What Can You Eat While On The HCG Diet?
Fans of the HCG diet report that they have had excellent weight loss results when they follow all of the directions made by the experts. The diet consists of taking injections of Human Chorio Gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone occurring in pregnant women, and then complying with a diet that places a limit of 500 calories per day on the participants. This is known as the Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). Only two meals (lunch and dinner) are eaten on this diet and you are restricted as to what you can eat. What follows is some of the food allowed on the VLCD.
Fish is highly recommended on this diet. This is because fish is high in nutrients and protein while only contributing very few calories to a meal. The fatty acid Omega-3 is provided by some types of fish so you also derive benefits for your heart and circulatory system. The recommended types of fish include crab meat, shrimp, red snapper, and white fish such as cod. You are only allowed 100 grams of one type of fish for each of the two meals: lunch and dinner.
Switch between fish and lean beef to provide variety in your two meals. Have fish for lunch or dinner and then choose lean beef for the other. Lean beef provides you with protein as well as iron which is very important for women. Lean beef cuts are sirloin tips and round steak. Recommendations are to avoid ground beef and, if possible, substitute veal in all cases. You can also eat white chicken breast instead of beef or fish.
You can and must eat green vegetables while on the diet. Green vegetables, especially the leafy kind, are an important source of fiber and vitamins. There is a risk of experiencing constipation when you first start the VLCD and that is usually because of the reduction in food intake. Eating vegetables along with drinking plenty of water gives you the fiber needed to reduce the risk of constipation. You can eat 100 grams of one type of vegetable for each meal. The VLCD calls for eating one type of vegetable at lunch and then a different type at dinner. The most common vegetables allowed are spinach, asparagus, broccoli, red radishes, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, and celery.
One Melba toast or one Grissini breadstick is allowed in each of the two meals. Although they are not the lowest in calories, they provide some of the carbohydrates you need for healthy brain functioning plus give a little satisfaction for bread in your meals. It is estimated that one Grissini breadstick contains between 10 and 20 calories.
Some fruits are allowed and they can help satisfy your cravings for sweets. Allowed fruits include apples, strawberries, oranges, and one-half of a grapefruit. It is also suggested that the participant change the type of fruit eaten at each meal. Apple is particularly beneficial in that it is a good source of dietary fiber if eaten with the peel. Fruits are also a good source of carbohydrates in that they digest slower and donâ€™t cause insulin spikes that work against weight loss efforts.
No matter what you choose to eat, it must be low in calories. For the VLCD, no starches or processed sugars are allowed whatsoever. Since the HCG diet is very sensitive to any high-calorie foods, you should meticulously check everything for counts prior to consumption.