Negative-calorie foods are those that the body consumes more calories in the process of chewing and digestion than the calories in these foods, making the calorie balance negative, which favors weight loss and weight loss.
The following is the complete list of foods with negative calories:
- Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, onion, spinach, turnip, cucumber, red pepper, zucchini, chicory, celery and eggplant;
- Vegetables: grated raw carrots, pods and zucchini;
- Fruits: pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, guava, papaya papaya, apricot, blueberry, peach, melon, strawberry, mango, tangerine, watermelon, tangerine, raspberry, blackberry.
These foods have as main characteristics a high fiber and water content, and low carbohydrate content, making them low in calories.
However, it is important to remember that simply consuming these foods is not enough to make you lose weight because the total calories consumed throughout the day make the difference and should be smaller than the calories spent to do all the activities of the day .
How to Use Foods with Negative Calories in Your Diet
In the diet to lose weight, foods with negative calories can be included so that the meals have more fibers and less calories, which increases the sensation of satiety and favors the loss of weight.
Thus, one should prefer to consume low-calorie fruits in snacks and desserts, while vegetables should be included in the lunch and dinner salads. In addition, zucchini and eggplant, for example, can be used to make dishes with very low calories, such as eggplant lasagne and zucchini spaghetti.
It is also important to remember that the diet should not be made only with negative calorie foods, because for the metabolism to work well and favor weight loss, it is also necessary to vary the diet and consume sources of proteins, such as meats and chicken, and good fats such as nuts, seeds and olive oil.
Difference between thermogenic foods and foods with negative calories
Thermogenic foods, such as pepper, green tea and coffee, are those that have an effect of increasing metabolism for a few hours, causing the body to expend a little more energy than normal. But foods with negative calories help in the diet because they are low in calories, making the digestion process end up costing more than these foods have to offer the body. See the list of thermogenic foods.
Watch the video below and learn how to prepare zucchini spaghetti, and see other tips from our nutritionist to lose localized fat.