Sweet Tips for the VLCD Phase of the HCG Diet
The HCG Diet is very different from most other diets! It is very specific as far as what types of food you are allowed to eat. You must be more mindful of what everyday food items contain, especially sugars, chemical sweeteners, and oils. In this article, we're going to give you some sweetener tips for the VLCD Phase of the HCG Diet. Most people don’t know that there is added sugar in seasoning, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, and sweetener. While at the grocery store, you’ll want to read ingredients labels very closely because ingesting even small amounts of added sugars or oils can have a negative impact on your weight loss while on the HCG Diet Protocol. Watch out for anything that ends in “ose”, cane juice, maltodextrin and other unfamiliar types of sugar.
Below are just some of the most common names for sugars but the list goes on and on:
Glucose
Fructose
Sucrose
Lactose
Agave Nectar
Brown Rice Syrup
Cane Juice
Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Maltodextrin
Molasses
There are also chemical sweeteners such as Aspartame and sugar alcohols like Erythritol, Maltitol, Sorbitol, and Xylitol that can stop you from losing weight. Besides sugars and sweeteners, be on the lookout for any added oils. These are the easiest to spot on an ingredient label since they usually include “oil” in their name.
With all of these unallowed ingredients, there are some great alternatives for those who are on the HCG Diet. Stevia is a natural sweetener that does not contain sugar or chemical sweeteners. Just make sure that the label lists “stevia leaf extract” and doesn’t include anything that says sugar or ends in “ose”. For example, a product called Stevia in the Raw® contains sugar along with stevia. If I was at the grocery store and saw this product, I would think the word “raw” meant stevia in its purest form, but this is not the case! It can be very tricky, so remember to check all ingredients. Monk fruit is also an allowed sweetener but again, the ingredients list should include “monk fruit extract” and not list sugar alcohols (end in “itol”) and sugars (end in “ose”).
As for man-made sugar substitutes, the only one allowed on the HCG Diet is saccharine, i.e., Sweet’N Low®. If there is an ingredient that you are not sure about, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to take a look and let you know if it is allowed or not. Just send us an email at info@diydietstore.com, participate in an online chat or give us a call at 888-389-0626. We are here to help you on your weight loss journey!