La, CA (PressExposure) May 10, 2010 -- The Cabbage diet soup, one of the most well-known and controversial weight loss plans in the world, turns 30 this week. Immensely popular despite being at the top of most health care professional’s most wanted lists, many consider the cabbage soup diet to be the first modern day fad diet.

While its early origins remain a mystery, there’s evidence of a “Doughboy Cabbage Soup Diet” used by French solders as far back as World War I. Although sometimes referred to as the Sacred Heart Diet or the Mayo Clinic Diet, it’s unlikely that these institutions were directly involved in its inception. In fact, many such hospitals have officially disowned themselves from the cabbage soup diet.
In 1980 its popularity exploded as fax machines spread the plan throughout American offices.

Since then, the cabbage soup diet has become one of the most well-known American diets, one that’s reportedly been attempted by thousands of individuals. The exact details vary, but the basic tenets are 7 days of cabbage soup, lean meat, and the occasional fruit. Cabbage soup diet proponents claim that a 10lb. weight loss is achievable in just 1 week –a figure that alarms many doctors and nutritionists.

The Cabbage Soup Diet Has Plenty of Enemies

Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, a spokeswomen for the American Dietetic Association is one such detractor. She refers to the cabbage soup diet as a: "Quick fix, lacking in vitamins and minerals, which will give one weight loss that is mostly water and very little body fat”. Many other health care professionals agree: the low levels of calories, protein, and other food groups aren’t sustainable. Instead, would be weight watchers should focus on consistent lifestyle change. Dr. Rebecca Lee highlights some of the potential risks saying that fad diets like the cabbage soup diet: “The risks are minimal, but if the cabbage soup diet is followed for too long, or by someone who is already thin, weakness, lightheadedness, and significant muscle loss can occur.”

Some Health Care Professionals Recommend It
Jason Feldman, MS, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in San Francisco, doesn’t discount the cabbage soup diet entirely. “Well, you’ve got vegetables, lean meats, and fruits –all healthy items. You’re also restricting calories, another necessity for weight loss. All things considered, the cabbage soup diet, when used on occasion, can actually be a boon for burning fat”. He adds that the dangers of the cabbage soup diet are overblown. “Look. No one’s going to die from eating 1000 calories for 7 days. The human body is resilient and it takes a lot more than 1 week of cutting calories to see any deleterious effects”.

Science-Based Benefits of the Plan
There’s sparse clinical research on the cabbage soup diet for weight loss. However, the few that have been published in reputable medical journals have been promising. Barbara Rolls, PhD at Penn State University has found that high volume foods like cabbage soup can actually help facilitate long term fat loss. Nearly 200 research studies have confirmed that eating cabbage soup, as part of a healthy eating plan, can help curb appetite.

Also, the main components of cabbage soup, green leafy veggies, are some of the most fiber-rich foods on the planet. Fiber has been shown to suppress hunger, improve body composition, and help people lose more weight when dieting.

Research in the Journal of American Medicine found that many diets fall flat simply because people don’t properly follow them. Considering the cabbage soup diet’s black and white plan, adherence to the diet is much higher than most other weight loss plans. Feldman summarizes the current state of the cabbage soup diet research. “While early, there’s promise in this approach. Volumertrics is a very exciting area of nutrition and one that the cabbage soup diet takes advantage of. Additionally, cabbage itself is an antioxidant-packed vegetable that should be on the plate of every American’s dinner table.”

No Plans Are Created Equal
In the 30 years since its birth, the cabbage soup diet has undergone a number of transformations. In truth there isn’t a single true Cabbage soup diet recipe, and the rules and regulations vary depending on the source.

Whether you follow the traditional diet or the new cabbage soup diet, there’s 30 years of tradition –and debate – behind your decision.

About http://www.cabbagesoupdietresults.com

Jason Feldman has been writing on how to lose weight with the continuous use of Cabbage soup.

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