The New High-Protein Cabbage Soup Diet That Melts Pounds and Blasts Belly Fat
Say goodbye to boring and bland and hello to healthy and flavorful!
Tens of thousands of us still search the internet for details of the old 7-day cabbage soup diet. Why are we so drawn to an ‘80s fad diet that was kind of icky and unsustainable? “I think it’s because the concept was simple, and it really did lead to quick short-term weight loss,” says Souping Is the New Juicing author Cherie Calbom, MS. “The results didn’t last, but the plan got some things right.”
This realization inspired Calbom to take a closer look at the low-calorie diet. She ended up reinventing it, even creating a new high-protein cabbage soup diet recipe. “When you add the right nutrients and get rid of unnecessary rules, you’re left with something amazing,” she says. Her followers agree. Many tested the approach, shedding up to 9 pounds in a week. “And they’re keeping it off or continuing to lose!” Read on to discover why Calbom’s upgrades are so effective for weight loss.
Cabbage soup diet—better than ever!
For those who don’t recall, the original cabbage soup dieters ate only soup and some random extras (like a baked potato on day two and skim milk on day four). It sounds weird, and it was weird. Even so, experts say broth-based soup is amazing for long-term weight loss. It has solids suspended in liquid, which confuse the body and trigger reactions that shrink appetite by hundreds of calories a day, per Penn State soup authority Barbara Rolls, PhD. But this is true of any soup—so no need to choose a boring one made with bouillon cubes and cabbage. “The first thing I did was make a tastier version,” says Calbom. “People love it!”
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Other key improvements: You won’t eat unlimited cabbage soup at every meal. “We get sick of any food we eat that often,” notes Calbom, who also eliminated the random foods. “My goal was to create a basic structure that retains the simplicity and convenience people loved about the original cabbage soup diet while also allowing for variety that makes it sustainable.”
How cabbage soup aids weight loss
Calbom says the cruciferous veggie is full of prebiotic fiber that feeds gut bacteria linked to radiant wellness and effortless weight control. And there’s preliminary evidence that the cabbage antioxidant sulforaphane helps prevent new fat cells from forming. “I love cabbage,” says Calbom. But cabbage is no longer the only slimming superfood invited to the party.
Protein curbs calories
Protein makes the body work hard to break it down, temporarily speeding metabolism by about 900 percent. On top of that, a University of Washington team found that getting more protein makes us automatically eat 441 fewer calories daily. Oh, and amino acids in protein are key to protecting muscle and stoking fat burn, with a Duke study finding that an intake of 120 grams a day (which you get from Calbom’s plan) can double weight loss after 50. “Protein is powerful,” says Calbom, who loaded her cabbage soup with bone broth and chicken.
Fiber keeps you full
Serving for serving, beans have about five times more fiber than cabbage and other soup veggies, says Calbom. And fiber isn’t just filling, it’s proven to “stick” to other food and can prevent hundreds of calories a week from being absorbed. Bonus: Beans are a top source of resistant starch, which stimulates the release of compounds that lower levels of fat-belly hormones and rev fat burn for 24 hours.
MCT oil burns fat
Calbom includes MCT oil as yet another potent upgrade in the soup. MCT stands for “medium-chain triglycerides,” a fatty acid abundant in coconut oil. “There is great research showing it promotes weight loss,” she says. Japanese scientists found that MCTs boost levels of the hormone GLP-1, mimicking benefits of weight-loss meds like Ozempic and Mounjaro. MCTs also digest rapidly, triggering a blast of heat that sets calorie burning on fire. And Calbom added MCT oil to her soup recipe because it contains compounds known to stimulate the loss of belly fat. In fact, a Columbia University study found women given MCT lost 600 percent more belly fat than those given olive oil.
High-protein cabbage soup diet success: Theresia lost three sizes
After a long battle with severe arthritis and ulcerative colitis left her barely able to walk or leave her home, Theresia Lijffijt, 52, was thrilled when she found treatments that relieved her pain. She was also eager to get back out in the world. The hitch? She gained significant weight during her ordeal. “Only my sweatpants and pajamas fit, and I wanted to look nice again,” she shares.
She’d first been introduced to Calbom in a documentary about overcoming chronic illness. Theresia had tried and liked some of Calbom’s recipes. So when Calbom posted her new cabbage soup recipe, Theresia jumped at the chance to test it. It seemed easy and full of soothing nutrients. She simmered up a pot of soup to enjoy as lunch; at other meals and snacks, she made simple protein-rich picks Calbom suggested. “My energy was better, my mind was more clear and I had no cravings,” she recalls. “I lost 9 pounds the first week!”
As Theresia kept at it, she continued losing weight “especially from my belly,” shares the retiree, who divides her time between California and her native Netherlands. Theresia was so pleased with how her body was responding, she kept using the basic plan, making a few tweaks. In about five weeks, she shed 29 pounds. She says she can tell her metabolism has picked up. “I feel more alive!”
Exclusive: High-protein cabbage soup diet recipe
- 4 Tbs. coconut or MCT oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cups chopped veggies, such as celery, carrot, bell pepper
- 4 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
- 8 cups chicken bone broth/stock
- 3 cups cabbage, chopped
- 2 15-oz. cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1-2 lbs. shredded cooked chicken
Instructions:
In pot, sauté garlic, onion and veggies in oil until soft. Add seasoning plus salt/pepper to taste. Add broth and cabbage; simmer 25 minutes. Stir in chicken and beans; simmer 10 min.
8 servings, 43 g protein each
How to follow the new cabbage soup diet
This plan was designed as an ultra-easy way to keep metabolism up and hunger down as you speed off excess pounds. You can use it for a few days or as long as you like. Swap in any healthy ingredients you enjoy, but for best results keep the emphasis on protein and fiber. In the mood for soup with no cabbage? For more protein-rich soup recipes, check out Souping Is the New Juicing; or visit JuiceLadyCherie.com or follow @JuiceLadyCherie on Instagram.
Breakfast
Enjoy a large serving of Greek yogurt, 1 cup scrambled egg whites or a protein shake; add fruit on the side.
Lunch & dinner
Have cabbage soup at one sitting; at the next, eat 6 oz. lean protein, lots of non-starchy veggies, plus good fat and optional fiber-rich starch.
Snacks
If you’re hungry between meals, grab hard-boiled eggs or cheese sticks, veggies and/or herbal tea.
Additional reporting by Cailey Griffin
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