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Approved Foods for the HCG Diet

Apr 14, 2011 | By Jenna Cee
Approved Foods for the HCG Diet
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If you have been researching rapid weight-loss diets, you may have come across the HCG diet. Proponents of the diet claims that you can safely lose 1 to 3 lb. a day, without the hunger that usually accompanies crash dieting. The HCG diet consists of eating an extremely restricted diet and receiving or self-administering 125-I.U. shots of HCG on a daily basis. Before you seriously consider this diet, you should know which foods this diet allows and what side effects you may encounter and then consult your doctor.

Breakfast

No solid foods or calories are allowed for breakfast. Dieters are encouraged to strictly follow the HCG diet protocol and not deviate in any way whatsoever. This includes not substituting foods that are not on the list. For breakfast, only coffee or tea is allowed. No sugar is allowed. Once every 24 hours, you may mix 1 tbsp. of milk with your coffee. You may mix saccharin or Stevia, which are sugar-free sweeteners, with your coffee or tea. Dr. A.T.W. Simeons, the creator of the diet, states in "Pounds & Inches: A New Approach to Obesity" that you may not substitute the lunch meal for breakfast.

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch and dinner are 250 calories each, and each contains the same four components. First, the meal includes a 3.5 oz. grilled or boiled protein source. Appropriate choices include veal, beef, skinless chicken breast, white fish such as cod or sea bass, lobster, crab or shrimp. Simeons specifically states that salmon, eel, tuna, herring or pickled fish are not allowed. One serving of vegetables accompanies the protein choice. Vegetables allowed include spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, fennel, radishes, asparagus or cabbage. In addition, one bread stick or piece of Melba toast is allowed. Finally, an apple, orange, half-grapefruit or handful of strawberries completes the 250 calorie meal. Simeons insists that you weigh the protein food to make sure it is approximately 3.5 oz. or 100 g.

Tight Restrictions

The two-meal HCG diet is extremely limited and does not allow for variety. Simeons and other proponents of the diet reiterate the importance of following the it and not deviating from the two 250-calorie meals. You are not allowed to substitute foods that are not listed, regardless of their caloric value. You are also not allowed to modify the portion sizes. For example, eating two small apples is not an acceptable replacement for one apple. For people who do not eat meat, a single egg is an approved replacement. Nonfat cottage cheese is sometimes allowed to replace the 3.5 oz. protein source.

Side Effects

A diet of fewer than 1,000 calories per day will put your body into "starvation mode," according to the University of Cincinnati. In doing so, your metabolism will slow down dramatically, making it even harder to lose weight or keep it off. While you will likely initially lose weight on this diet, nearly all of the weight will be lean muscle tissue and water. MayoClinic.com reports that you will likely gain all of the weight back once you discontinue the diet. It is nearly impossible not to become seriously malnourished on this diet, as eating 500 calories a day is about the same as eating just one meal for most adults. The University of Idaho at Coeur d' Alene reports that you may develop headaches, mood swings, depression, blood clots, confusion and dizziness while on the HCG diet.

References

Article reviewed by Marilyn Simons Last updated on: Apr 14, 2011

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