If you’re on the HCG diet, then you know that it comes with its own set of rules and regulations. Even though these choices may seem insignificant, one of the most important aspects of the diet is knowing which HCG salad dressings, sauces, and spices are allowed.
When You are on HCG, Small Things Make a Difference
Can spices, seasonings, and sauces really affect weight loss on the HCG Diet?
You may have heard sayings like “small changes can affect big results”. This saying is true whether you talk about hundreds of years of 5% interest or putting just a dab of store-bought dressing on your otherwise innocent salad. So how can something as simple and ancillary as salad dressing make such a big difference?
The Power of Toppings on the HCG Diet
The saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life”. While war is often waged today over resources like oil, minerals, wheat, or even rice, in ages past wars were often fought for spices. Why? People wanted to enjoy their meals.
If you imagine a world without salt, pepper, cinnamon, and sugar, you might understand why people would be desperate to flavor their food.
Lucky for you, you don’t need to eat bland food while on the hCG diet.
How can spices, seasonings, and sauces affect weight loss on the HCG Diet?
The Good
There are plenty of spices and flavors that can push you through even the most challenging phase of the hCG diet. In fact, some spices on the hCG diet even help you accelerate your weight loss goals.
The Bad
You may have heard about the small amount of rat poison it takes to kill a rat if mixed in its food. Ironically, “coumarin”, which is one of the main rat poisons actually comes from a super concentrated cheap form of cinnamon, a highly desired spice. While having even “cheap” cinnamon in any sort of normal quantities is no cause for alarm, if you are on the hCG diet, you may very much regret what a couple of ounces of something like salad dressing can do to your weight loss efforts.
Fat-Free Foes
One little “trick” of the food industry for the past 30 years or so has been for companies to brag about their “fat-free” offerings. While having a “fat-free” option might technically be good, we also need to ask ourselves what that fat is being replaced with.
Ken’s Fat-Free Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Take Ken’s Fat-Free Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing: With 12 grams of sugar and the first ingredient being high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), you might as well sprinkle your salad with some Nerds candies.
As Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of The NY Nutrition Group, points out, “High fructose corn syrup has been shown to increase appetite and lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes.” Pair this with the 70 calories such a small dose offers, and you can see that early in the day you will go over your calorie limit in the 500 calorie-a-day phase.
Should You Go Classic?
One might think that “classic” would put you on the right track. After all, if that topping you are using has lasted through the ages, surely it can’t be bad for you, right? Unfortunately, there is no legal requirement for using a word like “classic” when food companies market. And with ingredients like Red 40, there is little “classical” about Kraft Classic Catalina Dressing. In fact, with not only 8 g sugar, but 6 g fat, and 90 calories, you can quickly see how getting almost 20% of your calories in a bite full of dressing quickly thwarts the whole purpose of the hCG diet.
How Much Damage Can Not Having an HCG Approved Salad Dressing Do?
There are plenty of perpetrators when we look at toppings inimical to the hCG diet, but just consider the two above. You would be quickly consuming a large number of calories during your supposedly low-calorie salad, while also consuming sugar, which you should not have at all, while having large amounts of fat, which should be very restrictive. Instead of being on track to lose 3/4 of a pound in a day, you could well be on track to actually gain half a pound that day, especially if you are having the dressing with high fructose corn syrup, known for increasing appetite, and which can be disguised in ingredient labels in many ways.
Are there allowed spices, salad dressings, and sauces you can use on HCG Diet?
The great news is that you still have plenty of choices when it comes to hCG approved sauces, spices, and salad dressings. Consider this: You are allowed four daily cups of vegetables on the hCG diet. But by no means do you need to have them plain — You can use any vinegar you like as much as you want. A little red wine vinegar or balsamic will go a long way in flavoring your salad. If the acidity is too strong for you, cut it with some fresh lemon juice—you can even have one whole lemon per day.
Allowed Spices on HCG diet
Spices are so simple yet so powerful. Let’s list some winners that go well with hCG and how they can be used.
List of hCG Compliant Spices
Basil
This spice is great for those on the hCG diet because it helps with digestion. It can also be used to make teas and soups.
Black Pepper
Black pepper is a common spice that can be used to add flavor to soups, sauces, and salad dressings. It is also a good source of antioxidants.
Celery Seed
Celery seed is a good spice for the hCG diet because it helps to detoxify the body and promote weight loss.
Chili Powder
Chili powder is a great spice for the hGC diet because it helps to boost metabolism and burn fat.
Cumin
Cumin is another spice that can help with digestion and weight loss. It can also be used to make teas and soups.
Dill Weed
Dill weed is a good spice for the hCG diet because it helps with digestion and can also be used to make salads and dips.
Garlic Powder
Garlic powder is a common spice that can be used to add flavor to food. It is also a good source of antioxidants.
Ginger Root
Ginger root is a good spice for the hCG diet because it helps with nausea and vomiting. It can also be used to make teas and soups.
Parsley flakes
Parsley flakes are a good spice for the hCG diet because they help with digestion and can also be used to make teas, soups, and salads.
Rosemary leaves
Rosemary leaves are a good spice for the hCG diet because they help with digestion and can also be used to make teas, soups, and sauces.
Sage leaves
Sage leaves are a good spice for the hCG diet because they help with digestion and can also be used to make teas, soups, and sauces.
Tarragon leaves
Tarragon leaves are a good spice for the hCG diet because they help with digestion and can also be used to make teas, soups, salad dressings, and dips.
Thyme leaves
Thyme leaves are a good spice for the hCG diet because they help with digestion and can also be used to make teas, soups, sauces, and salad dressings.
Allowed Dressings on HCG diet
No doubt we have seen dressings can really wreak havoc on your hCG efforts. But no need to suffer through that bland salad alone. Check out these cool choices that will even make rabbits wish they could top your toppings!
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is a great all-purpose dressing that goes well with almost any type of salad. It has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that can liven up even the most bland of greens. Balsamic vinegar is also relatively low in calories, making it a great option for those on the HCG diet.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another acidic dressing that can be used on almost any type of salad. It has a slightly more pronounced flavor than balsamic vinegar, so it may not be ideal for those who are sensitive to strong flavors. However, apple cider vinegar is also rich in antioxidants and has been shown to help with weight loss, making it a great choice for those on the HCG diet.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a tart and refreshing dressing that pairs well with green salads or seafood salads. It is also very low in calories, making it a great option for those on the HCG diet. Lemon juice can also help boost your metabolism and promote weight loss, making it a great choice for those looking to shed some pounds.
Lime Juice
Lime juice is similar to lemon juice in terms of its acidity and tartness. It also pairs well with green salads or seafood salads. However, lime juice has a slightly sweeter flavor than lemon juice, making it a good choice for those who are looking for something a little different. Like lemon juice, lime juice is also low in calories and can help boost your metabolism.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a classic salad dressing that can be used on almost any type of salad. It has a rich and flavorful taste that pairs well with both hearty and light salads alike. Olive oil is also a good source of healthy fats, making it a great choice for those on the HCG diet.
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is another healthy fat option that can be used on salads. It has a nutty flavor that pairs well with both green salads and grain salads. Flaxseed oil is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to promote heart health and weight loss.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is another healthy fat option with numerous benefits. It has a rich and creamy texture that makes it ideal for both green salads and grain salads. Avocado oil has also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and promote weight loss, making it an ideal choice for those on the HCG diet.
Allowed sauces on HCG Diet
Don’t struggle to find sauces that fit within the confines of the hCG diet restrictions. There are many delicious sauces that you can enjoy while still adhering to the diet. Here are the best sauces for the hCG diet and what goes well with each of them.
Some of the allowed sauces include BBQ sauce made without added sugar or ketchup, Caesar dressing made without anchovies, salsa; and tomato sauce, homemade mayonnaise, mustard sauce, pesto sauce, and hollandaise sauce. All of these sauces can be enjoyed with different types of food.
List of hCG Compliant Sauces
BBQ sauce
Great on grilled chicken or fish.
Caesar dressing
Goes well with salads or as a dipping sauce.
Salsa
Perfect as a general condiment.
Tomato sauce
Versatile and can be used on chicken, or fish dishes.
Homemade mayonnaise
Can be used as a dip for veggies.
Mustard sauce
Goes well with pork dishes.
Pesto sauce & and hollandaise sauce
Both great on compliant pasta dishes or grassini breadsticks.
Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of spices allowed on the hCG diet. HCG is hard work, but it’s worth it. Take advantage of the spices, dressings, and sauces allowed on the hCG diet to keep things interesting and power you through the most challenging phase of calorie restrictions.
Being careful is worth it.
Don’t fall for the “middle mistake”, being tricked into trusting something in the middle aisles of the grocery store, where sugars and fats can be hidden from plain sight with fancy names in hard-to-understand ingredients. Stick with the simple choices we outline here or even allow for something more interesting like blue cheese dressing made with fat-free yogurt or mayo substitute made with olive oil or grapeseed oil instead of mayonnaise or sour cream-based dressings. Putting some effort into your hCG meal planning will be worth it, and you’ll be able to hit the goals of becoming your ideal self.
