Below is the Original Cabbage Soup Diet as published by the National Enquirer in the 1990’s.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cabbage, chopped

  • 6 onions, sliced or chopped

  • 2 green bell peppers, chopped

  • 1 bunch celery, chopped

  • 1 bunch shallots or 1 bunch green onion, sliced

  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes

  • 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope onion soup

  • 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)

  • 48 ounces V8 vegetable juice

  • 2 (28 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes

  • 1 lemon, juice of

  • pepper

  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.

  2. Simmer for 1 hour.

  3. Refrigerate all leftovers.

Drinks Allowed -

  • Unsweetened juices, particularly cranberry

  • Tea (also herbal)

  • Black Coffee

  • Lots of water

Quick Note:

Reading this recipe now it’s crazy to think of what was considered “healthy,” even in the 90’s.

If you really wanted to make this original recipe, I would say forgo the high-sodium ingredients like bouillon and dried onion soup mix. Definitely opt for a low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock, or even bone-broth.

In addition, I would personally replace the V8 juice with simply a can of diced or crushed tomato.

These types of ingredients have unnecessary additives and high salt content.

The Original 7-Day Plan:

Day 1 -

Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

Day 2 -

All vegetables. Eat until you are full with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup and a baked potato at dinner time with butter. Don’t eat any fruits through today.

Day 3 -

Eat all the soup, fruit, and veggies you want.

Do not have a baked potato.

Day 4 -

Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup.

Day 5 -

Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

Day 6 -

Beef and veggies, eat to your heart’s content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

Day 7 -

Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, until full (and eat the soup). You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

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