What Is the Soup Diet?
The soup diet isn’t just one diet but rather a collection of soup-based eating plans that promise significant weight loss in a short amount of time (usually 5 to 10 days). On some of these diets, you consume nothing but soup, while on others, soup is the foundation of the eating plan, with some foods added.
Eating soup may help increase satiety and help you stay full, which might allow you to eat less overall.1 While this may lead to weight loss, there is no evidence that a soup-only diet could
effectively support long-term weight management.
What You Can Eat
There are many variations of the soup diet. Each has different foods that are encouraged and foods that are limited or prohibited. Even though each plan is unique, there are certain trends among them.
Broths and Soups
In general, most soup diets require that you make soup using a clear broth
Chicken broth
Beef broth
Vegetable broth
Fish stock
Various soups, depending on specific diet
Vegetables
Diet
The soup diets that follow a low-carb eating plan use vegetables with a lower glycemic index (GI
Turnips
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Kale
Spinach
Green beans
Celery
What You Cannot Eat
Soup diets are typically very restrictive, with only a few compliant foods and a long list of foods to avoid during the period of the diet
Dairy
Few soup plans allow followers to eat dairy.
Coffee cream
Milk
Cheese
Sour cream
Yogurt
Keto Soup Diet
The keto soup diet often appeals to those following a ketogenic diet, a paleo diet, or a low-carb eating plan. The diet lasts five days and provides a daily intake of 1,200 to 1,400 calories and up to 20 grams of carbohydrates. Certain foods, like nuts and dairy, are off-limits.
The soup is made with
ingredients including bacon, olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine, squash, and green beans. Some substitutions are allowed, but those who follow the diet are advised to avoid certain vegetables such as kale because they may “impede weight loss.” This claim is not supported by science. Kale is a nutrient-dense food, meaning it is high in nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) but low in calories.