The Economics of the Cabbage Soup Diet

The rising cost of prices today has often lead people to consider cheaper alternatives to everything. Some people will resort to a one-ply tissue paper or turn off unused light fixtures. Others will want to buy a hybrid vehicle and recycle more. Even the desire for a more beautiful body will require a cheaper and more effective diet. This holds true with regards to the Cabbage Soup Diet which is one of the most economical diets around.

Compared with other diets, the Cabbage Soup Diet uses very economical and accessible vegetables that can be bought at under a dollar each. These vegetables can be found in your local grocery store year round and the preparation method is one of the easiest ways to prepare the dish. A study conducted by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition on the economics of obesity states that the healthiest diets tends to be the most expensive.

The study was based on the fact that the ingredients for the diets where purchased individually and cooked at home. This is a more realistic way to look at it since diets normally call for self-preparation versus having to purchase the entire meal itself. Cheese is usually included in the diet plans. Healthier and low-fat cheese such as blue cheese and brie are far more expensive that the more common cheddar or parmesan cheese. The vegetable portions of the meal were represented by the prices of potatoes, tomatoes, peas and beans.

For example, a diet that contains a serving of white meat (turkey or chicken), vegetables, and some cheese cost around $8-9 per meal for men and $7-8 dollars per meal for women. Since fast-food cost less than that, more and more people gravitate towards unhealthy foods.

The popular South Beach diet has many offers from catering companies that delivers every meal straight to your door everyday. The study states that it costs $12.78 per meal for the South Beach diet while other companies offer up to $15 per meal. The Atkins diet was estimated to be around $14-15 per meal. This, they say, is in contrast to the $4 per meal that the normal individual consumes on regular and sometimes unhealthy food.

The Cabbage Soup Diet on the other hand is considered to be very economical compared to other diets. The main ingredients of the diet consist of 6 large green onions, 2 green peppers, 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole), 3 Carrots, 1 Container (10 oz. or so) Mushrooms, 1 bunch of celery, half a head of cabbage, 1 package Lipton soup mix, 1 or 2 cubes of bouillon (optional) and an optional can of 48oz V8 juice. Including the fruits and vegetables that the dieter has to consume in one week and the 20 ounce beef, the Cabbage Soup Diet will set you back around $50 for the whole week.

The Cabbage Soup Diet is testament that not all diets are costly. However, you should be warned that the soup should not be undertaken for more than one week. If you are also suffering from any kind of health problems, be sure to consult a physician first before continuing into the diet.

Author is the webmaster of Cabbage Soup Diet. You might be interested in "What a Cabbage Can Do?" and "The Cabbage Soup Cuisine".