To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body needs. But sticking to a calorie-reduced diet is very difficult if you feel hungry all the time. To prevent hunger, you need to find foods that are both satisfying and low to moderate in calorie content. To ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs while on a diet, include low-calorie foods rich in nutrients.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a great way to add bulk and nutrition to your meals without adding too many extra calories. Add chopped vegetables to scrambled eggs, rice or pasta dishes, pizza and sandwich wraps. Heartier vegetables make a great snack when coupled with a small amount of nut butter, hummus or other dip or dressing. Try julienned turnips, chopped cauliflower, baby carrots and sliced jicama, bell pepper, celery, cucumbers or zucchini. Leafy vegetables can be used like tortillas to make low-calorie sandwich wraps or mini tacos. Experiment with radicchio, Romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, collard greens and lacinato kale.
Tofu
Tofu is a low-calorie food high in protein and healthy fats. Because tofu has almost no flavor, you need to marinate it or mix it with flavorful ingredients. You can also purchase seasoned varieties that are ready to use in stir fries, sandwiches and other dishes. Use tofu in place of cheese in recipes such as lasagna and instead of meat in sloppy Joes or chilis. For breakfast, try tofu in place of eggs in a veggie scramble.
Shirataki Noodles
You can save a lot of calories by replacing regular pasta with shirataki noodles, an Asian specialty noodle that contains almost no fat, calories or carbohydrates. Made from either tofu or the fiber of the konjac plant, shirataki noodles can be found in the refrigerated section of some supermarkets, most health-food stores and Asian markets.
Soup
Dieters often drink lots of water to help fill them up. Unfortunately, the brain does not record water as food, even when it is consumed with a meal, according to research reported in "Science News." But if you mix that water with food in, say, a soup, the brain will think you've eaten more than you have, which can help you feel more satisfied on fewer calories.
Apples
Consuming a fresh apple 15 minutes before a meal may help you reduce your caloric intake, according to a Pennsylvania State University study reported in "USA Today." Study participants who ate the apple consumed 187 fewer calories at lunch than those who didn't have the apple or who consumed applesauce or apple juice.
Sprouts
Sprouted beans are a rich source of protein, B vitamins and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are also delicious, versatile and much lower in calories than dried, cooked beans. Good sprouting beans include lentils, mung beans, azuki beans and chickpeas. Use sprouted beans to make satisfying salads or add them to pasta, rice or egg dishes. They also make an energizing snack. For best quality, use sprouting jars to make your own. They take two or three days and a very small time commitment.
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