Dr. Siegals Cookie Diet

The Cookie Diet, developed by Dr. Sanford Siegal, refers to a diet based on a specially crafted cookie that helps to suppress appetite. Dr. Seigal first experimented with a cookie formula in 1975. He believe that - for many people - obesity was caused by a faulty thyroid gland.

The basic idea of the Cookie Diet is to consume 6 cookies per day along with a single meal at dinner time. The dinner should be high in lean protein. Some critics, however, claim the Cookie Diet is far too low in calories and is inappropriate for longterm weight management.

How the Cookie Diet Works

Siegal's plan is actually a very low-calorie diet, in which six of the special Siegal cookies are eaten when hungry during the day, along with eight glasses of liquid, and only one meal is eaten, dinner, consisting of 6 ounces of lean protein (chicken, turkey, fish or seafood only), plus one cup of vegetables.

The total calorie count of the diet comes out to approximately 800 calories per day, and total carbohydrate intake is about 70 grams per day, making Siegal's program an extremely low-calorie, low carbohydrate diet.

What is not as frequently mentioned is that reportedly, as many as 60 percent of patients on the Cookie Diet are also prescribed appetite suppressant drugs, and another 25 percent are prescribed thyroid hormones.

The cookies, which Siegal claims have amino acids with appetite suppressant properties, are available in chocolate, raisin or coconut flavors, but even Siegal admits that they don't taste very good.

Is the Cookie Diet Safe?

Some weight loss experts say that any diet that provides only 800 calories a day is bound to work, but at what price? Critics say that the diet provides far too few calories to maintain health and energy, and is seriously lacking in fruits and vegetables. (1 cup a day of vegetables doesn't make a dent in the recommendation that we eat 5-9 servings a day of vegetables and fruit). Others have alleged that the Cookie Diet doesn't provide sufficient vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Even Siegal admits that the Cookie Diet is not meant to be used for long periods of time. Many diet experts say that once people resume normal eating habits, they will regain the weight lost on drastic diets like this one.

Cost - The Cookie Diet

Dr. Siegal's cookies can be purchased online. Dr. Siegal's® Cookie Diet™ cookies are packed in Weekly Boxes containing 42 cookies packed in 7 Daily Bags. The price is $56.00 (US) plus shipping and handling. Flavors: Banana, Chocolate, Oatmeal Raisin, Coconut and Blueberry.