Cabbage & Fruit Diet

The cabbage and fruit diet is a low-calorie meal plan designed to help people lose about 10 pounds in one week. The diet is restricted to one week intervals because the food choices are limited and caloric intake is so low that inadequate nutrition could become a concern. The cabbage and fruit diet is a quick weight loss plan and not meant for long-term results. The diet consists of eating cabbage soup and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Foods you can Eat

The cabbage and fruit diet allows you to consume as much cabbage soup and water as you want. On alternate days, you are permitted to eat foods from a selected list as long as two bowls of fat-free cabbage soup are also consumed. Drink seven to eight glasses of water a day while following the plan, and avoid alcohol. Eating only cabbage soup is not advised due to malnutrition concerns. Other foods that must be eaten include lean meat, skim milk, vegetables and fruit.

During the seven days, eating white rice, breads, pasta, sugar, eggs, cheese and soda pop are prohibited.

Sample Diet Menu

In addition to water, other drinks permitted throughout the week include coffee with no cream or sugar, unsweetened tea, and cranberry juice.

Day 1: Eat cabbage soup and as many fruits as you desire, except bananas (which are high in carbohydrates).

Day 2: Eat cabbage soup with raw, steamed or boiled vegetables. Do not eat peas, corn, or beans, which are all high in carbs. In the evening, eat a baked potato with butter.

Day 3: Eat cabbage soup with any fruit or vegetable.

Day 4: Eat cabbage soup and have a maximum of eight bananas accompanied with skim milk.

Day 5: Eat cabbage soup with a maximum of six tomatoes and just 450 grams of meat or fish.

Day 6: Eat cabbage soup with any fruit or vegetable.

Day 7: Eat cabbage soup with brown rice and vegetables accompanied with fresh fruit juice.

Risks

The cabbage-soup diet is not endorsed by many dietitians. According to the Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., this diet poses a risk for long-term nutritional problems and also is not useful for long-term weight loss, as much of the weight lost during the diet is regained after normal eating patterns are resumed.