The tea and toast diet is a variation of the Cambridge Diet, first marketed in the 1970s. It claimed to offer a quick fix for obesity but without directly assisting with weight loss.
In other words, it allowed you to lose weight simply by making you consume fewer calories than normal – no effort involved whatsoever! The Cambridge Diet initially contained two products: a powdered drink mix and a tea-like beverage.
The combination of the two is what became known as the “Tea and Toast” Diet, with users expected to consume only these products for every meal from the moment they wake up until 8 pm when they go to bed.
In essence, this meant that you satisfied your hunger by drinking a powdered drink mix dissolved in water (and sometimes followed by a cup of tea) three times per day. However, this is not considered healthy as it is severely limited and does not provide all the necessary nutrients you need.
What is Tea and Toast Diet?
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The Cambridge Diet consists of three products – a powdered drink mix, tea-like beverage and multivitamin tablets.
The Tea and Toast is essentially the original mix (and only mix) of these three products consumed in addition to toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
What does it involve? As per this plan, you are allowed to consume three cups of tea-like beverage made with the powdered mix, in addition to two pieces of toast.
What are the claims? Advertised as a “quick fix” for obesity without going on a proper diet or exercise, it promised rapid weight loss.
Evidence What scientific evidence is there that this is an effective weight loss plan? There is none. It’s also worth noting that the company behind the Cambridge Diet is now under new ownership and no longer sells this particular combination anymore.
Benefits of Tea and Toast Diet?
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Tea and toast is not an effective way to lose weight. It provides some vitamins and minerals, but it severely lacks the essential nutrients you need for a healthy diet.
It contains no protein, which is vital for maintaining muscle mass on a calorie-restricted diet, especially if weight training or exercising regularly.
What are the risks of the Tea and Toast Diet?
There are no risks, as this diet is merely a variation on equally poor plans like the Cabbage Soup Diet. The Cambridge Diet (and its variations) has been widely criticized and has since been under new management. It was alleged that it opted for more natural weight loss options to allow people to drop weight naturally.
Cost How much does the Tea and Toast Diet cost?
The Tea and Toast can be purchased through retailers like Amazon for between $5 for 15 servings of drink mix to $16 for 30 servings. You will also need to purchase your own milk, sugar or sweetener (if you choose to do so), as well as bread, butter and jam/honey for your toast.
What are the side effects of the Tea and Toast Diet?
There are no known side effects, although it is still recommended that you consult with your GP before trying any weight loss products to ensure it doesn’t affect your current medications or existing medical conditions.
In what situations should you not have Tea and Toast Diet?
You should speak with your doctor before trying any diet plan if you have a medical condition, are taking medications or have existing problems such as diabetes. With so many options available to lose weight, you should opt for a healthy diet plan together with exercise.
Is toast healthy for weight loss?
Toast is a highly processed carbohydrate and has a high GI, meaning it’s converted into sugars very quickly.
This can give you a spike in energy levels after eating it, but then the sugars will be slowly absorbed into your bloodstream, which results in tiredness and fatigue.
Toast generally provides no nutritional benefits other than calories. Weight loss doctor Natalie Pena recommends avoiding toast (and other foods like white bread and soda) if you are trying to lose weight.
How does the Tea and Toast Diet work?
The Cambridge Diet itself comprises three products – powdered milk, vitamins and minerals, with artificial sweetener. The diet aims to cut out all carbs for three weeks, then slowly re-introduce them into your diet.
What are the health benefits of the Tea and Toast Diet? The Cambridge Diet itself does not offer any direct health benefits aside from restricting carbs (although there has been evidence that cutting out bread can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease).
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a diet that doesn’t require calorie counting or food restrictions, the Tea and Toast Diet might be for you. The concept is to drink only tea with a toast at breakfast and then take two meals of your choice during the day (provided they don’t contain any bread).
We hope this article has given you some insight into how it works, and if you want to try it out yourself, we encourage you not to do so without consulting a doctor first.
Have you tried this before? What were your thoughts on the results? Let us know in our comment section below!
