Whether you are trying to lose the last 10 pounds or shed half of your body weight, there is nothing that kills the joy of a great meal like counting calories.
Suddenly, that juicy bacon cheeseburger and hot, crispy fries look like hours on the treadmill and days of regret!
Fortunately, there are a handful of zero calorie foods that provide volume in your diet and won’t leave you scratching your head wondering where your daily calorie allotment went.
Even though they all contain calories, the energy required to consume and digest them often results in a negative calorie yield!
15 Zero Calorie Foods for Weight Loss.
1. The Humble Salad.
Celery, romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, sugar snap peas, carrot, and jicama all contain less than 30 calories each for a large serving.
Put them all together and you have a delicious, crunchy salad that will feed an army for under 120 calories.
Best of all, these zero calorie foods keep you feeling full as your body digests the vital nutrients in them.
Where you get into trouble is when you douse the entire operation in pools of calorie-laden dressings.
Instead, opt for a squeeze of lemon and a little salt-free seasoning blend for a yummy and filling lunch!
Related Post: Do You Know the Proven Secret Powers of These 12 Top Health Foods?
2. Grapefruit
Once upon a time, the grapefruit was the ultimate in zero calorie foods.
Today, the tart citrus often goes overlooked when it comes to caloric intake.
With 37 calories, 1.7 grams fiber in a half a grapefruit, the energy it takes to digest it makes it a zero calorie option when you need a little pick-me-up.
Best of all, grapefruit contains naringin, a compound that revs your metabolism and suppresses your appetite.
3. Strawberries
The darling of the Paleo food world, berries, in general, are known as one of the lowest glycemic fruits available.
One cup of sliced strawberries contains 50 calories and 2.5 grams of fiber without sending your blood sugar soaring.
When all is said and done, berries are the perfect solution when you need a lot of something sweet.
4. Frozen Mixed Veggies
One cup of frozen mixed vegetables such as a carrot, broccoli and cauliflower medley contains 25 calories and 2 grams of fiber.
These zero calorie foods are packaged at the peak of freshness.
What’s more, there’s no salt or preservatives making them ideal for those days you don’t want to spend time cutting vegetables.
Toss a cup of veggies into a stir fry with six ounces of chicken, garlic, ginger and tamari and you have a large, filling meal for under 350 calories.
5. Asparagus
Clocking in at a minuscule 27 calories per cup, asparagus is a natural detoxifier.
One of the top zero calorie foods, it helps speed the metabolism of alcohol and flushes excess fluid from your system.
Delicious shaved in salads, asparagus is yummiest when it is left slightly under-cooked.
See also: 12 Surprising Foods to Avoid for Better Health
6. Broth
A staple in the GAPS diet, meat, veggie, miso, or seafood broth is a fantastic way to get all of the vital nutrients of food without the calories.
At just 10 calories per cup, you can drink your way to a shrunken waistline or add vegetables for a quick and filling meal.
Furthermore, broth is one of the easiest zero calorie foods to make.
However, if you choose to purchase it from a store, be sure to pick an option that is low in sodium.
7. Kelp
These “noodles of the sea” contain just six calories per four ounce serving.
Also, they’re great at replacing the texture you’ll miss from eliminating pasta.
What’s more, these zero calorie foods are loaded with vitamin K.
In addition, kelp helps block fat absorption with its natural fiber!
8. Sugar-Free Flavored Gelatin Dessert
Gelatin desserts are basically made from water, sugar and a non-digestible gel.
And, a half cup of the sugar-free variety contains only 10 calories.
Dress it up with fruit or a dollop of whipped cream for a special dessert without the guilt.
9. Cabbage
Not normally a vegetable we associate with weight loss.
However, cabbage is one of the most versatile zero calorie foods you can use to dress up your foods.
At 22 calories per cup, it is also full of vitamins and phytonutrients believed to ward off cancer!
Shred it and eat it raw for a surprisingly sweet and spicy snack.
Alternatively, saute it quickly with a teaspoon of olive oil and salt-free seasoning for a filling side dish!
Related Post: How to Lose Belly Fat Fast: 8 Secret Exercises to Lose the Pooch
10. Watermelon
This summertime staple is full of an amino acid that gets converted into arginine in the body.
Arginine is a remarkable substance found in many weight loss and muscle building supplements.
It has been shown to blast fat and build muscle making the 47 calories in a cup of diced watermelon doubly good for you!
Related Post: The Boiled Egg Diet: Lose 20 Lbs in Two Weeks
11. Chile Peppers
The oil contained in chile peppers called capsaicin has been shown to not only suppress your appetite, but rev your metabolism.
Although no one would dream of popping jalapenos as a snack, blistered shishito peppers found on today’s trendy menus will only set you back 82 calories.
Want to reduce this even further?
Then try making them yourself with lemon, salt and pepper.
12. Mushrooms
Mostly made of water, mushrooms are great for adding a meaty texture to a dish without the calories.
At just 16 calories per cup, adding these zero calorie foods to your diet will produce cancer-fighting and immunity boosting metabolites in your body.
Related Post: 13 Exercises That Burn More Fat Than Running
13. Green Tea
The health benefits of green tea cannot be overstated!
Drinking three cups of unsweetened green tea per day has been shown to help you lose twice as much weight as non-green tea drinkers!
As an added bonus, green tea is high in ECGC, an antioxidant that lowers your risk of heart disease.
If you simply must sweeten your tea, opt for stevia, a plant-based calorie-free sweetener.
14. Beets
The deep, rich color of beets let you know that they are high in antioxidants and phytonutrients that help your body ward off cancer.
Best of all, they’re sweet when roasted and dressed with a little salt and lemon juice for a 37 calorie dish.
15. Water
Yes, it might be cheating a little to list water as a calorie-free food, but water is often overlooked as the vital element it is.
Not only does it lubricate your joints and keep your organs functioning the way they should, water helps you determine if you’re hungry or simply dehydrated.
In conclusion:
Remember, while calories are important measures of nutrition for weight loss, they are not the end-all and be-all for weight loss.
The nutrition found in whole foods loaded with vitamins and nutrients will more than offset any caloric intake and leave you healthier as well as slimmer!
Which are your favorite zero calorie foods? Leave your comments below!
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Great foods and some are my favorites!
Hi Michelle. Thanks for your comment. Just goes to show that eating healthy can be a delicious way to stay in shape. Peter