Top 16 Negative Calorie Foods

Top 16 Negative Calorie Foods

Foods that burn more calories than they contain) - How do you eat more while losing more weight at the same time? One of the best answers is to eat "negative-calorie" foods, meaning that these foods actually take more energy to digest than they deliver to your body. While these foods may be an important source of phytonutrients, they are not sources of fat-packing calories.

Because of their surprising lack of calories, these foods can essentially be consumed in unlimited quantities without you gaining weight (body fat). That works because your stomach senses when it is physically full, and it will trigger your brain to stop eating when you can't handle more food. You know that "I feel stuffed" feeling? That's your stomach (which has its own complex nervous system, by the way), telling your brain to tell you to stop eating.

This is why, believe it or not, the simple act of drinking a glass of water before each meal is a proven weight loss strategy. It fills your belly with water, thereby reducing the amount of space left for other foods. So your stomach gets full more quickly, triggering the "stop eating" signals in your brain.

Eating an apple before each meal also works in much the same way. This is true even though apples are not negative-calorie foods. But they are rich in water, and water takes up space in your stomach. In fact, that's the common property among all negative-calorie foods - They all contain a lot of water locked in a fibrous matrix. Apples are essentially "water fruits," as are grapes and watermelons. Many vegetables are also "water vegetables," meaning that they're loaded with water.

Top 16 Negative Calorie Food List

You must be eager to know how the negative calorie diet work. Their main feature of course is a very low level of calorie. You would require more energy from the body to digest these foods. The temperature within these foods helps speed up the metabolism of the body, which in turn helps burn calories fast. The chemical contents of these negative calorie foods encourage sustainable weight loss. Therefore, these food ingredients are ideal to incorporate into one’s regular diet for a healthy living style. Check out the top 16 negative calorie foods that taste great and have high nutritional value.

1) Celery

About 75% of a celery stick is actually water; the other 25% is fiber and other roughage. As a result of the fact that this tasty vegetable is so full of water, it provides you with far fewer calories than it will take for your body to digest the snack. Or we can say one cup of celery (120g) contains only 18-19 calories. It takes far more than 19 calories to prepare, eat, digest and eliminate this one cup of celery, and that's what qualifies it as a negative-calorie food. You can eat as much celery as you want, and you won't gain body fat.

In addition to burning more calories than it contains, celery is an excellent source of fiber that can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack. The health benefits of celery don’t end at weight loss. Celery is full of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Further, celery has anti-oxidant properties that may be able to improve cardiovascular health, reducing your chances of developing hardened arteries (and related heart problems like heart attacks and cardiovascular disease).

As a bonus, the fiber content promotes regular bowel movements as well as boosting digestive health more generally. There is even some evidence suggesting that a diet high in celery can improve the appearance of your skin. You can enjoy celery sticks on their own, or try lightly seasoning them with salt. You can also dip celery in hot sauce to make a spicy snack, or chop it up for a salad.

2) Green Tea

Green tea is an excellent source of EGCG antioxidants. It helps to complement our regular fluid intake. A single glass of green tea works throughout the day to burn calories. Green tea has a light flavor and it tastes even better with a hint of lemon.

3) Lettuce and Leafy Greens

Lettuce contains a mere 8 calories per cup. Essentially, lettuce is water - making it impossible to gain weight from eating it. Richer greens - such as romaine - have the same amount of calories but also contain iron and magnesium. Next time a salad is offered at dinner, don't skip out! It will help fill you up without adding unnecessary fat and calories - just make sure to choose a low-fat dressing.

This time, however, the ratio is roughly 50% water to 50% fiber. As a result, leafy greens are an excellent source of energy, and definitely help to reduce the urge to eat sweet treats.

If you’re looking to improve your overall health as well as lose weight by eating foods that burn plenty of calories, leafy greens are second to none. For example, a juicy portion of kale provides you with anti-carcinogenic nutrients called glucosinolates, which are highly effective at reducing the risk of colon cancer as well as cancers of the prostate, ovaries, breast and bladder. Meanwhile, just a single serving of Kale contains 1327% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 192% of your intake of vitamin A, both of which promote strong, healthy bones.

Spinach is just as impressive, and also provides unique benefits for dieters. One gram of spinach is packed full of more protein than a gram of steak, and protein causes your digestive system to work particularly hard. As it digests the spinach, you burn more calories than you would otherwise be using.

4) Grapefruit

This sweet and sour fruit is essentially all water with a bit of roughage thrown in. Much like celery, this fruit is about 60% or more water, and most of the rest of this fruit is healthy fiber that boosts digestive health and promotes feelings of fullness. The particular type of fiber that is found in grapefruit is called pectin, and it doesn’t just fill you up; it also reduces arterial hardening, helping to protect your body against heart disease.

Eating plenty of grapefruit may also help to boost your metabolism, helping your body to burn more calories at a faster rate. Grapefruit slices or grapefruit juice can also boost your energy in the morning or when you hit a slump during the work day.

In addition to being a great morning snack, grapefruit is a good choice at any time of day if you want to enjoy something sweet that is still exceptionally healthy. For example, this fruit contains phytonutrients called limonoids, which may help to reduce your chances of developing tumors in the stomach, colon and lungs.

But the best part is that grapefruit contains naringenin, an antioxidant derived from the bitter flavor of grapefruits, which triggers the liver to break down fat. So as part of a fat-loss strategy, grapefruit is truly essential to your daily diet! Meanwhile, people who eat the greatest quantities of red grapefruit typically have up to 16% lower levels of LDL cholesterol (i.e. ‘bad’ cholesterol).

5) Berries and Apple

Berries are another rich source of antioxidants. These sweet-tasting fruits help in removing harmful toxins from the body. Regular consumption of berries is healthy for a clean and strengthened immune system.

Apples are filling, healthy and will satisfy your sweet-tooth craving. Apples typically contain 100 calories for a medium-sized one and take 120 to digest. Apples also contain vitamin C, plenty of antioxidants and can help lower cholesterol. For those that have a sweet tooth, these fruits are a great option for snacking. Often, fruits have enough fiber to keep you full without tons of sugars that will go straight to your problem areas.

In addition to helping you lose weight if eaten in moderation, apple contain amazingly powerful nutrients that improve your quality of life. Apples have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 17% (when fed to rats on a daily basis). When the number of apple servings was increased to three, rats were 44% less likely to suffer from malignant mammary tumors.

In addition, there is some evidence that the quercetin found in apples could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by protecting your body from the damage that can be caused by dangerous free radicals.

Meanwhile, oranges are wonderful for heart health in a couple of different ways. Firstly, they contain magnesium and potassium, which naturally regulate blood pressure.

Further, they are a source of something called herperidin, which lowers levels of bad cholesterol. It is speculated that this second benefit might be the reason that daily consumption of oranges appears to cut stroke risk by almost 20%.

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him" - Buddha

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them" - Dalai Lama

6) Broccoli

No list of nutritious foods will be complete without broccoli. A storehouse of all essential nutrients, broccoli is a very important negative calorie food one should intake frequently. The best part of negative calorie foods is that you can eat them as much as you want, without any restriction.

This nutrient-rich vegetable has just 25 calories in half a cup. It contains vitamin A, vitamin C, both soluble and insoluble fiber, folic acid and calcium. It controls high blood pressure and can help prevent colon cancer. Even if you're not looking to lose weight, broccoli is worth eating for all the other benefits it provides.

7) Orange and Lemon

Citrus fruits are the king of negative calorie foods. All of them are affluent sources of antioxidants and water-soluble vitamins. They provide our health with necessary immunity to fight against several ailments. Citrus fruits are the best for our skin as well.

Lemons cleanse the body and can add flavor to a rather dull meal. Put some in warm water and drink in the morning to jump-start your metabolism for the day. Lemons also promote immunity and fight infections, with research confirming they even protect against a variety of poisons.

8) Watermelon and mangoes

Both watermelon and mangoes consist of mostly water. Watermelon has just 80 calories per cup and one whole mango has about 150 calories. Both are high in sugar though, so consider eating to satisfy a sweet craving instead of as a way to burn extra calories. A popular fruit on a warm summer’s day, the crunchy watermelon is also extremely low in calories and great at helping dieters lose weight. You can mix it with other fruits to form a refreshing fruit salad, or cut it into cubes and eat it on its own.

One reason why watermelon can help you to lose weight is that it is a very rich source of B vitamins, which increase your energy levels and reduce your need to eat extra foods (which you may be more tempted to do when you are feeling sluggish).

A watermelon contains virtually no fat and very few calories, so it’s unsurprising that it is an asset to anyone who is overweight. Nutritionists working on the health benefits of eating watermelon also speculate that it might have the power to boost your metabolic rate to a higher level than other fruits, due to the fact that it contains so much fiber and protein.

If you need extra motivation to include more watermelon in your life, keep in mind that it is another great source of lycopene, the antioxidant that may protect the body against cancers of the womb, breast, colon and respiratory system.

9) Salmon

High in protein, salmon fish is an affluent source of good fats, which are known as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids aid weight loss significantly. Several mouth-watering delicacies can be prepared with salmon.

10) Whole Grain Bread

Whole grain bread is the richest source of high quality edible fiber. It is loaded with essential nutrients. The amount of carbohydrates in whole grain bread is considerably low when compared to normal bread.

11) Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic are not proper foods, but they are food ingredients. Both of these ingredients are stuffed with essential edible minerals. In addition, the oils present in garlic and onion help to increase the metabolism and break down fat.

Like lemons, garlic adds flavor to food without adding calories. It reduces cholesterol and contains mustard oils, which help wash out fat cells from the body. If you're not a huge fan of garlic, dice it up extra small to minimize the flavor.

12) Brown Rice

If you happen to be one of those like me who cannot spend a day without rice, brown rice definitely makes a healthier option for you. Brown rice tastes great and contains high amounts of fiber. The amount of carbohydrates is also significantly low in this foodstuff.

13) Asparagus

Asparagus, like grapefruit, flushes water out of the body by acting as a diuretic. It contains a chemical that helps break down fat cells and can reduce body fat overall. Not only does asparagus act as a fat repellent, it also is used for anti-ageing purposes, protects against cancer and can reduce pain and inflammation.

When grilled and seasoned, eating asparagus can be so enjoyable that it is easy to forget that you’re eating a vegetable. You can eat it on its own, add it to healthy pasta dishes, or choose to serve it as a side with a portion of lean meat. The tips are especially tasty.

Now, you may already know that it is linked to detoxification of the body due to the fact that it contains diuretic nutrients that help to remove toxins from your system, but it is definitely worth noting that asparagus consumption can also boost the metabolism. In addition, asparagus is an especially good addition to the diets of pregnant women, as it is bursting with folate (which is connected to a reduced risk of life-threatening birth defects, such as spina bifida).

This folate is coupled with minerals like calcium, improving the chances of a baby being born at a healthy birth weight that helps it to thrive. Once you take the diuretic influence of asparagus into account and realize that it can also reduce troublesome bloating or swelling, it is clear that this vegetable is an ideal component of a woman’s diet when she’s expecting a baby.

14) Lean Meats

Lean meats like chicken and beef are high in protein. They help expedite metabolism, and aid in building body muscles as well. Lean meats also help to repair the damaged body cells. Unlike some of the fruits and vegetables that we have just considered, low calorie lean meats do not contain zero calories, but they are worthy of inclusion on this list because they can help to keep the body going for hours.

For example, lean meats like turkey, chicken and low fat pork are excellent sources of protein, forcing the digestive system to work hard. As a result, they temporarily boost your metabolism, ensuring that you burn more calories even when you are at rest.

Meanwhile, these meats provide you with so much energy that you’re unlikely to feel the need to eat for several hours. So, even though lean meats certainly contain more calories than a raw carrot stick, they will provide your body with more energy than other foods and ultimately help to make sure that you burn more calories in a full day.

However, if you’re trying to shed excess fat, you need to be very careful about how you prepare your meat. In particular, you should always opt to oven-bake or grill your meat instead of frying it, and make sure that you don’t counteract the health benefits of your meal by adding a fatty sauce.

15) Yoghurt

An excellent source of protein, good bacteria and antioxidants, yoghurt is a source of essential dietary supplements. You can confidently add a small bowl of yoghurt to your regular diet, as it does a lot of good to your health. Again, yogurt is a bit higher in calories than other foods you may eat but it can help to regulate bowel movements, it promotes the maintenance and breeding of healthy cultures in the gut, and it can even help to keep your bones strong.

However, it is important to be careful when choosing a yogurt. For example, although you might think that reduced fat yogurt is the healthiest option on the market if you want to lose weight, the truth is that most manufacturers add huge amounts of sugar to these yogurts in order to improve their taste.

Meanwhile, you may find that a yogurt that is advertised as being particularly low in sugar will turn out to be packed with fat in order to create a creamy texture. If weight loss is on your mind, try to find a yogurt that contains a healthy balance of sugar and fat (i.e. one that contains a reasonably small amount of both).

Alternatively, choose fat free yogurt that has no added sugar, and mix it with some dried fruit, nuts and cereal to create a tasty breakfast. Fat free yogurt is also an excellent addition to healthy smoothies (as a substitute for full fat milk).

16) Cucumbers

Like many of the foods that burn more calories than they contain, cucumbers are mostly made up of water. In addition to helping you lose weight in this way, cucumber can keep you hydrated before or after a long workout at the gym.

For similar reasons, cucumber slices can be a delicious treat on a hot summer day. They taste great when dipped in reduced fat humus or sprinkled with a tasty seasoning.

Due to their high water content, many people mistakenly assume that cucumbers don’t do much else for your overall health. However, it is definitely worth noting that a diet rich in cucumbers may help to improve your resistance to disease (as long as you eat them with their skins intact). The cucumber is one of the best vegetables when it comes to providing vitamin C, and there is plenty of evidence suggesting that a high intake of vitamin C is linked to an improved ability to resist invasion by bacteria and viruses.

Further, eating plenty of cucumbers could end up reducing excessively high levels of inflammation in your body, as cucumbers contain enzymes that have an anti-inflammatory influence similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen).