Benefits and results of the cabbage diet
The cabbage diet allows you to lose 3 to 4 kg of excess weight in 7-10 days, taking into account moderate physical activity. This effect is achieved due to the content of tartronic acid in leafy vegetables. This substance prevents the formation of new adipose tissue from carbohydrates obtained from food and speeds up metabolism. The product contains coarse fiber, which cleanses the gastrointestinal tract of toxins and satisfies hunger.
In this article we will tell you how cabbage affects weight loss and in what form to consume it.
Is it possible to eat cabbage while losing weight?
Cabbage is a low-calorie product that contains almost no sugar. The bulk of carbohydrates is represented by coarse plant fiber, which is practically not absorbed by the body. When it enters the stomach, its fibers swell, putting pressure on its walls. As a result, a person feels full. Hunger subsides for 2-3 hours.
Thanks to this effect, people eat less food. The total caloric content of the diet decreases. To replenish energy costs, the body is forced to break down internal reserves of subcutaneous and visceral fat. The process of self-regulation of weight is underway. The vitamins and mineral compounds contained in the leafy vegetable speed up metabolism, improving the effectiveness of the diet.
As a result It’s easy to lose 3-4 kg of excess weight in a week on a cabbage diet. You can increase the benefits of diet therapy with moderate physical activity. Strength and cardio training is prohibited.During the diet, the body experiences stress and high load, and is severely depleted. Additional exercise will worsen your overall health and cause the development of chronic diseases.
Reference! When following a low-calorie diet, skeletal muscles are not destroyed. Cabbage contains a large amount of easily digestible protein, which is used as a building material for the synthesis of new muscle tissue. With regular consumption of leafy vegetables and exercise, muscle tone is maintained.
The benefits of cabbage for weight loss
Benefits of white cabbage for weight loss:
- Coarse fiber cleanses the gastrointestinal tract of toxins, toxic substances and excess fluid. As a result, the likelihood of developing constipation is reduced and the peristalsis of the smooth muscles of the digestive organs is improved.
- Following a low-calorie diet cleanses the blood. Thanks to a balanced diet, biological fluid is distributed more quickly throughout the tissues, microcirculation accelerates. The cells are intensively supplied with blood, receiving nutrients from cabbage: vitamins B, A, iron, zinc, chromium.
- The vitamin-mineral complex contained in the leafy vegetable has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system and normalizes the psycho-emotional state. Antioxidants prevent the development of depression, improve mood, and promote increased physical activity.
- Nutrients speed up metabolism, which results in a fat-burning effect. Ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system and prevents infection with infectious diseases while following a diet.
- Cabbage leaves contain tartronic acid.The chemical compound prevents the conversion of carbohydrates obtained from food into subcutaneous fat. Its benefits can only be obtained by consuming the leafy vegetable in its raw form. Under the influence of high temperature, tartronic acid is quickly destroyed.
Cabbage is consumed raw, boiled, baked or steamed.
What is the best cabbage to eat for weight loss?
If you follow a diet, you are allowed to choose the type of cabbage that is most suitable for taste and health benefits. Leafy vegetables can be stewed, boiled, baked and steamed.
You cannot fry it, especially with the addition of vegetable oil. This ban is due to the fact that acrylamides are produced in cabbage during intensive heat treatment. They increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, leading to obesity, problems with the kidneys and pancreas.
White cabbage
It is allowed for consumption while following any type of diet due to its low calorie content and high content of tartronic acid. The product should not be abused. Otherwise, there will be a high load on the digestive tract, which will create constipation, bloating, and increase the risk of gastritis and gastric ulcers.
Consuming 150 g of raw white cabbage per day:
- strengthens the immune system;
- normalizes the functioning of the circulatory system;
- reduces the plasma concentration of triglycerides, harmful cholesterol in the blood;
- promotes cellular tissue renewal;
- improves lipid metabolism;
- speeds up metabolism;
- increases resistance to stress;
- rids the body of excess fat.
Pickled
Cabbage leaves during fermentation are saturated with yeast fungi. Once ingested, they are easily digested, saturating the blood with B vitamins. Thanks to them, sauerkraut improves the condition of hair and nails during the period of following a low-calorie diet, and normalizes brain function.
The plant product enriches the body with a number of mineral compounds such as iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. They are used for normal myocardial function, strengthening the vascular wall, and restoring water and electrolyte balance.
Stewed
Unlike raw vegetables, stewed cabbage has a softer structure. During heat treatment, coarse fiber stretches, becomes elastic and pliable. Thanks to this effect, the product is easier to digest and quickly absorbed in the small intestine. It does not create a burden on the digestive organs, so it can be easily combined with other types of vegetables.
Stewed cabbage contains mucilaginous substances and soluble fiber. Both components improve the digestion process and cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of toxins. The processed vegetable does not provoke the development of constipation, flatulence and bloating.
Important! During the cooking process, do not add vegetable oil. Otherwise, the calorie content of the product will increase, and its use will not be beneficial for weight loss.
Beijing
It has a lower content of coarse fiber compared to white cabbage. It can be used for exacerbation of symptoms of chronic diseases.
Chinese cabbage used in the preparation of salads, helps diversify the diet, prevents the absorption of sugars and heavy fatty acids.
Red
Purple cabbage rich in anthocyanins (water-soluble pigments). It is used raw for making salads or added to various dishes.
Abuse of vegetables provokes bloating, flatulence, and exacerbation of chronic diseases. To obtain benefits during the diet, 70-100 g of leaf product per day is enough.
Cauliflower
Compared to other types of leafy vegetables, it contains a large amount of B vitamins and ascorbic acid. During the period of low-calorie nutrition, when the body is severely depleted, it supports the functioning of the immune system: it protects a person from contracting viral and bacterial infections.
Cauliflower goes well with lean fish fillets and lean meat.
Kelp
Sea kale is not related to the cabbage family, but is a valuable source of ascorbic acid, iodine and iron. The latter increases the serum level of hemoglobin in the body, preventing the development of hypoxia and deterioration of brain function against the background of a low-calorie diet.
Important! It is forbidden to consume kelp along with lemon juice and salt during the diet. Otherwise, seaweed will cause stagnation of fluid in the soft tissues, which will cause swelling and disrupt metabolism.
Diet option with cabbage
You can follow a cabbage diet for a week or spend weekly fasting days on the leafy vegetable. In the latter case, you will need to set aside 1 day a week, on which you are allowed to drink water and eat up to 250 g of cabbage 5 times a day.
Attention. Dietary nutrition is practiced only in the complete absence of contraindications.
Basic Rules
Here are some recommendations on how to lose weight on cabbage:
- During the period of low-calorie nutrition, it is forbidden to add sugar, salt, or too hot spices to dishes.
- Confectionery and flour products, alcoholic, carbonated and sweet drinks are excluded from the diet.
- The duration of the diet should not exceed 10 days. Otherwise, the risk of developing health problems such as gastritis, nervous breakdown, and exhaustion increases.
- To speed up metabolism, drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. It is allowed to take herbal infusions and freshly squeezed juices, coffee and tea without milk and sugar.
When you feel hungry, you need to eat cabbage salad. Nuts, lemon juice, and fresh vegetables are added to it.
Diet
A sample menu for the week is presented in the following table.
| Diet | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Salad of cabbage, grated carrots, green peas with olive oil. Steamed fish, coffee without sugar. | 130 g low-fat curd mass, 200 g chicken broth, sweet and sour apple. | White cabbage soup, 200 g steamed broccoli and carrots, tea without sugar. | 2 boiled potatoes, 100 g veal. |
| Day 2 | Oatmeal with milk, freshly squeezed juice. | Natural yogurt, citrus fruits and a handful of nuts. | Baked fish with beans as a side dish. | Cabbage salad with nuts and chicken eggs. |
| Day 3 | Egg and cabbage casserole, black tea without sugar. | Boiled buckwheat, apple and orange. | 150 g chicken fillet, salad of Chinese cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers. | 100 g vinaigrette, apple compote. |
| 4 day | A glass of kefir, a sandwich of rye bread with hard cheese. | Grated carrot and cabbage salad. | 100 g sauerkraut, boiled fish fillet. | Soup with vegetables and beef, 100 g of cabbage salad with olive oil and lemon juice. |
| 5 day | Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit, coffee. | Cabbage casserole, apple, freshly squeezed juice. | Baked veal with a side dish of stewed vegetables. | Boiled fish, berries, tea without sugar. |
| Day 6 | Corn porridge with milk, fruit of your choice, juice. | Fruit salad with natural yoghurt. | Cabbage soup, whole grain bread. | 100 g lean fish, beet salad. |
| Day 7 | Buckwheat porridge with water, coffee without milk and sugar. | Fruit salad. | Vegetable salad of grated beets, onions, cabbage with olive oil dressing, 100 g of lean beef. | 2 baked potatoes, 100 g chicken breast and green tea. |
Reviews and results
Here are a few reviews about the cabbage diet.
Anastasia Kolpakova, 29 years old, Moscow: “I used cabbage for weight loss for 7 days, I hasten to share the results. Managed to lose 3 kg. The diet is tough and hungry. After the salad you don’t feel like eating, but you feel dissatisfied. You will first need to get used to a low-calorie diet so as not to feel moral exhaustion during the diet. I don’t recommend doing physical exercise, because you immediately feel dizzy and weak.”
Evgenia Markova, 32 years old, Ekaterinburg: “I chose white cabbage for my diet. I ate raw vegetables along with other vegetables for dinner, stewed them for lunch and afternoon snacks, boiled and baked the leaves. To avoid fatigue, I ate greens along with meat. Protein restored the energy lost during the day and helped me stay on the diet. Instead of salt, I recommend adding dried herbs to improve the taste of dishes on the cabbage diet. I lost 4.5 kg in 7 days.”
Marina Morozova, 25 years old, Vladivostok: “In a week of dieting, I lost 3 kg and was actively involved in swimming. I didn’t restrict myself too much in food so that I wouldn’t have stomach problems. Didn't eat salt or sugar. Is it possible to lose weight by eating fried cabbage? No, you can’t call it a low-calorie product.I cooked using a double boiler, boiled food and baked it. I tried to eat low-fat foods. I'm satisfied with the result."
Conclusion
The cabbage diet allows you to quickly lose weight by cleansing the gastrointestinal tract of toxins, normalizing digestion and accelerating metabolism.
The leafy vegetable itself does not have a fat-burning effect. In its raw form, cabbage prevents the formation of new fat mass from digested carbohydrates. During the diet, you will need to give up food additives, sweets, baked goods and fried foods.