cabbage diet

30 March 2022

The desire to get rid of excess weight drives overweight people to various weight loss systems. Recently, complex methods have become increasingly popular. But in most cases, attempts to lose weight are limited to choosing a specific diet. Diets differ according to the list of allowed and prohibited foods, duration and general rules. In the following material, we will talk about the cabbage diet.

cabbage diet

Cabbage is a very popular product. Salads, soups and hot dishes are made from it. It is fermented, salted, pickled with other vegetables. Cabbage can easily be purchased at the nearest supermarket or grown on your own plot.

Cabbage tastes good, fresh and cooked. At the same time, it is rich in vitamins, minerals, micro and macro elements necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. Contains:

B vitamins that support the work of the central nervous system, strengthen the immune system;
group E vitamins, necessary for the organs of vision;
group C vitamins, which are the basis of immunity. You only need to eat 250 grams of cabbage to make up for the daily dose;
iron involved in the transport of nutrients to cells;
magnesium, necessary for the normal growth and development of muscle tissue;
calcium is an important component for the health of bones, teeth, nails;
methionine is a special substance involved in the work of cells.

In addition, cabbage also contains a lot of natural plant fiber (fiber), which improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps to clean it.

With all the variety, the cabbage that is part of the components has a very low calorie content – 28 kcal per 100 grams. And in sauerkraut it is even less - 19 kcal per 100 grams. Any cabbage is suitable for a diet: white, cauliflower, broccoli. And how to use it correctly - we will consider in the next paragraph.

General rules

The basis of the diet, as the name implies, is cabbage. It is combined with other products, depending on the type of diet. There are three main types:

Smooth or classic option. In this case, the diet menu is varied, consisting of many other products, but coleslaw, stew or sauerkraut, soup with it are added to lunch and dinner.
Hard option or fasting days: cabbage-kefir, cabbage-curd, cabbage-vegetable diets.
Mono-option: only cabbage is allowed for several days.

Experts do not recommend the last two options, because they can be dangerous for health, lead to irreparable consequences. The main thing in the cabbage diet is to monitor the number of calories consumed, not to decrease the daily rate below 1000 kcal.

In general, for all three types, the general dietary rules are the same:

completely exclude candy, flour products, semi-finished products, fast food from the diet;
cooking dishes with a minimum amount of salt, vegetable oil, you can bake food on the grill or in the oven, use a water bath or non-stick pan;
drink plenty of water - up to two liters a day or at the rate of 30 ml per kilogram of weight;
it is also recommended to replace coffee with decoctions of herbs, green tea.

The switch to food, where the main product is cabbage, is only possible with the permission of a specialist, therapist or nutritionist.

Advantages and disadvantages

The cabbage diet has several advantages:

The main advantage of the cabbage diet is availability. Cabbage can be easily purchased at the store closest to the house, in addition, it stands out for its low cost.
The next advantage is the ability to cook many different dishes. Soups, salads, main dishes or snacks are prepared from cabbage, fermented, salted or eaten fresh.
But the main thing is the high use of cabbage. As already mentioned, it contains a huge amount of vitamins, micro and macro elements.

Simply adding cabbage to your regular diet won't do any harm. But a diet based only on this vegetable is considered unhealthy, unbalanced. You should be aware that an abundance of cabbage in the diet can negatively affect health. Often, those who lose weight have the following side effects: decreased efficiency, concentration, the appearance of apathy, headaches. This is due to a decrease in the total calorie content of the diet, the inability to cover the body's need for proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

In addition, the abundance of cabbage in the diet can cause an increase in stomach acidity, cause fermentation processes, characterized by pain, bloating and flatulence.

You should also know that the cabbage diet is contraindicated:

pregnant and lactating women;
minors (under 18);
with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
with pressure problems: hypertension or hypotension;
with diabetes;
pathology of the kidneys, liver.

In general, mono-diets on cabbage or fasting days, for example cottage cheese and cabbage, are considered unbalanced and dangerous. Experts do not recommend using them for weight loss. It is better to add coleslaw or cabbage soup in sauerkraut to the menu.

Allowed products table

It is not necessary to eat only cabbage in a diet. The diet should be as varied, tasty and nutritious as possible. The menu should cover the body's need for proteins, fats, carbohydrates. Therefore, it is recommended to enable the following:

Various types of cabbage: white, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, red, leafy, broccoli, Peking, kohlrabi, sea.
Other vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, zucchini, eggplant, squash, onions.
Greens: all kinds of lettuce, parsley, dill, basil, chives.
Fruits: apples, oranges, grapefruit, pear, nectarine, apricot, peach.
Berries: raspberries, strawberries, cherries, cherries, blackberries, currants, currants.

It is recommended that dishes be cooked with a minimal addition of oil. It is advisable to bake in the oven or on the grill, sauté in a non-stick pan, use a bain-marie.

Totally or partially restricted products

In moderation, small portions on a cabbage diet are allowed:

Low-fat dairy and sour products: milk, kefir, boiled fermented milk, cottage cheese.
Chicken or quail eggs.
Poultry meat: chicken, turkey.
Meat: lean pork, beef, rabbit.
Durum wheat dough, rye bread.
Cereals: buckwheat, oats, barley, rice.
Low-fat cheeses.
Diet chicken ham.

From drinks, decoctions of herbs, coffee or tea without added sugar are allowed.

Table of prohibited products

From the diet on this diet, you must completely exclude:

semi-finished products;
fast food;
bakery;
confectionery;
sweet carbonated drinks, juices;
alcohol.

If the diet menu is balanced, covers the body's need for calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, then, along with the diet, it is recommended to introduce physical activity into the usual routine. The main thing is to find the type of sport that brings pleasure, is within our reach and corresponds to the current physical shape.

Cabbage diet menu (diet)

The cabbage diet menu is easy to make on your own. To do this, you need to calculate the body's calorie requirement. This can be done using a special formula or through the online calculator service.

Another option is to use a ready-made diet for a week. If everything is simple with mono-options, a full, high-quality menu looks much more complicated:

	Breakfast	Lunch	To have lunch	Snack	To have lunch
Monday	Cheesecakes with yogurt, fruit, raisins.	Sandwich with cottage cheese, herbs, salmon.	Dietary soup of fresh cabbage, 100 grams of cooked chicken breast, a slice of rye bread.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Seaweed salad "in Korean".
Tuesday	Oatmeal with milk, cheese sandwich.	Cheesecakes with fruit.	Diet cabbage cutlets with buckwheat garnish, vegetable salad.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Omelet, coleslaw with greens, a glass of kefir.
Wednesday	Cottage cheese casserole with dried fruit.	Cracker or diet protein bar.	Cauliflower and white cabbage casserole, vegetable salad.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Salad with Chinese cabbage, chicken and corn.
Thursday	Two hard-boiled eggs, toast with peanut butter.	Toast with ham, lettuce, tomato.	Cabbage cooked in a slow cooker with prunes. Vegetable salad.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Omelet, sauerkraut.
Friday	Wheat porridge with any berries.	Sandwich with ham, cheese, tomato.	Roasted chicken with vegetables.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Vegetable salad, steamed pollock, a glass of kefir.
Saturday	Omelet with herbs and tomato.	Cheesecakes with fruit.	Chicken soup with vegetables, a slice of rye bread.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Salad: seaweed with egg.
Sunday	Rice porridge with milk, ham sandwich.	Diet protein pudding with fruit.	Lean pork roast with asparagus.	Any fruit, 15-20 any nut.	Omelet with herbs, vegetable salad, a glass of yogurt.

It is not necessary to strictly follow the table. You can experiment, invent your own dishes or look for interesting ones on the Internet.

Diet recipes for cabbage diet

For a cabbage diet, you can use all kinds of dishes, the recipes of which with photos and step-by-step instructions are in a wide variety on the Internet. Using ready-made recipes or creating your own dishes, the main thing to remember are the basic rules for cooking cabbage when losing weight:

Minimize the amount of salt. You can replace it with various spices, herbs.
Do not use vegetable oil for frying, but it can be added to salads.
Use a non-stick skillet, steamer, electric grill, oven for cooking.
Those who work in the office or study are advised to bring food in containers. This will help you to avoid unexpected snacks.

In principle, any dishes with cabbage that do not contain mayonnaise or products from the banned list are suitable for a cabbage diet.

Dietary fresh cabbage soup

To prepare a healthy version of the usual soup, you need to prepare the following basic ingredients:

chicken breast or chicken fillet - 300 grams;
fresh carrots - 1 pc. ;
fresh cabbage - 300-400 g;
tomato - a small;
a small potato;
onions - 1 pc. ;
greens: onion, dill, parsley.

Cut the chicken fillet into cubes, cook in 1-1. 5 liters of water for 30-40 minutes. Prepare the vegetables: grate the carrots on a coarse grater, chop the cabbage, cut the tomatoes and potatoes into cubes. Dip them in water and cook until soft.

After the vegetables are tender, you can salt, add ground black pepper, herbs (dill, parsley, onion). Serve with low-fat sour cream.

Diet cabbage cutlets recipe

An ideal option for a vegetarian menu is cabbage cutlets. To prepare them, you will need:

600 grams of white cabbage;
two chicken eggs;
a lamp;
salt pepper;
2 tablespoons of rice or any other flour.

The cooking process is simple. First you need to finely chop the cabbage. Knead with your hands, drain the resulting juice. Add chopped onion, eggs and flour, salt, black pepper to the chopped cabbage. Form sideburns. Put them in a non-stick form, bake at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden.

These cutlets go well with sour cream sauce, for which you need:

sour cream - 200 grams;
3-4 cloves of garlic;
bunch of dill.

Squeeze garlic cloves into sour cream, add chopped dill, a pinch of salt - the sauce is ready.

Cauliflower and Cabbage Casserole

Cabbage casserole is another interesting option for a delicious lunch or dinner. To cook you will need:

white cabbage - 300 grams;
cauliflower - 300 grams;
carrots - a small;
two or three eggs;
milk - 200ml;
salt pepper.

White cabbage must be finely chopped. Color - disassemble into inflorescences. Mix two types of cabbage, grated carrots and put in a non-stick frying pan. Separately mix eggs, milk, salt, black pepper. Pour the casserole with the resulting mixture, put in the oven at 80 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

The finished casserole can be sprinkled with low-fat cheese, garnished with herbs.

You can use any type of cabbage in this recipe. It's especially tasty with colorful and broccoli.

Salads with Chinese cabbage, chicken and corn

This salad is an ideal option for dinner as it is not only tasty but also satisfying. In addition, it is ideal for a festive party. To cook you need:

a medium-sized Chinese cabbage;
cooked chicken fillet - 300 grams;
a red onion;
canned corn - 1 can;
parsley;
oil for seasoning;
lemon juice for dressing;
salt, black pepper, herbs de Provence.

The salad preparation process is extremely simple, it only takes a few minutes. First you need to cut the chicken into cubes, marinate in olive oil, salt, herbs de Provence, leave for 15-20 minutes. Add chopped Chinese cabbage, red onion rings, canned corn, parsley to the chicken. Season the salad with a little more olive oil, sprinkle with lemon juice.

You can also add homemade rye bread cookies to the salad. Instead of butter, use low-fat sour cream.

Salad (seaweed with egg)

Another quick and tasty salad for seaweed lovers. It is ideal for dinner, it fills the body with useful proteins, micro and macro elements. To prepare it you will need:

150 grams of seaweed;
2 chicken eggs;
50 grams of low-fat sour cream;
salt.

To prepare the salad, you need to mix the chopped egg with seaweed, sour cream, salt.

This recipe is considered a classic. But there are also varieties. Often they prepare a salad with seaweed, egg and:

crab sticks or crab meat;
melted cheese;
cucumber;
corn;
green peas;
Squid;
cheese;
rice
potatoes;
Pepper.

This salad is a kind of builder that allows you to put together a delicious and, most importantly, healthy dinner from whatever is on hand.

Cabbage cooked in a slow cooker with prunes

A rather unusual but tasty recipe is boiled cabbage with prunes. To prepare it, you will need a slow cooker and the following ingredients:

half a head of white cabbage;
one medium carrot;
a small onion;
three to four medium tomatoes;
plums - 100 grams;
olive oil - 1 tablespoon;
sour cream or Greek yogurt - 2 tbsp;
lemon juice - 1 tsp;
salt pepper.

The cooking process is as follows:

Chop the cabbage, grate the carrots, chop the onion.
Pour the oil into the multicooker bowl, add cabbage, onion, carrot. Put in "Frying" mode for 7 minutes.
Tomatoes cut into cubes.
Wash plums, cut into halves.
Put the tomatoes, plums in the multicooker bowl with vegetables. Add Greek yogurt, lemon juice.
Put in "extinguish" mode for 25 minutes.

After turning off the multicooker, open the lid, salt, add ground black pepper.

Seaweed Salad "Korean Style"

The last option for a delicious, healthy and nutritious dinner is a seaweed salad according to a special recipe. It is ideal for lovers of spicy, spicy and aromatic food. To cook you will need:

seaweed - 150 g;
a small carrot;
onion;
two red peppers;
vinegar - 1 tsp;
Ground black pepper;
bay leaf - 2-3 pieces;
olive oil - 5 tablespoons;
soy sauce - 3 tsp;
coriander - 4 g;
garlic - 3-5 cloves;
sesame - 18 g.

The cooking process is as follows:

First you need to soak the seaweed for several hours in the water. This way it will absorb other flavors, it will be more juicy and tasty. It is advisable to change the water every 30-40 minutes.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces.
Heat a skillet, add half the oil.
Add the vegetables, fry until cooked.
Once soft, remove from heat and let cool.
Mix the vegetables with the seaweed, season the salad with the remaining oil, vinegar, soy sauce and spices. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

The salad can also be served hot. And replace fresh carrots with Korean ones.

going off the diet

A competent exit from the diet is the key to maintaining the result. It is impossible to allow the dropped kg to return immediately. Here the rule is simple: the longer the output, the better. In doing so, the following recommendations should be followed:

gradually increase the calorie content of the diet;
keep count of proteins, fats, carbohydrates consumed, make sure that the daily norm for these important nutrients is met;
maintain water balance;
don't forget about sports: any activity that brings pleasure is suitable for the level of physical activity;
walk 8-10 thousand steps daily.

Opinion of an 'expert

Mono-diets and strict diets of diluted cabbage can negatively affect health, so they should be used with extreme caution. A balanced diet that includes regular consumption of cabbage will only bring benefits and help you to lose weight safely.