How the HCG Diet Works
The typical HCG diet was outlined in 1954 in the book "Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity," by A.T.W. Simeons, who created the diet. Many dietitians promote the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, but under the regimen Simeons developed, there's no solid food before lunch. If a dieter has breakfast, it typically consists of a cup of black coffee or tea of any size, with no sugar, though calorie-free sweeteners are allowed. If you drink milk, you can have one tablespoon every 24 hours.
In conjunction with the paltry food regimen, the HCG diet calls for daily injections of the hormone; typically, a dieter would inject himself or herself, usually in the thigh. Or, a person on the HCG diet could ingest the hormone by swallowing drops or pills, or take it in spray form.
What You Can Eat on the HCG Diet
Most of the day's calories come from lunch and dinner, primarily from protein sources. Under the plan, you'd consume 3.5 ounces of lean, fat-free protein at each meal. Recommended protein sources include white fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, extra lean beef, buffalo, scallops, chicken and egg whites, according to hcgdietinfo.net. Fattier choices, such as salmon, tuna, herring and dried or pickled fish, are off-limits. Dieters also need to remove the visible fat from protein sources before boiling or grilling them. It's OK to substitute an egg or a serving of low-fat cottage cheese for meat on occasion.
One low-calorie vegetable is allowed as part of both lunch and dinner. Recommended veggies include celery, spinach, fennel, cauliflower, chard, onions, beet greens, cucumbers, green salad, mixed greens, cabbage, red radishes, shallots, asparagus, tomatoes and broccoli, according to hcgdietnfo.net. You can have one fruit at lunch and at dinner. HCG-approved fruit includes grapefruits, oranges, apples, lemons, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.
As for carbohydrates, people on the HCG diet can have one piece of Melba toast or one breadstick at dinner. Both are allowed because they don't have fat, sodium or cholesterol and are low in calories. Seasonings such as salt, pepper, sweet basil, parsley and mustard powder are acceptable. Oil (even healthy cooking oils), butter and any type of dressing are not allowed under the diet.
The typical HCG diet was outlined in 1954 in the book "Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity," by A.T.W. Simeons, who created the diet. Many dietitians promote the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, but under the regimen Simeons developed, there's no solid food before lunch. If a dieter has breakfast, it typically consists of a cup of black coffee or tea of any size, with no sugar, though calorie-free sweeteners are allowed. If you drink milk, you can have one tablespoon every 24 hours.
In conjunction with the paltry food regimen, the HCG diet calls for daily injections of the hormone; typically, a dieter would inject himself or herself, usually in the thigh. Or, a person on the HCG diet could ingest the hormone by swallowing drops or pills, or take it in spray form.
What You Can Eat on the HCG Diet
Most of the day's calories come from lunch and dinner, primarily from protein sources. Under the plan, you'd consume 3.5 ounces of lean, fat-free protein at each meal. Recommended protein sources include white fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, extra lean beef, buffalo, scallops, chicken and egg whites, according to hcgdietinfo.net. Fattier choices, such as salmon, tuna, herring and dried or pickled fish, are off-limits. Dieters also need to remove the visible fat from protein sources before boiling or grilling them. It's OK to substitute an egg or a serving of low-fat cottage cheese for meat on occasion.
One low-calorie vegetable is allowed as part of both lunch and dinner. Recommended veggies include celery, spinach, fennel, cauliflower, chard, onions, beet greens, cucumbers, green salad, mixed greens, cabbage, red radishes, shallots, asparagus, tomatoes and broccoli, according to hcgdietnfo.net. You can have one fruit at lunch and at dinner. HCG-approved fruit includes grapefruits, oranges, apples, lemons, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.
As for carbohydrates, people on the HCG diet can have one piece of Melba toast or one breadstick at dinner. Both are allowed because they don't have fat, sodium or cholesterol and are low in calories. Seasonings such as salt, pepper, sweet basil, parsley and mustard powder are acceptable. Oil (even healthy cooking oils), butter and any type of dressing are not allowed under the diet.