The HCG Natural Diet

The HCG Diet is a very low-calorie program that promises quick weight loss through a restricted food intake and daily injections of a hormone, HCG, normally produced by women during pregnancy. Calories are restricted to between 500 and 800 per day, with the majority of nutrition coming from protein sources, fruits and vegetables.

HCG Hormone

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone is claimed to be the centerpiece of the diet, according to proprietary website HcgDietInfo. The hormone controls metabolic function in pregnant women, and in conjunction with very low caloric intake, the diet allows the body to preserve protein and burn fat exclusively. This mechanism supposedly leads to dramatic weight loss. The website professes that dieters can lose one to two pounds every day by following this diet plan. Although weight loss on the diet is credited to the HCG hormone, it most likely has to do with the severe calorie restriction. A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1976 concluded that the HCG hormone has no influence on weight loss.

Diet Phases

The diet includes four phases. Phase 1, lasting for 30 days, supposedly accelerates weight loss in phase 2 and involves following a very specific list of food restrictions and meal rules. Phase 2, which continues for 45 days, initiates the HCG injections and requires strict adherence to a list of specific rules surrounding food choices and meals. Phase 3 of this regimen is either the weight loss maintenance phase if you have reached your desired weight loss, or preparation to return to phase 1 if additional weight loss is needed. HCG Diet Journey claims that phase 3 resets the hypothalamus in the brain, allowing for altered metabolism. Phase 4, the lifelong phase of the HCG diet, still involves calorie and food restrictions and recommendations include organic food, the avoidance of fast food and periodic colon cleansing.

Recommended Food Choices

The foods allowed on the diet can be selected from a limited list and are recommended to total no more than 500 calories per day. HCG dieters can choose from lean protein sources; like lean ground beef, cube steak, veal, chicken breast (but not turkey) and specific types of fish and seafood; like cod, crabmeat, flounder, haddock, lobster, shrimp, tilapia, monkfish and halibut.

Vegetables allowed include asparagus, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, all varieties of lettuce, spinach and tomatoes. Fruit choices are apples, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit only. Additional foods allowed on the diet are breadsticks, melba toast or sugar-free Jell-O.

The literature recommends that foods not on the food list are to be avoided. To determine the best ways to prepare what few food items are available while limiting intake to 500 calories per day, HCG cookbooks and recipes are available.

Concerns

Since the HCG diet restricts food choices and promises a quick fix to your weight concerns, it falls under the category of fad diet. It is close to impossible to meet daily nutritional needs on such a limited calorie intake, putting you at risk for malnutrition. Most healthy adults need an average of 2,000 calories per day to maintain normal functioning and to supply the body with adequate energy for daily activities. The HCG diet makes no mention of long-term weight loss maintenance and does not stress the need for regular physical activity in promoting good health. The safety of HCG hormone injections is also not assured. According to the FDA, as published by EveryDayHealth, possible side effects of HCG injections include headaches, blood clot risk, fatigue, depression and water retention.