The theory behind zero calorie or negative calorie foods is that they
contain such a scant amount of calories that the energy you expend
eating them cancels out their calories. In essence the bottom line is
that you don’t take on any excess calories, and in some instances you
end up burning calories as you eat them. Whether or not this is an
accurate statement, it’s clear that the following foods have such a
slight caloric load they won’t put a dent in your daily total.
Each of these foods has fewer than 50 calories per 100 gram serving.
Considering that chicken breast has 172 calories in that same portion
size and is considered a low calorie food, it’s clear to see these foods
rank very low in terms of calories.
1. Celery
Celery is a food that when you eat it you don’t really feel like you’re
eating anything, so it’s not a total shocker to find out that it has
essentially zero calories. The stringy nature of celery makes it seem as
if it only exists to hold the water it contains. What you’ll typically
see is celery with peanut butter or cream-based fillings inside of it,
and you’ll want to avoid those if you are keeping track of calories, as
they can swing it back the other way quite quickly. Total calories per 100g serving: 16
2. Oranges
Oranges are known for their Vitamin C, but they’re also low in calories
compared to other fruits. Whether or not you expend the total number of
calories while eating oranges is debatable, but the point of eating
foods this low in calorie is not to cancel out the calories, but to keep
your total caloric load for the day lower than normal. You’re trying to
create a caloric deficit, and an orange can help reach that goal. Total calories per 100g serving: 47
3. Cabbage
Cabbage often gets brought up for its ability to prevent cancer and
heart disease, and it often ranks on lists of foods that help with
weight loss. That’s because it has a calorie count so low you end up
burning it off just by going about the normal motions of your day.
Cabbage soup is one great way to eat cabbage, as it is a filling meal
while containing far fewer calories than most soups. Total calories per 100g serving: 25
4. Asparagus
Asparagus shows up as a side dish to many meals, and is a great choice
because its fibrous nature means it will satisfy your hunger, but the
number of calories makes it so it doesn’t add much to your daily total.
Eating asparagus fresh on a salad is a crunchy and satisfying treat,
while grilling it or steaming it are the two best cooking methods. Be
sure to go easy on the butter or oil, as that will bring the calorie
count right back up. Total calories per 100g serving: 20
5. Beets
If you’re going to use beets as a low calorie food you should stick to
fresh beets that you either steam, boil, or grill. If you go with the
pickled variety you’ll be adding a bit more calories to the mix. In
addition to being low in calories, beets are great for the body,
containing betalains, an antioxidant that gives it its color and is only
found in a few select foods. Total calories per 100g serving: 43
6. Cucumber
Cucumbers contain so much water in them it’s not surprising that they’re
low in calories. That’s why cucumbers make a great adornment to most
salads, especially when the salad is full of other low-cal veggies. You
can eat until you feel full, while still keeping your total number of
calories to a minimum. Combine this sort of eating with a more active
lifestyle, and you start to tip the scales in your favor, literally and
figuratively. Total calories per 100g serving: 16
7. Lemons
It’s not as if you’re going to sit around eating lemons in order to keep
your calories down, but it’s nice to know that you can use them as much
as you want and you won’t be putting much of a strain on your total
calories consumed in a day. That’s why lemons are great for flavoring up
a glass of water, or sprinkling on top of fish and other foods to give
them a bit of zest. They’re also an alkalizing food and contain
antioxidants to keep you healthy. Total calories per 100g serving: 29
8. Cauliflower
Cauliflower also limbos as one of the lowest ranking foods on the
calorie chart. It’s also a cruciferous vegetable and has many healthy
benefits to it, including being an anti-inflammatory food,
and helping the body’s cardiovascular and digestive systems. It’s a
great weight loss aid all the way around, not just because it’s very low
in calories. You easily burn through it’s caloric load with the act of
cooking it. Total calories per 100g serving: 25
9. Mushrooms
No matter which mushroom you choose to go with, the chances are it’s
going to be low in calories. These fungi just don’t know how to be high
in calories, so you don’t have to worry when using them in a recipe, or
sauteing them as a side dish. Even the big, popular portabella mushroom
is low in calories, having only 22 of them in a 100 gram serving.
Perhaps that’s why it makes such a great replacement to high calorie
beef in mushroom burgers.Total calories per 100g serving of Chanterelle mushrooms: 38
10. Watermelon
Watermelon has a low number of calories, despite being so naturally
sweet. This has to be the sweetest food on our list, while still ranking
considerably low in calories. The great news is that in addition to
being a crowd pleaser, watermelon has antioxidants that help your body
in many ways. It’s also been shown to be able to boost your metabolism,
just don’t go overboard on portion sizes. Total calories per 100g serving: 30
11. Zucchini
It’s great news that zucchini is low in calories because it is a popular
side dish, and can even be incorporated into things like zucchini
bread. It’s a very versatile vegetable that puts up such small numbers
in the calorie department, it’s hard to do any damage with it. That
being said, too much of a good thing is never good, so you’ll want to
use this to help you feel satisfied during a meal without overdoing it. Total calories per 100g serving: 17
12. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, and it’s only
fitting that they come in low on the calorie radar. The lycopene they
contain helps prevent cancer, and staves off heart disease, so you’re
doing yourself a favor each time you eat it. It also makes a great
weight loss food because it has such few calories that you burn it off
just getting it prepped for cooking. Combine it with other foods on this
list and you’ll get a delicious, low-calorie meal. Total calories per 100g serving: 17
13. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is often pegged as diet food, a title it deserves seeing how
it has been shown to rev up a sluggish metabolism, and is recommended to
heart patients after surgery. The calories on this aren’t the lowest
you can find, but they’re still not worth mentioning when you’re
tallying up your total calories for the day. Fruits in general tend to
have more calories than vegetables, but they often bring a preferred
flavor to the table as well. Total calories per 100g serving: 42
14. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts may win the award for food most often given to the dog
under the table, but it’s a shame because these little guys are packed
with nutrients and clock in rather low on the calorie meter. They are
also a cruciferous vegetable, so they provide similar benefits to eating
broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Doctoring them up with cheese or
butter to make them taste better will bump up your calories, so be
careful and find the right balance. Total calories per 100g serving: 43
15. Kale
You simply have to start eating more kale, that’s how good it is for
you. And on top of all of the protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and
phytonutrients it provides, it manages to keep its calories down, so
it’s nothing but beneficial to you. Want a snacking alternative that’s
naturally low in calories? Try baking up some kale chips in an assortment of different flavors. This is a much better alternative to potato chips. Total calories per 100g serving: 49
16. Turnips
You probably don’t feel like eating a heaping helping of turnips, but if
you did you wouldn’t really affect your calorie intake much. These
vegetables show up from time to time in recipes, but most often they’ll
be used as part of a side dish. You can also use them on a salad. They
are an anti-inflammatory food, so they can help calm down the symptoms
of several conditions caused by excessive inflammation in the body. Total calories per 100g serving: 28
17. Apples
The “apple a day” adage seems to hold water, with apples containing
plenty of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This is no
forbidden fruit, and should be used as part of a calorie conscious diet
to make sure that you’re not exceeding your daily allotment. Apples can
make a great snack between meals to hold you over, and keep you from
eating junk food or fast food in a moment of hunger-induced weakness. Total calories per 100g serving: 52
18. Onions
Onions are used in so many recipes it’s good that they’re low in
calories. Most of us aren’t going to bite into an onion as a food source
on its own, so it’s nice to know that they aren’t adding much in the
way of calories when we cook with them and add them to soups and main
dishes. Onions are often referenced as a healthy food that can help you
reach your weight loss goals, and studies show that they contain
flavonoids that help the body. Total calories per 100g serving: 40
19. Carrots
Eating carrots to protect your eyesight is a good idea, but is just one
reason to eat them. They’re also a low glycemic food, so they can help
you manage your blood glucose levels, and they are an all natural
diuretic, so they can help rid your body of excess sodium and retained
water. They’re also an anti-inflammatory food so they can be used to
help treat inflammation in the body. Total calories per 100g serving: 41
20. Broccoli
Broccoli is a wonderfood, there’s no other way to describe it. It’s a
cancer-fighting food that is also very low in calories. It’s packed with
phytonutrients, as well as fiber so it helps keep your digestive system
humming along, which is key to maintaining a proper weight. It even
contains plant-based protein which can help you if you’re resistance
training to build lean muscle. Total calories per 100g serving: 34
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