The cabbage soup diet is a short-term, 7-day weight-loss plan centered on eating large amounts of a low-calorie vegetable soup for rapid water-weight loss rather than long-term fat reduction. Followers eat the soup freely throughout the day alongside a rotating list of approved foods that change daily, with no special purchases or calorie counting required. While the diet produces fast results, the weight lost is primarily water and glycogen, and it is important to understand the plan’s honest limitations before starting.
What Is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The cabbage soup diet is a short-term, 7-day weight-loss plan centered on eating large amounts of a low-calorie vegetable soup. The goal is rapid water-weight loss, not long-term fat reduction. Followers eat the soup freely throughout the day alongside a rotating list of approved foods that change each day of the plan.
The diet has no single verified origin. It circulated widely in the 1980s under names like the “Sacred Heart Diet” and the “Military Cabbage Soup Diet,” though neither the Sacred Heart Medical Center nor any military institution has claimed authorship (Healthline, 2023). It remains popular because it requires no special purchases, no calorie counting, and produces fast – if temporary – results.
How the 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet Plan Works
Each day of the diet assigns specific foods you can eat alongside unlimited cabbage soup. The calorie intake on most days falls between 800-1,000 calories, which is significantly below the standard adult recommendation of 2,000-2,500 calories per day (NHS, 2023). This deficit explains the rapid weight loss – most of it is water and glycogen, not body fat.
| Day | Allowed Foods (Besides Soup) |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Any fruit except bananas |
| Day 2 | Vegetables only – one baked potato with butter at dinner |
| Day 3 | Fruits and vegetables, no potato |
| Day 4 | Up to 8 bananas and skim milk |
| Day 5 | 10-20 oz of beef or skinless chicken, up to 6 tomatoes |
| Day 6 | Beef and vegetables, no potato |
| Day 7 | Brown rice, vegetables, and unsweetened fruit juice |
The Original Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
This is the base recipe followed by millions since the 1980s. It makes roughly 6-8 servings and keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Each serving contains approximately 70-90 calories, 15g carbohydrates, 3g protein, and 0g fat, though exact values vary by broth brand.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped
- 6 large green onions, sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 4 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Instructions:
- Add all vegetables to a large pot. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes.
- Stir in the dry onion soup mix.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium.
- Simmer for 25-30 minutes until all vegetables are soft.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Adjust to taste.
- Serve immediately or store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
How to Adapt the Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe for Keto
The original recipe is not keto because tomatoes, carrots, and the onion soup mix all add carbohydrates that push most servings above the 20-50g daily carb limit needed to stay in ketosis (Diet Doctor, 2023). To bring the recipe within keto guidelines, you will need to swap certain ingredients and add healthy fats to increase satiety.
Swap these ingredients:
| Original Ingredient | Keto Replacement | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Diced tomatoes (canned) | 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved | Lower sugar per serving |
| Dry onion soup mix | Fresh garlic, thyme, and paprika | Eliminates hidden sugars and starches |
| Green onions (large amount) | 2 green onions only | Reduces carb load |
| Optional: add carrots | Skip entirely | Too high in sugar for keto |
Add these to increase fat and satiety:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil per bowl
- Diced avocado as a topping
- A handful of shredded rotisserie chicken per serving
Estimated keto version nutrition per serving: 100-130 calories, 6-8g net carbohydrates, 6g protein, 5g fat.
How to Make the Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Vegan
The original cabbage soup diet recipe is already naturally vegan, making it an excellent choice for those following a plant-based lifestyle. To ensure the recipe remains fully vegan, simply verify that your dry onion soup mix contains no animal-derived ingredients such as beef fat, some brands do include these, so reading labels is essential. For a cleaner, whole-food approach, you can replace the soup mix with extra fresh garlic, onion powder, and dried herbs like thyme and oregano for a more natural flavor profile.
How to Make the Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Gluten-Free
The original recipe is naturally gluten-free with one exception: most dry onion soup mix packets contain wheat starch or wheat-derived flavoring (Celiac Disease Foundation, 2022).
- Replace the soup mix with: 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of turmeric.
- Verify your vegetable broth is labeled gluten-free. Some broths use barley-derived yeast extract.
- On Day 7 of the plan, replace brown rice with certified gluten-free rice or cauliflower rice.
No other changes to the recipe are needed. The rest of the ingredients – cabbage, peppers, celery, tomatoes, and onions – are all naturally gluten-free.
What the Cabbage Soup Diet Actually Does to Your Body
The diet produces fast results – but it is worth knowing why before you start. Weight lost in the first week is primarily water weight and stored glycogen, not fat. When you cut calories sharply, your body burns glycogen (stored glucose) for energy. Each gram of glycogen holds about 3 grams of water. As glycogen depletes, the water releases – which is why the scale drops fast (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Long-term fat loss requires a sustained caloric deficit over weeks, not days. The cabbage soup diet does not teach sustainable habits, and most people regain the lost weight within two weeks of stopping (Harvard Health, 2022).
The diet is also low in protein, healthy fats, and several micronutrients including B12, iron, and zinc. For people already managing dietary restrictions, this gap is wider. If you follow a vegan diet, for example, your B12 intake on this plan will likely be near zero without supplementation.
Use this diet as a short-term reset, not a long-term strategy.
Common Mistakes That Undermine the Cabbage Soup Diet
- Skipping the protein days: Days 5 and 6 include meat for a reason. If you are vegan, replace it with a protein-dense alternative – do not skip the protein entirely.
- Using full-sodium broth: Standard broth can push sodium intake above 2,300mg daily, causing water retention that masks your results. Use low-sodium broth.
- Ignoring the day-by-day food rules: Eating any fruit you like every day (instead of following the daily rotation) reduces the caloric structure the plan depends on.
- Expecting permanent fat loss: Treat the 5-10 lb loss as motivation and water weight – not as a replacement for a long-term diet plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cabbage Soup Diet
What is the cabbage soup diet?
The cabbage soup diet is a 7-day, low-calorie weight-loss plan built around eating unlimited homemade vegetable soup. Each day of the plan adds specific foods alongside the soup. Most followers report losing 5-10 lbs in one week, primarily as water weight (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
Is the cabbage soup diet safe?
For most healthy adults, a single 7-day cycle is considered low-risk. The diet is not safe for people with diabetes, kidney disease, or eating disorder histories without medical supervision. It is also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women (NHS, 2023).
Is the cabbage soup diet keto-friendly?
The original recipe is not keto. It contains canned tomatoes, onion soup mix, and high volumes of onions, all of which push carbs above keto limits. The keto-adapted version in this article reduces net carbs to approximately 6-8g per serving by swapping key ingredients.
Can vegans follow the cabbage soup diet?
Yes, with adjustments. The soup itself is plant-based. The challenge is Days 5 and 6, which call for beef or chicken. Replace these with firm tofu, cooked lentils, or tempeh to maintain adequate protein intake.
How long can you stay on the cabbage soup diet?
The plan runs for exactly 7 days. It is not designed or safe for longer use. Running the diet for more than one week increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and metabolic slowdown (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). If you repeat it, wait at least two weeks between cycles.
Does the cabbage soup diet work for long-term weight loss?
No. The weight lost is mostly water and glycogen. Once normal eating resumes, the weight typically returns within one to two weeks (Harvard Health, 2022). For lasting results, the cabbage soup diet works best as a short-term reset before transitioning to a sustainable calorie-deficit plan.
Key Takeaways
The cabbage soup diet is a short-term, low-calorie plan that can produce rapid weight loss, but the results are primarily water weight. To make the plan work for your specific dietary needs, consider these essential points.
- The cabbage soup diet is a 7-day, low-calorie plan – fast results are real, but mostly water weight.
- The original recipe is vegan and gluten-free by default; the only changes needed are replacing the onion soup mix with certified alternatives.
- A keto version requires swapping canned tomatoes, reducing onion volume, and eliminating hidden sugars in the soup mix.
- Protein is the biggest nutritional gap for vegan followers – supplement with tofu, lentils, or edamame on protein days.
- Use the diet as a short-term reset only. Consult a doctor before starting if you have any underlying health condition.
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