Dieters are always searching for the perfect calorie-burning, fat-melting, do-it-in-two-weeks diet. A popular notion often comes up that there are certain foods that require more energy to chew, digest, and absorb than they actually contain (negative calories). Do these negative calorie foods really exist?
Question Everything
Health gurus seem to have come up with a million different concoctions of how to get thin quickly and easily. A popular notion is that consuming a diet high in supposedly "catabolic foods" - or foods that require more energy to chew, digest, and absorb than they actually contain (negative calories) makes for a good way to lose weight. I know you've heard about this: eat all the celery, lettuce, grapefruit, and apples you want and you'll watch the pounds melt away. While it is true that your metabolism is increased after eating - known as the thermic effect of food - this caloric expenditure is relatively small and no study has ever demonstrated, regardless of the dietary make up of food, that more calories are used to metabolize a food than the number of calories the food contains. Biologically the notion just doesn't add up. As you can tell by the obesity epidemic, the human body is well-suited to hold on to fat. We aren't made to eat food that inherently makes us lose weight. Combine that with an overabundance of food and low levels of physical activity and there are consequences to be paid. Still, a quick Google search will lead you to websites with lists of "catabolic foods" and on some you can even find claims of specific very high calorie amounts required to metabolize these foods. The truth is you'd need to have the metabolism of a seagull for these claims to be true and there is no scientific research in support of a catabolic diet or any "negative calorie" foods.
Don't Throw Out The Baby With The Bath Water
While you won't burn more calories eating a food than the number of calories the food contains, you can and should include low-calorie, whole filling foods in a healthy eating plan to help keep your weight loss efforts on track.
Here are 10 low-calorie but nutrient dense foods that will help you fill up and, as part of a balanced eating and exercise plan, help you take off the extra weight.
Blueberries - This low-calorie (50 berries = 40 calories) nutrient powerhouse contains high levels of antioxidants.
Artichokes - A medium artichoke contains only 60 calories and a whopping 6 grams of fiber. Artichokes are also an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including folic acid which is a hard one to come by.
Grapefruit - Low in calories (40 for a medium sized one), high in taste and nutrients this is a great addition to any diet.
Spinach - The epitome of health food, you can get a good dousing of many of the vitamins and minerals you need with a large spinach salad. (2 cups = 14 calories)
Lentils - Lentils are low in calories (1/2 cup = 100 calories) and are high in protein, iron, and fiber. This makes for a great addition to any salad, soup, or meal.
Watermelon - A cup of cut-up watermelon weighs in at less than 50 calories. Not only is watermelon a refreshing summer fruit loaded with vitamins it has been shown to help stave off heat stroke.
Egg White - Egg whites are a great way to get your protein (4 grams per white + 20 calories). If you can or want to throw in a yolk you're only up to 80 calories and 6 grams of protein with an addition of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
Canned Tuna - Eating a can of water-packed tuna is a low calorie way to get loads of lean protein, omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin D with only 30 calories per can.
Bok Choy - This Chinese cabbage is very low in calories (1/2 cup = 10 calories) and a must have for any Asian-style meal. Not to mention it is nutrient-dense, a rich source of vitamin A, C and calcium.
There are no quick fixes or two-week diets, but there are a lot of great healthy choices out there to spice up your meal plans. Taste a few...
Excerpts from ACE Fitness, Natalie Digate Muth; registered dietian
