HCG diet is a very strict diet. It combines the injection of HCG hormone and a harsh calorie limitation of 500 calories a day to support weight loss. You can have 2 servings of 100 grams of protein, limited choices of veggies and fruits.
During the different phases of the HCG diet, there are specific fruits that you can and cannot enjoy. Your fruit choices include apples, oranges, grapefruit and strawberries. Other types of fruits like watermelon, peach pears and many others are not allowed on the HCG diet.
Calorie content
A handful of strawberries will give you 50 calories. The calories that you can get from apple vary from 55 to 110, depending on the size. The standards orange is around 65-70 calories while one grapefruit has 70-90 calories.
Recommended serving
You can have two servings of fruits each day beginning Phase 2 of the HCG diet. NO fruit is included in phase 1 of the HCG diet. You can also separate your fruits portions into little serving during the day. Say for example you will eat ½ grapefruit for breakfast and ½ cup of strawberries for mid-morning to nibble. Eat the other half of grapefruit for lunch and the remaining half cup of strawberries for dinner. In phase 3, you can expand your food choices except for sugar and starch. So avoid fruits high in sugar and carbs like banana, mangoes and dried fruits. These fruits are off-protocol. Avoid canned fruits too because they are high with sugar.
Benefits of HCG diet fruits
The HCG diet friendly fruits above are carefully selected for their health properties. Each of the fruits contains phytonutrients needed by your body whether you are on the HCG diet or not. Below are some of the health benefits of each HCG diet fruits.
Apples
- It offers antioxidant protection that helps regulate blood sugar level.
- It has a good amount of fibers that help increase the good bacteria in the stomach.
- Apples are one of the most effective fruits against cancer.
Grapefruits
- Rich in vitamin C necessary for the proper function of the immune system.
- Rich in lycopene that fights against cancer.
- Helps in lowering cholesterol levels.
Oranges
- Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C.
- Have low glycemic index that protects the body from being obese and diabetic.
Strawberries
- It’s rich in antioxidants.
- Has an excellent source of vitamin C in the HCG diet.
- Helps regulate blood sugar level.
