How to Prepare the Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe

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For many years, Cabbage Soup Diet recipe has always been around. But how does it work? How effective do you think it is? Will you really lose weight when you take it daily?

Getting to Know Cabbage Soup Diet

If you are looking for a low-fat, high-fiber diet that will get you in shape as soon as possible, then you've got to try Cabbage Soup Diet. The best thing about this plan is that you can lose about 10-15 pounds for only 7 days.

The original recipe consists of cabbage, celery, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Some would add onion soup mix in order to have more flavors. However, eating this soup for 7 days straight might be nauseous. That's why some would put in more spices and make it palatable.

A dietitian from Memphis Veterans Medical Center, Millicent Lasslo-Meeks, said that there is really no magic in the combination of food. But there are certain food combinations that can speed metabolism. It is therefore implied that the mix of foods in Cabbage Soup Diet would somehow burn fat.

Another clinical dietitian, Alison Trowbridge, said that this diet may drop a few pounds but it can result to loss of your lean muscle, which will hamper your body's capacity to burn calories. To solve this, she said that exercising while following this diet is very crucial.

What does Cabbage Soup Diet Offer?

The original purpose of Cabbage Soup Diet is to offer a fast option to weight loss. After you achieve your ideal weight, you are now ready to enter into a healthier eating habit and limit your portions later on. It's a good way to jump start your weight loss effort.

Another advantage is that this diet will last only for 7 days. Experts say that healthy people will not be harmed with limited food intake in such as short period of time. In fact, it may even discipline them to add more vegetables in their daily diet.

Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe

Those who have tried the soup in this recipe can say that it isn't that bad. Here is a simple recipe for you to follow.

Ingredients:

- ½ or whole cabbage head
- 1-6 green onions (scallions)
- 16-28 ounces of crushed, canned, or whole fresh tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers (green)
- 1 stalk up to 1 bunch celery
- 1-2 packages of Onion Soup mix
- Black pepper to suit your taste
- Herbs to suit your taste
- 6 carrots (optional)
- 16 ounces of green beans (optional)
- Small can of V-8 juice (optional)

Procedure:

1. Slice the vegetables and then place it in a huge pot covered with water. Add the soup mix. Then boil gently for about 10 minutes, cover it while lowering the heat to simmer until the vegetables are soft.

2. Next, add pepper (or whatever herbs you may prefer). You may even put a dash of fresh herbs (such as basil or cilantro) at serving time. This will make around 6 quarts.

3. Since this soup will last you several days, you may want to put in additional water when the liquid starts to get low. A chicken or beef bouillon may be added too.

Faster Weight Loss Diet

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Here's a faster weight loss diet than the typical fad diets that help you to lose weight then you pack it all back on. Look, you'll lose weight fast on this diet I'm about to share with you. BUT, you'll also be able to keep it off since there won't be any huge changes. You won't be going too far out of your comfort zone... if at all. Read this now so you can start losing weight immediately.

Faster Weight Loss Diet

1. Breakfast is make or break time

You need protein and if you're going to eat a big meal, it has to be here... not at lunch or dinner. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. You screw this up, and you basically screw up your day... nutritionally. You won't be able to recover no matter how good you eat for lunch and dinner. You simply need to eat a good breakfast. You can't eat a breakfast loaded with simple carbs and you can't skip breakfast.

Get some eggs, try some black beans, eat rolled oats oatmeal, get in a protein shake. Those are the top options.

2. Lunch and dinner... eat soup or salad and follow it up with meat and a vegetable or two

Simple. You use the soups and salads to eat less of the main meal. This is easy way to eat your favorite foods while cutting calories out. The only thing to make sure it that your vegetable isn't potatoes.

3. Snacks... go with protein snacks

Protein helps to control your blood sugar levels. So high protein snacks between meals are quite important. I'm big on low calorie yogurts, string cheese, and beef jerky. Give them a try for a week. You'll see they do a good job at satisfying your hunger and different tastes.

This is a faster weight loss diet that works... give it a try and see for yourself.

Fight Colds And Flu With Healthy Food

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Your food and healthy lifestyle choices boost your immune system, and that can prevent you from coming down with colds and flu. The key is not waiting until you get sick to make these changes; you need to revamp your diet and lifestyle before the cold and flu bugs hits you.

Drink lots of water, eat a healthy balanced diet supplemented with a whole food supplement for extra protection, exercise often and get restful sleep.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

You know you need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The problem with this age - old phrase is that people tend to like the fruits more than the veggies. If you really hate a certain vegetable it's probably not going to do you a lot of good if you have to force yourself to eat it. To keep your immune system strong, you have to actually get the fruits and veggies in your body, you have to make it happen.

People tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables in the winter, which is the opposite of what you should be doing. Everyone needs at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day to get adequate vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants -- all things we need for a healthy immune system.

Make sure that fruits and vegetables are part of every meal. You can add berries or a sliced banana to your whole grain cereal at breakfast and drink a glass of 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Pack a bunch of grapes or an apple with your sandwich for lunch, and top that sandwich with tomato slices, avocado, sprouts and lettuce. Start dinner off with a salad or vegetable soup, or serve a big salad as a healthy dinner. Keep a bowl of oranges, apples and pears on your counter top to grab as quick snacks.

Keep Up Your Healthy Diet

While you want to focus on increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat, don't forget to choose other healthy foods to supply nutrients your immune system needs. A healthy balanced diet with lean meats, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds provides your body with all of the nutrients you need for general health. A healthy body tends to have a healthier immune system.

Protein sources such as lean meats, dairy, eggs and legumes are especially important because they supply the amino acids that your body needs to build the components of your immune system. Lean meats also contain iron and zinc; deficiencies of these minerals can depress your immune system.

Of course, avoiding unhealthy food is important too. Stay away from excess sugar and unhealthy fats, such as saturated fat and trans fats. Make a real effort to give up the Mc Junk meals. Keep healthy snacks handy so you won't be so tempted to eat less healthy options. Try dried fruit or trail mix.

If the cold or flu bug bites here's a daily menu based on experts' recommendations:

Breakfast

Orange juice or half a grapefruit. Both are great sources of vitamin C, which could shorten the duration of colds.

Whole-grain cereal or bread. Whole grains are rich in vitamins and minerals, including zinc and vitamin E, which can help keep your immune system healthy.

Black tea. Real tea leaves (not herbal) have substances that speed the action of cilia, the tiny hairlike cells lining your nasal pas-sages, helping them expel germs.

Mid-morning snack

Yogurt with fresh fruit.

Lunch

Chicken soup. Nebraska researchers used a traditional recipe they called "Grandma's Soup," which had veggies like onions, parsnips, and carrots, along with chicken. But most of the commercial varieties they tested reduced inflammation, too. For even more protection, add a clove or two of garlic.

Anise-seed cookie. Anise seeds, with their licorice-like flavor, have been found to help break up congestion.

Dinner

Salad of bitter greens. Watercress and arugula can make a salad special-and research shows they may also have antiviral effects. Bitter greens are especially helpful in relieving chest congestion, sniffles, and coughs.

Pasta with tomato sauce and plenty of garlic. Because the pungent bulb is one of the most potent disease-fighting foods around, it's worth having at least two servings a day. Raw garlic has the most benefits, but cooked garlic also packs a punch.

Ginger tea. It's different and refreshing-and ginger is loaded with virus-fighting substances, including several that act directly against cold viruses."(One substance, gingerol, can suppress coughing.) Boil water; then steep a tablespoon of fresh shredded ginger for 2 or 3 minutes.

Honey and lemon drink: for a bedtime drink that helps to soothe sore throats and coughing - squeeze the juice of a lemon into a mug of hot water and add a teaspoon of honey, stir to dissolve.