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Monday, May 10, 2010

Weird Health Fads Review #2: The Cookie Diet


I literally burst out laughing when I first heard about this new diet some of the celebrities are on. Gotta admit, great marketing. Who wouldn't want to subsist on cookies to lose weight?

I realized I shouldn't knock this diet until I investigated further. Obviously it's a great name for a diet, but what did the meal plan consist of? What are these "cookies" all about? Did Cookie Monster come up with this?


There are several versions of The Cookie Diet, which was first pioneered by Dr.Siegal in the 1975. There are alternative versions called the Smart for Life Cookie Diet and a Hollywood version.

The diets recommend substituting cookies for meals. There are some allowable meals, but the main focus is on cookie-munching. They are obviously low in calories (~100 cal per cookie) to target weight loss, but I'm really curious to see their nutritional breakdown and more importantly, their ingredient lists, as this is the primary source of nourishment on the diet.

On the Smart for Life website, looks like the cookies run about $200 for a 2 week supply. Dr.Siegal charges about $60 per week of cookies. Reasonable as far as a per meal cost, but astronomical for cookies.

Looking at Siegal's cookies' ingredients list, I am quite shocked...I did not have high hopes for nutrient content, but honestly did not imagine it would be quite as strange as it turned out to be.

Listed right after water (the first ingredient) is GLYCERIN (!!). Glycerin is a petrochemical byproduct most commonly used in cosmetics and soapmaking, likely used here for its preservative properties and sweet flavour. I'm very surprised that it is listed so high on the ingredient list.

Next ingredient is BEEF PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE (!!!!). What?? Meat cookies? I had to wipe my laptop screen to make sure I was reading this right. There are so many other accessible healthier, vegetable protein sources...this one blow me away. I also notice this is the protein source in the shake mixes that are also available on Dr.Siegal's Cookie Diet.

As expected, there are plenty of egg and dairy sources in the cookies, which can be fine for most people, but are also major food allergens. There are, also as expected, some artificial flavours and colourings (FD&C dyes).

Siegal allows one lean-protein meal per day (chicken, turkey, fish) with one cup of vegetables in addition to his cookies. Some sources say that 60% of patients on this diet are reportedly prescribed appetite suppressant and thyroid hormones.

The Smart for Life cookies, on the other hand, have 60% organic ingredients, no preservatives and a vegetable sourced protein. The cookies do contain dairy, wheat and gluten, but otherwise use more natural, less-processed ingredients. This likely explains their higher price point.

Smart for Life also allows one lean-protein meal per day with FIVE cups of vegetables, which is a more reasonable option considering there are no kale or brussel sprout cookies offered.

All in all, the Cookie Diet seems to me just another spin on the low calorie, low carb, exercise-free, nutrient-devoid fad.

This will result in weight loss, but most likely will be followed with weight gain as your body readjusts to eating normal non-cookie foods.

REVIEW (out of 10):
Weird Factor: 6
Safety Rating: 5 *
Health Benefit: 3 *

* 1 additional point for Smart for Life's focus on better ingredients and more veggies

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