The Sacred Heart Diet Rules

The Sacred Heart diet is a week-long diet designed to cause fast weight loss through the use of a special soup. The diet is restrictive in some ways and very permissive in others, and the plan changes from day to day.

The Soup Recipe

The amount of soup you will need depends on your appetite. A common recipe for one batch calls for a can or two of stewed tomatoes, three large green onions, a large can of beef broth, a package of chicken noodle soup mix, a bunch of celery, two cans of green beans, 2 pounds of carrots and two green bell peppers.

Season with salt or other spices, chop the vegetables and cover everything with water, then boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

The First Three Days

On the first, day, eat any fruit you wish, except for bananas, along with any amount of the soup you wish. On the second day, eat only vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, and any amount of the soup you wish. Avoid beans, peas and corn, and have a baked potato with butter along with dinner.

On the third day, eat as much soup as you like, along with your fill of fruits and vegetables. Do not eat a baked potato.

The Next Three Days

On day four, eat only bananas and milk, along with however much of the soup you wish. On day five, eat 10 to 20 oz. of beef and as many as six tomatoes. Eat the soup at least once. For day six, eat as much beef and vegetables as you like, along with the soup, except do not eat a baked potato.

The Last Day

Foods that are OK for the last day include brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and any vegetables you wish.

Permitted Drinks

The diet allows unsweetened juices, herbal tea, coffee, cranberry juice, skim milk and water.

Warning

It is important to ask your doctor before beginning any diet. While the Sacred Heart diet does rely on healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, it does little to promote portion control, and nothing to help the dieter's eating habits after the week is over.

The diet gets its name from a supposed connection with a hospital that used the soup to help patients lose weight quickly before heart surgery. Several hospitals bearing the Sacred Heart name have denied any connection with the diet.