Some foods require more energy to be digested when compared to what they provide. Such foods are called negative calorie foods. So fill your tummy with some negative calorie foods to prevent overeating.
What are negative calorie foods?
Negative calorie foods are foods that burn more calories in the process of chewing and digestion when compared to the number of calories it provides the body. Eating such foods creates a calorie-deficit in the system, which can aid weight loss. The term ‘negative calories’, however, can be misleading as it might suggest that such foods have no calories at all, which is not true.
How do negative calorie foods work?
First of all, it is important to understand that all foods we eat burn calories. About 10-15% of calories from the foods we eat are used in the process of digestion. The body requires energy to breakdown and absorb proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and other nutrients present in our food, and it derives this energy from the food we eat.
There are certain foods that require lots of calories (energy) to break down and get absorbed. Some of these foods contain very few calories and, therefore, force the body to call upon its energy sources in the form of stored fat and glucose to finish processing the food. Such foods are called zero or negative calorie foods.
For instance, a piece of raw cucumber (containing approximately 1 calorie) will need way more calories to be chewed and digested, resulting in a net loss of calories from our body fat.
But then, eating a bowl of cucumber alone will not help in weight loss. You have to eat them instead of potato chips and brownies. In other words, you can’t eat a chocolate muffin and then try to burn off the calories by chasing it with a bowl of cucumber. The only way to make this work is to eat that bowl of cucumber first, leaving very little or no space for that sinful muffin.
A list of negative calorie foods!
Foods low in calorie, high in fiber and full of water content make to this list as they not only provide nutrients but add bulk and volume. Most of them are fruits and veggies.
For negative calorie vegetables, choose from:
• Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Onion
• Cucumber
• Green beans
• Radish
• Spinach
• Carrot
• Zucchini
• Asparagus
• Celery
For negative calorie fruits, choose from:
• Apple
• Blueberry
• Grape fruit
• Tomato
• Papaya
• Cranberry
• Honey-dew melon
• Lemon
• Orange
• Pineapple
• Strawberry
• Watermelon
A word of caution.
A diet restricted to only these foods could lead to malnutrition, as you’ll miss out on many essential nutrients.
When eating negative calorie foods, remember:
Don’t go by the literal meaning of this concept.
These are best when snack time hits.
Eating only or too much of these foods can lead to various deficiencies.
