Some types of sushi can be incorporated into the HCG Diet. However, if you need to lose weight, the HCG diet is not the most healthy way to do it -- and could even by dangerous in some cases. To lose weight, you should increase your levels of physical activity and reduce your consumption of excess calories by substituting healthy foods that still provide plenty of nutritional value.
HCG Hormone
A trademark of the HCG diet is its use of injections of the HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, hormone, which women produce during pregnancy. Diet proponents claim that the hormone helps to suppress sensations of hunger, although this has never been proved during any scientific evaluations. Although supplemental injections of the hormone are sometimes used as a fertility treatment, the FDA has not approved it for use as a weight loss aid.
HCG Diet
In addition to the HCG hormone supplements, the HCG diet recommends reducing daily calorie intake to less than 800 calories -- primarily from vegetables and lean meats. For most people, that is less than half of a daily caloric intake recommendation. Forcing yourself to eat this small a number of calories will certainly cause weight loss, but the weight loss will often last only while you are on the diet and can be accompanied by side effects such as gallstones, headache and fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercising and eating primarily healthy calories is a far better weight loss strategy in the long run.
Unhealthful Sushi
If you choose the right variety, sushi can be a delicious but still nutritious meal option, whatever your diet plan. However, make sure you do your research before choosing your sushi. Some types, such as tempura, are actually fried and therefore high in calories and unhealthy saturated fats. Others, such as the California roll, often include significant amounts of high-fat mayonnaise.
Healthful Sushi
If you are trying to lose weight, focus primarily on sushi that is made with brown rice. It is far more nutritionally diverse than the more common white rice. Instead of sushi made with high-fat fillings like cream cheese and mayonnaise, choose those containing only vegetables and nutritious fish like mackerel.
References
- USA Today: HGC Weight Loss Products Are Fraudulent, FDA Says
- MayoClinic.com; HCG Diet: Is It Safe and Effective?
- U.S. News Health; HCG Diet Dangers: Is Fast Weight Loss Worth the Risk?
- Fox News: Healthy and Unhealthy Sushi Ingredients
- MayoClinic.com: Are Some Sushi Dishes Lower in Calories Than Others?
- Huffington Post; HCG 'Diet' Controversy: Dangerous Diet or Healthy Hormone Treatment?
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