What is a soup cleanse?
A soup cleanse, also known as a soup diet, is a type of liquid fast that involves consuming only soup broths and minimal solid foods for a set period of time. The purpose is to give the digestive system a rest while providing nutrients through vegetable and bone broths. Soup cleanses typically last 3-7 days and claim to boost weight loss, rid the body of toxins, and improve gut health.
During a soup cleanse, meals mainly consist of homemade or pre-packaged detox soups, such as:
- Vegetable broth
- Chicken broth
- Bone broth
- Miso soup
- Tomato soup
- Green smoothies
The rules of a soup cleanse diet can vary, but most limit solid food and only permit fruits, vegetables, herbs, spice, and a small amounts of protein. Some versions allow a few solid foods like yogurt or crackers, while others forbid chewing completely. Proponents claim that chewing activates digestive enzymes that interfere with the cleansing process.
Does a soup cleanse lead to weight loss?
Many people try a soup cleanse specifically for fast weight loss. Proponents claim you can lose up to 10 pounds in a week by strictly adhering to a low-calorie liquid diet. But is this dramatic weight loss sustainable and safe? Here is what the research says:
Calorie deficit leads to short-term weight loss
Like any very-low-calorie diet, a soup cleanse will lead to mild to moderate weight loss in the short term. Consuming mostly broths and eliminating calorie-dense solid foods creates an extreme daily calorie deficit of around 500-800 calories. Cutting calories this drastically can result in losing 1-3 pounds per week, mostly from body water and stored carbs/protein.
However, such rapid weight loss is unlikely to be fat loss. Studies show most of the initial weight lost comes from:
- Water weight – glycogen storage drops due to carb restriction
- Muscle mass – protein is inadequate to maintain muscle
- Waste – lower fiber intake reduces intestinal contents
A 7-day cleanse may result in dropping 5+ pounds on the scale, but only 1-2 pounds is actual body fat. As soon as you resume normal eating, you’ll likely regain much of the weight as your carb stores and hydration levels normalize.
No evidence of boosted metabolism or fat burning
Proponents of soup cleanses claim that consuming only liquids speeds up your metabolism and burns extra body fat. However, no scientific research backs up these claims. In fact, drastically cutting calories often slows your metabolic rate as your body tries to conserve energy.
Unless the soup cleanse leads to a sustained calorie deficit and weight loss over weeks or months, it won’t burn more body fat or improve your metabolic health. Rapid weight loss from a liquid-only diet gives the illusion of boosted fat burning, when in fact muscle and water are mainly lost.
Nutrient deficiencies can cause rebound weight gain
Consuming so few solid foods and limiting protein intake during a soup cleanse can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies. Lack of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and other nutrients may cause side effects like fatigue, headaches, irritability and muscle weakness.
Nutrient deficiencies and extreme calorie restriction actually spike hunger hormones like ghrelin. This almost always leads to rebound overeating once the cleanse ends. You’ll likely regain most or all the weight back once you resume normal eating patterns.
Lower metabolic rate due to lost muscle
Insufficient protein intake and starvation during a liquid-only cleanse also drives muscle breakdown. Loss of metabolically active muscle mass lowers your daily calorie needs. This makes it even easier to regain the weight after the cleanse.
Losses of 2-3 pounds of muscle during a week of a soup cleanse can permanently slow your metabolism by as much as 50-100 calories per day. This makes it harder to maintain a calorie deficit for ongoing fat loss after the cleanse ends.
Is a soup cleanse nutritionally balanced?
To lose weight and keep it off, any diet must provide balanced nutrition to fuel your body and be a sustainable lifestyle. Do liquid cleanses measure up? Let’s compare the nutritional benefits and downsides:
Benefits
- Hydration – Consuming mainly liquid nutrition keeps cells hydrated and body fluids balanced.
- Nutrient-rich broths – Bone broth and stocks provide some protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Phytonutrients – Vegetable soups and green smoothies offer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
- Gut rest – Avoiding solid foods gives the GI tract a break from digestion and inflammation.
Downsides
- Calorie deficit – Total calories are extremely low at only 500-800 per day, causing nutrient deficiencies.
- Low protein – Inadequate intake leads to muscle breakdown and metabolic issues.
- Low fiber – Lack of roughage contributes to hunger, bloating and constipation.
- Fat deficiency – Extremely low in essential fatty acids needed for hormones, immunity and nerves.
- Micronutrient deficiency – Absence of many vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.
While a short-term soup cleanse offers some benefits from nourishing broths and hydration, it lacks many essential nutrients. Such severe deprivation comes at a metabolic cost and is very difficult to sustain.
Better alternatives for sustainable weight loss
For lasting weight loss and health improvement, the evidence does not support extreme short-term cleanses. However, some elements of a balanced soup cleanse diet can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle long-term. Consider these more sustainable alternatives:
Intermittent fasting
Going for 14-16 hours without eating daily gives your body a rest from digesting solid foods. This allows intermittent fasting to provide some benefits of a brief cleanse while still eating nutrient-rich whole foods daily.
High-protein smoothies
Blending up veggie-based smoothies with protein powder provides a hit of antioxidants along with fiber, plant protein and healthy fats. This helps preserve muscle and leaves you feeling full.
Broth-based soups
Chicken, bone and vegetable broth provide minerals and antioxidants without the salt content of most store-bought soups. Pair them with fiber-rich veggies and lean protein.
Lower-calorie whole foods
Eat plenty of water-rich fruits and vegetables to create a calorie deficit. Emphasize lean proteins like fish and poultry over sugary and processed foods.
Increased exercise
Any increase in your daily movement will help burn additional calories to boost weight loss. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
Conclusion
While a soup-only cleanse may lead to short-term weight loss, the dramatic results are unsustainable for most people. Severe calorie restriction and low protein intake often backfire in the long run by lowering metabolism and overactivating hunger cues.
For lasting weight management, a balanced whole foods diet paired with increased activity is a healthier approach. Incorporate broth-based, veggie-heavy soups into your regular diet for hydration and nutrition. But avoid prolonged cleanses that completely restrict fiber-rich solid foods.
With patience and consistency, small sustainable changes to your eating and exercise habits can safely deliver major weight loss over several months. Focus on permanent lifestyle changes rather than extreme short-term diets for the healthiest path to your weight loss goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight can you lose on a 7-day soup cleanse?
Most people lose 5-8 pounds on a 7-day cleanse, depending on calorie intake. However, over half of this is just water weight and intestinal contents that will return rapidly after resuming normal eating. Only 1-3 pounds is actual fat loss.
What are the side effects of a soup cleanse?
Common side effects of an all-soup cleanse include fatigue, irritability, muscle weakness, dizziness, constipation and gallstone attacks. Drastically slashing nutrient intake can also compromise immunity and metabolic health.
Can you reboot your metabolism with a cleanse?
No evidence shows that a short-term liquid cleanse speeds up metabolism. In fact, calorie restriction slows metabolism as your body tries to conserve energy. Significant loss of muscle mass may even lower your metabolism.
What foods can you eat on a clear soup diet?
Allowed foods vary by cleanse plan, but usually include vegetable, chicken and bone broths, green smoothies with protein powder, miso soup, herbal tea and water. Some versions allow small amounts of yogurt, fruit or crackers.
How much weight loss per day is safe on a cleanse?
Extreme low-calorie diets of under 800 calories daily often result in losing 2+ pounds per day at the start. However, over 1 pound daily is considered excessive and likely reflects water and muscle losses, not fat.
| Type of Cleanse | Average Calories | Expected Weight Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Very restrictive juice/broth only | 500-600 calories | 2+ lbs/day (mostly water) |
| Moderate calorie liquid diet | 800-1000 calories | 1-1.5 lbs/day (half water) |
| Smoothies and moderate solid foods | 1200-1500 calories | 1 lb/week (fat and muscle loss) |
Can you maintain weight loss after a cleanse?
It’s very difficult to keep weight off after an extreme cleanse. Drastic calorie cuts cause nutritional deficiencies, muscle loss and rebound hunger. Gradual sustainable changes to your whole food diet and activity provide better long-term results.