This Keto Detox Soup Is Helping Women Over 50 Lose

It's no secret that keto has helped millions of people lose weight, but if the thought of giving up some of your favorite comfort foods for good seems a little too daunting, we've got good news for you: Natural health authority Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, author of The New Fat Flush Plan, says short stints of the diet can lead to big results. And so you don’t have to spend hours fretting over the rules of keto, Gittleman has simplified the strategy with keto detox soup. “It truly warms your soul and lifts your spirits as the unwanted fat disappears,” she says. Keep reading to discover the science behind keto detox soup, how real women have made it work for them and how keto detox soup can help you usher in good health as you lose weight.

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet — keto, for short — is a high-fat, low-carb style of eating that shifts the body toward burning fat instead of carbs for fuel. When the body is relying on fat for energy, it's said to be in a state called ketosis. On a standard diet, the body uses the carbohydrates we eat to fuel everything from our muscles to our brain. But on keto-style plans, you eat a lot of fat and protein and hardly any sugar and starch. This basically forces your body to extract energy from fat and turn it into an alternate fuel called ketones. “As ketones are produced, you switch from burning mostly sugar to burning mostly fat,” explains Gittleman.

An illustration of how much of various foods you should eat on a keto diet, including keto detox soup
lemono/Getty Images

Faster fat burning isn’t the only benefit of keto diets. Studies show boosting your ketone levels can enhance immunity, boost mental clarity and lift energy. Plus, keto diets have been associated with less arthritis pain, fewer asthma symptoms and reversing diabetes.

How short stints of keto boost weight loss

Skipping out on carbs long-term is unnecessary, Gittleman asserts. And Yale University research backs her up, hinting that short stints of keto give a lasting metabolism boost and protect against sugar-related health issues. “I’ve found that using a healthy keto plan for anywhere from five days to five weeks gets sensational results,” Gittleman shares. And studies show that even just 24 hours of keto dieting helped subjects burn nearly 300 more calories. (Click through to learn more about how to use keto bursts for weight loss.)

Not only can fat burn accelerate, but the break from excess blood sugar helps allow your body to heal and rejuvenate cells. “So when you begin incorporating more healthy carbs, you handle them better and continue losing weight,” Gittleman says. But why does she recommend keto soup? Because it heightens all keto’s benefits and makes us feel so good.

RELATED: The Power of Carb Cheat Days to Power Off Over-50 Fat Fast

What is keto detox soup?

“I’ve talked to so many women struggling with both stress and weight gain, and it inspired me to upgrade my famous soup plan,” says Gittleman. Her keto soup detox combines the best aspects of keto diets and souping. “Keto soup made the right way takes comfort food to a whole new level,” she says. (Click through to learn more about souping for weight loss.)

With a bowl of keto detox soup, you get a dose of keto-friendly fats in the form of soup ingredients like grass-fed meat, coconut milk and avocado, which are known to help trigger fat burning and ease the body into ketosis. Plus spices and seasonings are a boon for your health, doing everything from enhancing gut health to slashing blood pressure. Fiber- and nutrient-rich veggies like zucchini and mushrooms help keep you full for hours, as does collagen-rich bone broth. (Click through to learn more about the health benefits of bone broth.)

On her plan, Gittleman recommends eating the soup once or twice daily. “You’ll make a big pot of soup before you start, and that becomes your go-to meal at lunch and dinner,” she says. “Soup is not only classic comfort food, it’s extremely convenient. You cook once and have several heat-and-eat meals.” Keep reading to learn how keto detox soup triggers weight loss, plus how to make the soup yourself at home.

RELATED: Top 10 Soup Ingredients To Speed Weight Loss, According To Nutritionists

Why keto detox soup works well for weight loss

Keto detox soup takes the diet math out of the equation, leaving you with a simple plan that can help make stress — and fat — disappear. “You just eat the soup and other simple foods," says Gittleman, who adds that not having to count or track your diet makes the plan feel even easier.

What’s more, when the body reaches ketosis, it starts burning significantly more fat, making weight loss nearly effortless. Plus, Stanford research shows that the biggest losers are those who eat fewer calories on keto diets, which soup can help you achieve. How? Landmark Penn State research has found soup’s unique suspension of solids in warm broth tricks the body into releasing special hormones that shrink appetite by about 400 calories a day. So you get relief from urges to snack and go overboard at meals — plus, eating less on keto means your body relies almost entirely on stored fat for fuel. (Click through for easy keto tips and tricks.)

For an extra boost of fat-burning power, Gittleman spices her keto soup with curry powder. The seasoning is rich in compounds that may double weight loss and send mood soaring.

The Cleveland Clinic’s Mark Hyman, MD, gives a thumbs up to a low-carb soup approach: “You’ll cut your appetite, stimulate metabolism, release fat from fat cells and significantly improve overall well-being.!”

Keto detox soup before and after: Cheri Meisel, 65

Before and after photos of Cheri Meisel who lost 65 lbs using keto detox soup for weight loss
Michele Anderson/Pinkle Toes Photography

Cheri Meisel’s weight struggles began as her thyroid fizzled during her 40s. “I don’t cook much, so I tried diets with pre-packaged foods. They didn’t stick,” recalls the Texas delivery driver. Discovering Gittleman’s books and the Fat Flush Nation Facebook page led Cheri to the new keto soup plan. She was instantly hooked. “It’s so easy, delicious and filling,” she says. “And the combination of ingredients really made my metabolism speed up. In 14 days, I lost 15 pounds — not bad for a 65-year-old with hypothyroidism.”

Interspersing the soup diet and a more relaxed Fat Flush regimen, Cheri is down 65 pounds and has reversed prediabetes. “My energy and mood are both way, way up,” says Cheri. “I work for UberEats, and I can now climb countless flights of stairs like it’s nothing. And it was such a big difference so fast. I look in the mirror and go, When did that happen? The weight just melted right off of me!”

Your keto detox soup cheat sheet

Use the recipe below to whip up a big pot of the soup to enjoy at lunch and dinner. For breakfast, enjoy nutrient dense and keto-friendly options like smoothies with protein powder. (Click through for more keto-friendly breakfast ideas.) Aim to sip 64 oz. of liquids daily. Gittleman recommends reaching for water, water with a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice or dandelion root tea. Enjoy two snacks daily, pairing a little health fat with a protein- or fiber-rich option, like guacamole with sliced veggies.

Need an occasional break from soup? Swap in a plate of protein, raw or steamed veggies and 2 to 3 servings good fat (such as avocado or olive oil). After a week, transition to meals built around nutrient-dense whole foods with little or no sugar/grains.

Keto soup recipe for weight loss

Enjoy 3-cup bowlfuls of Gittleman’s delicious soup as lunch and dinner.

Bowl of keto detox soup made with chicken, vegetables and curry powder
Ravsky/Getty

Ingredients:

  • 1? lbs. ground beef or poultry

  • 2 tsp. sesame oil

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 6 cups sliced veggies, such as pepper, zucchini, and mushroom

  • 2 tsp. minced garlic

  • 14 oz. full-fat coconut milk

  • 4 cups broth or bone broth

  • 1-2 Tbs. curry powder

  • 1 Tbs. lime juice

  • ? cup fresh herbs, chopped

Directions:

  1. In pot, cook meat in oil; remove. In pot, sauté onion and veggies until tender. Stir in garlic. Add meat, milk, broth, and curry. Cover.

  2. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Stir in juice and herbs. Top with optional avocado. Serves 6.


For more on how soup can help make you healthy and slim, click through:

Melt Up to 19 Pounds a Week by Adding This Favorite Cold-Weather Meal to Your Diet

In the Weight Loss War, Eating Bean & Veggie Soups May Be Most Effective

Drop Several Pounds a Day By Trying This Unique Twist on the Soup Diet

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman's World.