Food Options - Is the hCG Diet Really for You?

I receive lots of calls from people curious as to what they can and cannot eat on the hCG Diet. As I often say, most 'conventional' diets like Weight Watchers, Jennie Craig or just eating right and exercising are an 'art' while this 'hCG Diet Treatment' is a science. Even the slightest deviation from the allowed foods can spell disaster.

Although I promote Dr Simeons' protocol over Kevin Trudeau's (also good though), they both consist of the same foods.
Before deciding to go on the hCG diet protocol, you may be wondering if there are enough choices of foods that you would like to eat or you may have food allergies to consider.
Doctor A. T. W. Simeons developed the protocol after observing pregnant women in India who despite low food intake gave birth to healthy babies. He isolated the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, as the key element in the successful utilization of stored body fat while dieting. The protocol has a limited selection of foods to choose from. Especially limited are choices for vegetarians. Some have tried additional foods with reported successes.

Food Portions

Take your daily dosage of 60 hCG drops daily and during the weight loss portion of the protocol (VLCD) you consume about 500 calories a day.
Eat two portions of each per day, for optimal fat loss, no two of the same type to be eaten at the same time:
    • 100 grams of lean protein
    • 100 grams of vegetable
    • fruit
    • melba toast or breadstick (optional)
Cook food by steaming, broiling, baking or grilling, but do not add any extra fats. Season your food with lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, chili, garlic or any herbs.

Proteins
Consume protein sources from lean meats, such as lean beef and chicken breast, seafood such as shrimp, lobster and crab, white fish such as tilapia, halibut and striped bass, or one whole egg with three additional whites. You can add other lean meats such as bison and venison to your diet.
Eating egg is the most recommended meat substitute for vegetarians. Other accepted vegetarian options are a 16-ounce glass of skim milk or 3.5 ounces of fat-free cottage cheese, though often at the cost of slower weight loss. Some vegetarians also use protein powders derived from hemp, whey or rice to replace animal protein.

Vegetables
Choose from spinach, chard, chicory, beet greens, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, radishes, cucumbers, asparagus or cabbage for your vegetable servings.
Do not mix different types of vegetables in a serving. Some people eat broccoli while on the diet with no ill affects, while others find that this vegetable inhibits their weight loss.
Add peppers, mushrooms, green beans, or alfalfa sprouts to the list if you want some updated choices. Some people mix different vegetables in a serving, though the original protocol instructs you not to do so.

Fruits
Choose from an apple, an orange, six strawberries or one half grapefruit for your fruit serving.
Do not replace an orange with a tangerine, as tangerines are higher in sugar. Add blueberries or melon to the list if you want to try some new alternatives. Eat fruit that is fresh and not dried, canned or precooked, but you can cook it yourself. 

Beverages
Drink about 2 litres of fluids per day. Choose from black, green and white teas, coffee and water. Include caffeinated beverages, but drink additional caffeine-free beverages to make up your fluid quota for the day. Add lemon juice or stevia extract to flavor water. You may add one tablespoon of milk daily to beverages.

I hope this helps people understand the diet better.
It truly is miraculous!
Cara