What you need to know before going on a soup diet –

The soup diet is nothing new. But at first glance, this weight loss strategy seems like a good idea. Come on, who doesn’t love a good bowl of soup?

But will it help you lose weight? And is it really healthy? We are looking for the nutrition doctor Dr. Daniela Gomes, from Hospital Albert Sabin, to find out.

HOW DID IT COME ABOUT?

“The soup diet was developed to be used by patients at Instituto do Coração de São Paulo, who would need to lose weight quickly before surgical procedures, in order to reduce the risks associated with the postoperative period. However, it became popular after its rapid results were achieved and became known as ‘Hospital do Coração Soup Diet’”, explains the doctor.

SOUP DIET BRINGS BENEFITS?

“This strategy is based on the consumption of light and low-calorie foods throughout the day, including vegetable soups and lean meats such as chicken and fish in the main meals and fruits, yogurts and teas in the intermediate snacks. It should be noted that even today there are controversies about the efficiency and safety of the weight loss strategy.

In fact, the soup diet can be considered a strategy for fast weight loss, however this must be done together with nutritional monitoring, because each individual is unique, thus having different energy and nutritional needs for maintaining health and maintaining health. prevention of food-related diseases such as iron deficiency anemia. The main advantages of this diet are:

Fast weight loss promotion;
Diuretic action, helping to reduce swelling and improve fluid retention;
Improvement of intestinal transit.”

CAN IT BE KEPT FOR A LONG TIME?

“No, the weight loss strategy must be maintained for up to 7 days. This is because an abrupt reduction in the amount of daily calories is associated with the appearance of problems such as:

Dizziness;
Loss of muscle mass;
Weakening of the immune system.

Thus, the practice of physical exercises that require a lot of effort during the diet period is contraindicated. In addition, the diet is contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding women, people prone to hypoglycemia and the elderly.”

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

“Even if fast weight loss is tempting for those looking to lose weight, one of the disadvantages of the soup diet is precisely that, if followed for a long time, the body ends up adapting and there is a slowdown in the basal metabolism, the mechanism responsible for generating of energy for the functioning of the body.

Thus, our body will start to save energy and consequently, there will be less fat burning. Other disadvantages of the soup diet are the lack of protein in its composition and the food monotony it provides.

Finally, it is worth remembering that if there is no dietary re-education, all the weight lost will come back after the diet.”