Eat Up! Calorie-Free Foods

by Carolina Diaz-Bordon eDiets.com Staff Writer

A great way to determine the value of a certain food is by its generosity. The best foods are the ones that make you work the least and give you a whole bunch of nutrition in return.

They are calorie-free foods, and while they may be a math teacher's worst nightmare, they are a dream come true when it comes to helping you stick to a nutritious diet.

No matter how hard you try to escape them, the fact is calories do count. The good news is that there’s no reason you should draw the curtain on them. It’s true that if you eat more calories than your body can burn then you will gain weight.

It’s also true, however, that depriving yourself of essential calories means depriving yourself of the energy you need to move and grow. The answer is balance and the key is to become calorie savvy.

“Your body has achieved neutral energy balance when the calories you take in are equal to the calories expended,” according to eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan Burke, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE. “To lose weight you need to achieve a negative energy balance, where the calories you take in equal less than the calories expended."

The best way to assess how many calories per day you eat is by keeping track. A great way to do this is by writing it down. Keeping a food diary is more than a fact finding mission. It will help you become aware of the foods you’re eating, how often and also give you insight as to why you may be eating them.

Studies suggest that when people report their own calorie intake they significantly underestimate their consumption of high-calorie and overestimate the low-calorie foods. Fortunately, thanks to eDiets.com counting calories is easy. The leading online weight-loss program offers an innovative nutrition tracker that does all the work for you.

All you have to do is enter the foods you eat each day and the nutrition tracker does the rest. It counts calories, carbs, protein and fat.

Once you determine a healthy caloric intake range to fit your specific needs then the next step is making sure you stay satisfied. This is when calorie-free foods, otherwise known as deprivation destroyers, come into action.

“Hunger is distracting and energy-depleting and most people who diet fall off the program because they are hungry all the time. Food is the best fat-burning strategy. Eat the right foods to satisfy your hunger and maintain your energy while losing weight.” Susan says.

What’s the key to calorie-free? According to Susan, very few foods are ultimately void of calories, but they include calorie-burning foods. These are foods that burn up more calories in the process of digesting them than are actually contained in the foods themselves.

The best way to stay satisfied, keep your energy level in full force and make sure your caloric intake stays in a healthy range is to include these super foods and snacks in your daily diet.

Here’s a list of some calorie-free and near-calorie-free foods, beverages and snacks that work entirely in your favor. They are simple, healthy, delicious and nutritious and to top it off they require no math skills to enjoy.

1. Hot Tea with Splenda: Drink a cup of calorie-free hot tea to ward off hunger pangs. Research shows tea consumption may also help prevent a wide range of ailments.

2. Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are all loaded with vitamins and minerals. Make these low-cal fruits a regular part of your diet, and your immune system, waistline and grumbling stomach will thank you.

3. Citrus Fruit: These fabulous fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They taste great and play a vital role in normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being.

4. Sugar-free Jell-O with non-fat dairy and topping: Say hello to Jell-O and enjoy. It's easy to make, delicious and virtually calorie free.

5. Egg whites prepared with nonstick spray: Egg whites are very low in calories, have no fat, contain no cholesterol and are loaded with protein.

6. Crunchy Veggies: Feel free to indulge. Dietitians give crunchy veggies a perfect 10 in nutrition. When it comes to weight loss, they are hard to beat. “Your best bets are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale, which contain disease-fighting glucosinolates and other substances,” Susan says.

7. Water: Weight loss and water go hand in hand. Water suppresses appetite and helps the body metabolize fat. It also regulates body temperature and flushes toxins from the body. Before you grab a snack, try drinking a glass of 100-percent calorie-free H2O.