are allowed to eat fresh fruit and unlimited quantities of coffee, tea, cranberry juice and water. Variations of the diet allow for the consumption of skim milk and a baked potato.

Popular Beliefs

• Some people believe that the highest benefit of the three-day soup diet is rapid weight loss. Others believe that cabbage soup, raw fruit and vegetables, full of vitamins and minerals, provide a healthy break to their normal eating routines. Another popular belief is that the limited calorie soup diet cleanses the gastrointestinal track, alleviating indigestion and annoying flatulence.

Warning

• Physicians, nurses and dietitians warn that the three-day cabbage soup diet does not provide balanced nutrition. The noticeable absence of meats, grains and dairy products cause nutritional deficits that can produce long term negative effects. Health care providers also warn that rapid weight loss seldom yields long term results.