The Cookie Diet

The Cookie Diet, promoted by Dr. Sanford Seigal is one of the latest diet craze in vogue, and not without a reason. The diet promises to loose 15 pounds a month while eating cookies.

Dr. Siegal first expounded the “Cookie Diet” through his book “Is Your Thyroid Making Your Fat?” published in 2001. He suggests submitting one to a 800-calorie a day diet for 21 days. A low level of weight loss after this 21 days would indicate thyroid slowdown. Dr Siegal then goes on to provide a recipe for “thyroid-boosting diet cookies.” This cookie is high in sugar, eggs, oats, Chex cereal, and other high-fat, high starch, high-sugar ingredients.

Siegal then espouses a low calorie diet comprising of just six of these special Siegal cookies, to be eaten when hungry. The other dietary stipulations are drinking a minimum of eight glasses of liquid a day, and eating only one meal a day  comprising of 6 ounces of lean protein from chicken, turkey, fish or seafood and a cup of vegetables. The total calorie count of this diet is 800 calories per day, and the total carbohydrate intake 70 grams per day. Dr Seigal claims his cookies have appetite supressing properties and are rich in amino acids, but patients on the Cookie Diet might need to consume appetite suppressant drugs, and those with extreme case of thyroid imbalances might need to take thyroid hormones.

The Cookie Diet is administered directly by Dr. Sanford Seigal and his son, Matthew Siegal, who since 2007 have formed a company that brings these cookies other products directly to the public. These cookies are available in chocolate, raisin and coconut flavors and available only through Dr Seigal’ Wight Loss clinics and his website. Only six such clinics run now, with five in Florida and one in Montreal.

The tremendous popularity of the Cookie Diet notwithstanding, not all are happy with the Cookie Diet. Critics of the Cookie Diet point out that the diet provides too few calories to maintain a healthy and energetic lifestyle, and with just one cup of vegetables a day, is seriously lacking in fruits and vegetables. There are also criticisms that the diet lack in sufficient vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and the chances are when one stops the diet, he or she is most likely to regain the lost weight.