Low-calorie foods to add to your daily diet

A beautiful and slim body is not only about aesthetics, but also about health. A healthy body makes us self-confident, energetic and purposeful. However, on the path to the cherished forms and excellent well-being, you need to work hard. At a minimum, create a suitable diet for yourself and monitor the calorie content of your meals.

If you don’t take care of your diet and adjust it, no amount of physical activity will give an effective result. Therefore, to effectively lose weight, you should first identify low-calorie foods and include them in your diet.

By counting calories, you can control the volume of meals and the nutritional value of food. Thus, your body will receive the required amount of vitamins and beneficial microelements. You will feel a surge of strength and vigor, as the body will no longer waste energy on processing heavy and harmful foods.

The calorie content of a product is the amount of energy that the body receives when digesting food. The fact is that fats, proteins and carbohydrates provide different amounts of energy: 9.3 kcal/g, 4.1 kcal/g, 4.1 kcal/g. However, when following a diet, it is also important to take into account that food also contains other elements with their own calorie content. Giving preference to low-fat foods is not always correct. For example, the difference between full-fat milk and skim milk is small and often amounts to no more than 20 calories.

Low-calorie diet foods include fruits and vegetables. They contain a lot of fiber, which is also a complex carbohydrate. The body is not able to digest it, so it removes fiber, cleansing itself of toxins. This process is accompanied by normalization of metabolism and a decrease in cholesterol levels.

However, not all products that are generally considered dietary comply with this. In most cases, you can simply fall for the marketing tactics. Therefore, when preparing a diet, it is important to study the issue in detail and determine the lowest-calorie fruits and vegetables.

Most often, calculating the daily calorie intake is necessary for people who are overweight or those who are predisposed to rapid weight gain. However, this figure may vary depending on a number of factors:

• general well-being, health status;
• age and gender;
• lifestyle;
• climatic features of the region.

Therefore, if you are not sure about the benefits of the diet for yourself, consult a specialist in advance. Learn the calorie content of different foods so you can improve your nutrition.

Vegetables

Vegetables contain a large amount of fiber and microelements. At the same time, they contain a minimum of carbohydrates and proteins, which makes them very useful and indispensable in the diet. Let's look at the lowest calorie vegetables:

• Cucumbers - 11-14 kcal per 100 g of product. This product improves digestion, liver, stomach and kidney function. Allows you to remove water from the body faster.
• Sweet pepper - 27 kcal/100 g. It contains carotene, vitamins C and B, and mineral elements. Strengthens the immune system, promotes weight loss, improves digestion, thins the blood and prevents blood clots.
• Radishes - 21 kcal/100 g. They are a source of potassium and zinc, vitamin C. Radishes are added to seasonal salads, okroshka and other dishes.
• Carrots - 34 kcal/100 g. Contains many vitamins B, C and A, manganese, potassium. Its excellent taste allows it to be consumed both raw and in various dishes.
• Pumpkin - 25 kcal/100 g. It is a strong antioxidant. Contains carotene, vitamins K, E and C, and a large amount of zinc. Due to its low calorie content, it is an indispensable product for weight loss.

Greenery

In total, the calorie content of different greens varies from 0 to 50. In addition, it contains a high content of useful elements and minerals necessary to strengthen the immune system.

• Celery greens - 0 kcal/100 g. Contains vitamins K, E, A, group B, choline, ascorbic acid, essential oils, organic acids. Helps fight apathy and drowsiness, improves food absorption, and removes toxins from the body.
• Salad - 10 kcal/100 g. The product contains choline, potassium, beta-carotene, calcium, phosphorus, nitrogenous substances, iron, zinc. It contains a large amount of vitamins H, PP, C, B (1,2, 9, 6), K. Removes waste and toxins, improves digestion and overall well-being.
• Parsley - 49 kcal/100 g. This is a valuable source of vitamins PP, A, group B, E. Fresh greens also contain a lot of beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.
• Asparagus - 21 kcal/100 g. Asparagus contains a lot of the amino acid asparagine - an element that is an excellent diuretic.

Fruits

Compared to vegetables, fruits contain little fiber but more carbohydrates. Below is a list of the lowest calorie fruits:

• Cherry plum - 27 kcal/100 g. This dietary product contains a large amount of vitamin E, C, calcium, pectin, organic acids, magnesium and iron. It is healthier in dried form.
• Cherry - 52 kcal/100 g. It contains malic acids, pectins, and dietary fiber. It is a good tonic, strengthens the immune system, improves the condition of the skin and hair.
• Grapefruit - 42 kcal/100 g. The fruit contains 34% of the daily requirement of vitamin C, as well as A, group B, D, calcium, potassium, magnesium and other elements. Reduces cholesterol, normalizes acidity, stabilizes blood sugar levels.

Food calorie tables

Fruits, Dried fruits, Berries.

Meat, poultry, meat products.

Vegetables, herbs, mushrooms.

Fish and seafood.

Milk, dairy products, eggs.

Oils and fats.

Bread, cereals, pasta.

Nuts and seeds.

Sweets.

Beverages. Non-alcoholic drinks.

Alcoholic drinks.

Calorie content of some ready-made dishes

(including McDonald's products).

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Berries

One thing you need to know about berries: the more acidic they are, the lower the calorie content. In addition, dark-colored berries are also strong antioxidants. The lowest calorie ones include the following:

• Cranberry - 26 kcal/100 g. The berry strengthens the immune system due to its high content of vitamin C. Cranberry juice is useful for colds, as it is an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
• Grapes - 65 kcal/100 g. This berry is considered an excellent antioxidant and helps fight gastrointestinal problems. It contains vitamin C, K, B (1,6,2), manganese, iron, magnesium and other trace elements.
• Strawberry - 32 kcal/100 g. This berry contains 52% of the daily dose of vitamin C. It contains antioxidants and anti-aging flavonoids. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, improves skin condition.

Meat

When choosing meat products, be guided by the presence of fat. For example, even lean pork will not be a low-calorie product.

• Baked turkey legs - 139 kcal/100 g. Turkey meat contains a large amount of potassium, selenium, and phosphorus.
• Boiled chicken breast - 157 kcal/100 g. The big advantage of the product is the absence of carbohydrates. It contains B vitamins, which help normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
• Chicken liver - 137 kcal/100 g. It contains potassium, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium. This is a truly valuable product when compiling a diet.

Low Carb Diet: Pros and Cons

Each diet has its own characteristics. It is not recommended to limit the amount of carbohydrates consumed for people under the age of 18, for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for a number of diseases:

• hormone imbalance
• disorders in the cardiovascular system
• diseased kidneys and liver
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Those who can stick to a low-carb diet will likely notice more than just weight loss among the positive effects. Protein foods, since they are rich in collagen and amino acids, improve the condition of the skin, hair, nails and joints. The abundance of fiber improves digestion and helps cleanse the body of toxins and waste.

Fish

Seafood contains few calories, but it is nutritious and healthy for the body.

• Cod - 78 kcal/100 g. One of the lowest calorie seafood products. Contains potassium, phosphorus, magnesium. Improves brain function and has a beneficial effect on bone tissue.
• Hake - 95 kcal/100 g. A valuable dietary product containing vitamins C, PP, E, A, B (1,2,9,6). It also contains omega-3, which is essential for strengthening the immune system.
• Boiled shrimp - 100 kcal/100 g. The product is rich in phosphorus (33% daily value), zinc (15% daily value), copper (42% daily value). The body receives all the essential microelements to strengthen bone tissue and the cardiovascular system.

Low carb diet for weight loss

Losing excess weight, which inevitably occurs on a low-carb diet, is easily explained. Its cause is ketosis. Unable to obtain energy from carbohydrates (since their consumption is limited), the body begins to extract it from adipose tissue, synthesizing fatty acids and ketone bodies from deposits.

A low-carbohydrate diet normalizes insulin levels in the blood. For this reason, it is often recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes. However, to achieve a fat-burning effect, you should follow some rules. Dr. Atkins, for example, the author of one of the most popular ketogenic nutrition systems, suggests 4 stages:

• Stimulating (lasts 14 days). No more than 20 g of carbohydrates per day is allowed.
• Active. Every week the proportion of carbohydrates increases by 10 g.
• Transition. You can add any new product in limited quantities 1-2 times a week.
• Support. The diet becomes approximately the same as it was before switching to the diet, but carbohydrate intake is still controlled.

At stage 3 or 4, the weight may begin to return. In this case, it is worth going back to stage 1.

Cereals

Cereals have never been considered low-calorie, but many diets are based specifically on cereals. Why? The fact is that only dry cereals are high in calories. When cooked, their calorie content is noticeably reduced.

• Wheat porridge in viscous form - 90 kcal/100 g. Contains vitamins E, C, A, group B, PP. It is also rich in useful microelements: calcium, iron, phosphorus and others. Eliminates problems with the gastrointestinal tract, strengthens the immune system.
• Friable rice - 113 kcal/100 g. Removes toxins and waste from the body, improves digestion. Contains antioxidants, as well as useful microelements: iodine, zinc, phosphorus, calcium, B vitamins.
• Viscous oatmeal - 88 kcal/100 g. An excellent source of fiber, as well as microelements: iodine, zinc, calcium, magnesium and others. It has a beneficial effect on the development of muscle and bone tissue and improves metabolism.

What is a low carb diet

For many years, it was believed that the main enemies of a figure were fat.
It was their consumption that they tried to limit if they wanted to lose weight. However, in 2022, American scientists published the results of a study according to which a low-carbohydrate diet was found to be the most effective. Its essence is to remove high-carbohydrate foods from your diet or at least reduce their amount as much as possible. They are replaced by squirrels. The share of the latter increases to 200 g per day, taking into account age, gender and physical activity. Carbohydrates are reduced to 50 g per day. Fiber becomes an essential component of the diet. These are vegetables, herbs, bran and unsweetened fruits.

Dairy and eggs

Dairy products and eggs are an excellent source of calcium, which is essential for bones and the musculoskeletal system in general. What is included in the list of dietary products:

• Egg white (per 100 grams 52 kcal). Normalizes blood sugar levels, improves metabolism. Rich in vitamins E, A, group B, as well as selenium (36% of the daily value).
• Low-fat yogurt (per 100 grams 58 kcal). Contains a large amount of calcium and protein, selenium, phosphorus. Improves overall well-being, appetite, and helps combat gastrointestinal problems.
• Mozzarella (per 100 grams 295 kcal). The composition includes fat-soluble vitamins E and A, group B (1,2), as well as microelements: selenium, iodine, omega-6, zinc.

Calorie content of food

Fats (butter, vegetable oils, nuts) have the greatest energy value - up to 900 calories per 100 grams of product. The smallest - cucumbers, seaweed, greens, white radishes. High-calorie foods take a long time to digest, supply the body with a lot of energy, and dull the feeling of hunger for a long time. At the same time, they promote weight gain. Low-calorie foods typically contain high amounts of water and fiber instead of fat. Dietary fiber, in turn, saturates and cleanses the body of toxins and restores water-salt balance.

The values ​​indicated in the tables are based on 100 grams of product.
Table No. 2 “Alcoholic drinks”

Table No. 3 “Soft drinks”

Among drinks, liqueur and hot chocolate with cream have the highest energy value; beer, tea, kvass, and low-sugar juice (lemon, orange, carrot) have the lowest energy value.

Interestingly, “liquid” calories are much more insidious than “solid” ones.

The reason for this phenomenon is that fatty, high-carbohydrate foods are processed slowly and create a feeling of fullness for a long time. The human body spends up to 10% of the extracted energy on its absorption. Liquid calories are absorbed instantly and do not remain in the stomach for a long time. They are absorbed without energy consumption. As a result, the person drinks more than the planned amount.

Also, do not overuse fruit juices.
They contain no less sugar and carbohydrates than confectionery and soda. In terms of calorie content, grape juice (200 milliliters) corresponds to a serving of chocolate cake (150 grams). Table No. 4 “Mushrooms”

The calorie content of dried mushrooms is 10–30 times greater than fresh ones. To reduce their energy value, it is recommended not to fry them, but to stew or boil them. In addition, during the cooking process, instead of heavy cream and varieties of hard cheese, use skim milk, unsweetened yogurt, tofu, 5% cottage cheese, low-calorie cheeses “Gaudette”, “Chechil”, “Ricotta”, “Feta”.

Mushrooms are a valuable, easily digestible, dietary product with a balanced composition.

With proper culinary processing (boiling, stewing), they supply the body with essential protein compounds (18 amino acids), vitamins A, (, , , , ), phosphorus, sulfur, manganese, zinc, copper, potassium.
Table No. 5 “Caviar”

Table No. 6 “Porridge”

Table No. 7 “Sausages”

Sausages are products that, in addition to meat, contain a mixture of processed tendons, bones, offal, and skin. In addition, they contain starch, flour, additives (flavor enhancers, dyes, emulsifiers, stabilizers), soy protein, fiber or brine. As a result, instead of a nutritious product, the output is a high-calorie chemical product that does not provide value for human health. The composition of the sausage is unpredictable.

Uncooked smoked products have the highest energy value, while boiled products have the lowest.

To avoid harm to health, nutritionists recommend abandoning the consumption of sausages in favor of meat and fish.
Table No. 8 “Butter, margarine, fats”

Fats are the most high-calorie foods. 1 gram of triglycerides contains 9 calories, which is 2.25 times higher than proteins (4 calories).

Interestingly, 100 grams contains half of the minimum daily energy requirement for men - 900 calories, the rate of burning of which is determined by metabolism.

It is believed that with a slow metabolism it is low and losing weight is not so easy.
With a fast metabolism, the body intensively burns calories and a person does not gain excess weight, but, on the contrary, gets rid of excess weight without much effort. Table No. 9 “Dairy products”

Among the line of dairy products, the most high-calorie product is cheese. The energy value of traditional varieties starts from 300 calories per 100 grams. Second place is shared by curd mass, cream 35%, condensed milk. Sour cream completes the top three. Its calorie content depends on the mass fraction of fat content.

From an energy point of view, the safest dairy products are kefir and milk. The calorie content of these products does not exceed 70 units.

Table No. 10 “Bird”

Table No. 11 “Meat”

Among meat products, the laurels of primacy, in terms of calorie content, belong to pork with fat and lamb.
These products are recommended for use by people who want to gain weight. Dietary meats include: chicken (breast, fillet without skin), beef, turkey. Table No. 12 “Vegetables”

Vegetables are natural sources of fiber and dietary fiber necessary for natural metabolism and the normal functioning of the digestive tract. These products contain practically no fat, are easily absorbed by the human body, and are ideal for people losing weight.

Vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates, which take a long time to digest, producing energy and keeping you feeling full for a long time. Their energy value depends on the method of cooking. In fresh form, these are low-calorie food products that supply a lot of useful substances to the human body (vitamins, minerals, fiber, chlorophyll, pectins, phytoncides, nitrogenous and tannins, essential oils, carotenoids).

The most dietary vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, green onions, eggplants, spinach.

Table No. 13 “Nuts”

Nuts are a valuable, nutritious, high-calorie product, a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. However, they are difficult to digest. Nuts are not recommended for overweight people, as they are high in fat, which contributes to weight gain.

To reduce calorie content, vegetable proteins are consumed with vegetables. Hazelnuts have the highest energy value - 707 calories per 100 grams of product.

Table No. 14 “Dried fruits”

The nutritional value of dried fruits is 2-5 times higher than fresh fruits. Their composition is replete with useful substances, which during the drying process are not only preserved, but also increased. Dried fruits improve the appearance of the skin, strengthen nails, hair, bones, nerves, normalize heart function, blood pressure, maintain the balance of hemoglobin in the blood, and stimulate intestinal motility. The high calorie content of dry fruits is due to the abundance of saccharides in the composition.

Dried bananas have the highest energy value.

Table No. 15 “Fish”

The higher the fat content in fish, the greater its energy value.

Table No. 16 “Seafood”

Seafood is a low-calorie dietary edible representative of sea waters. It is a storehouse of natural, easily digestible protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6.

The energy value of seafood depends on the type of heat treatment. Frying increases the calorie content of a dish by 50% (relative to boiling).

Table No. 17 “Confectionery”

The most high-calorie sweets are baked goods with butter filling.

Interestingly, 150 grams of Napoleon cake contains more than 500 calories, which is 2 times more than the same portion of lamb.

Table No. 18 “Fruits”

Table No. 19 “Berries”

Fruits and berries, along with vegetables and herbs, are the main suppliers of vitamins, macro- and microelements to the human body. On average, 100 grams of products contain up to 60 calories.

The most useful are ripe seasonal fruits, fresh.

Table No. 20 “Bakery products”

Table No. 21 “Flour”

Table No. 22 “Eggs”

Table No. 23 “Beans”

Legumes, like meat, fish, and nuts, belong to the category of protein products. It is a valuable supplier of vegetable protein.

Soybeans, beans (asparagus), chickpeas have the greatest energy value, and common beans have the least.

Table No. 24 “Herbs, spices”

When giving preference to high-calorie foods, remember that they lead not only to weight gain and obesity, but also to health problems.

First of all, the joints suffer (the load on them increases), then the cardiovascular system “connects”. If body weight is not brought back to normal in a timely manner, malfunctions occur in the endocrine, digestive, excretory systems, and musculoskeletal system.

Legumes

The lowest calorie foods include legumes, despite their average calorie content. They are an excellent alternative to meat. After all, they contain a lot of vegetable protein.

• Boiled beans - 123 kcal/100 g. Contains vitamins E, C, K, group B. The product is also rich in phosphorus, sulfur, and iron. Suppresses the feeling of hunger, which is a particularly important property when losing weight.
• Lentils - 110 kcal/100 g. Strengthens the immune system, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes blood sugar levels. Contains fatty acids such as omega-6 and omega-3, as well as calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium.
• Chickpeas - 150 kcal/100 g. Quickly fills you up and leaves you feeling full for a long time. It contains vitamins B (1,2,6,9,4), K and A.

Why count calories?

A balanced, properly formulated diet, taking into account the energy value of foods, allows you to maintain your “ideal weight” without damaging your figure.

Remember, if calorie intake exceeds expenditure, weight gain occurs, if on the contrary, weight loss occurs.

For the normal functioning of the body, it is important to comply with the intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Benefits of counting calories:

• strict body weight control;
• energy balance in the body;
• maintaining physical fitness (appearance);
• improved digestion;
• good health.

A low-calorie diet leads to fat deposition in liver cells and depletion of glycogen reserves. The metabolism of fats and proteins is disrupted, the blood becomes clogged with ketones, products of incomplete oxidation of triglycerides, and body weight rapidly decreases. As a result, when calorie expenditure is higher than calorie intake, a person experiences malaise. The following symptoms appear: headaches, sweating, trembling hands, weakness, drowsiness, hunger, nausea. With an increase in calorie intake, a person’s condition normalizes.

Uncontrolled consumption of foods with high nutritional value contributes to the deposition of fat reserves, increased insulin levels in the blood, and the development of latent diabetes mellitus.