Wouldn’t it be great to find foods with so few calories that you could eat as much or as many as you want without worrying about calories? Or what about negative calorie
foods, foods that use more calories during their digestion process than the amount of calories these foods possess? Are there really no cal, low cal or negative calorie foods out there?
Remember that saying “if it sounds too good to be true…” it may apply here, BUT, yes, there really are foods, especially vegetables that come close to the negative calorie dream. Adding these fruits and vegetables to your diet will help you feel full sooner, feel full longer, add bulk (fiber) to your diet and most definitely help you avoid those calorie bombs like chips, fries and sodas.
Start with raw cauliflower, carrot or celery sticks. Celery sticks are mostly water, average about 10 calories each and can use up to 12 calories to digest. That’s negative 2 calories for a snack that can fill you up and provide some healthy fiber. The problem: you dip them in ranch dressing and ruin any progress you would have made with the veggie sticks! Make your own healthy dip with plain Greek yogurt, chives, onions and spices.
Salads! Green leafy vegetables, especially lettuce, kale, raw spinach and swiss chard all have minimal calories and lots of bulk and fiber to fill you stomach and lean toward that negative digestion balance. The problem: you add salad dressing, one of the most fattening, fatty and unhealthy “foods” on the grocer’s shelf. Learn to make your own with a small amount of olive oil and vinegar and spices, then dip your fork in the dressing rather than pouring the dressing on the salad.
Cucumbers, radishes and similar veggies. Cukes are similar to celery sticks, more water than calories and more calories to digest than they contain. Add as many fresh raw vegetables to your salads or your plate as you can. The problem: avoid avocados and coconut, both have some very healthy benefits including omega 3 fatty acids, but both are loaded with calories and don’t belong on this list!
Spices and spicy foods. Think about the dishes that make you sweat, what are the spices and peppers that make these dishes hot? Those spices, peppers and powders literally raise your body temperature and speed your metabolism to burn more calories (and body fat). Add these “hot” ingredients to your meals to increase flavor and spice things up. The problem: If you use any pre-packaged hot sauces or salsas, etc. check for natural ingredients, avoid artificial flavors and colors.
Here is a short list of fruits and vegetables that should provide the “bulk” of any meal or snack if you are trying to lose weight:
Vegetables: Asparagus, Bean sprouts, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery,
Chicory/Radicchio, Cucumbers, Endives, Green beans, Jicama, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Radishes, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Zucchini.
Fruits: Apples, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Cranberries, Grapefruits, Honeydew, Lemons/Limes, Mangoes, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Pineapple, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tangerines, Watermelon.
Herbs & Spices: Anise, Cayenne, Chili peppers, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander/Cilantro, Cumin, Dill, Fennel seeds, Flax seeds, Garden cress, Garlic, Ginger, Parsley, Onion, Mustard seeds, Watercress.
