It might sound nonsensical that there are such things as negative calorie foods. There is even debate over whether they are real, with Time.com noting that eating and chewing are never so strenuous that they burn any calculable number of calories. But many believe negative calorie foods exist and are an important part of your diet. Any food requiring more calories to digest than are contained in the food is a "negative calorie food."
What is a Calorie?
A calorie is a unit of measurement used to keep track of energy contained within foods. Not all calories are created equal. For instance, calories from fat are not good for you and should be kept to a minimum. For the most part, 2,000 calories per day is the standard for average, healthy individuals.
Negative Calorie Foods
Because negative calorie foods contain fewer calories than you need to digest them, you actually burn calories just by eating these foods. It's important that the negative calorie food you eat contains plenty of vitamins and minerals so the nutritional content pays off despite the lack of energy you'll be getting from calories.
Vegetables With Negative Calories
Many vegetables contain negative calories while still offering plenty of nutritional value. Examples of such foods include: zucchini, garlic, lettuce, onion, broccoli, carrots, celery, celery root, dandelion, endive, asparagus, cabbage, radish, spinach, turnip, green beans, cucumber, chicory, beet root, hot chili, garden cress and cauliflower.
Fruits With Negative Calories
Many kinds of fruits also offer negative caloric content while being highly nutritious and a great way to supplement your meals while trying to burn fat. Examples of fruits include mango, pineapple, orange, strawberries, tomato, cranberries, apple, blueberries, lamb's lettuce, peach, papaya, grapefruit, honeydew, raspberries, cantaloupe, lemons, limes, tangerines and watermelon.
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