Good low calorie foods are in abundance, and the National Institute of Health and other researchers are constantly studying foods to find the ones that offer the best options for your health. As the research continues, the foods that make this list often change as new information is uncovered. The best foods provide the most nutritional punch per calorie.
Eggs
Once rarely included as a healthy food, eggs have regained their place as a good low-calorie food. For approximately only 75 calories per egg for protein, eggs also provide vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, folate, D and E. Eggs also provide minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, iron, iodine, selenium and zinc. Eggs provide choline, which research is suggesting may be helpful prenatally. According to CNN Health, eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which researchers believe might be important in the health of the eye.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are widely available, come in a variety of forms and provide an impressive array of vitamins and minerals. These include vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, C, E and K. Tomatoes also provide molybdenum, potassium, manganese, chromium, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, tryptophan, dietary fiber and protein. A cup of ripe tomatoes is approximately 38 calories. Tomatoes can be eaten raw or cooked. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, which is present in red fruits and vegetables. According to the American Dietetic Association, "Several studies suggest that consumption of lycopene-rich foods is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease."
Mushrooms
Another food that is currently undergoing a great deal of research is the mushroom. According to the "Pharmacological Potential of Mushrooms" published in the September 2005 issue of "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine," the authors Lindequist, Niedemeyer and Julich indicate that the mushroom has been used for medicine in Asian countries for a long time and is just starting to gain attention in the past few decades in the West. Mushrooms are low in calories, for example 5 ounces of raw crimini mushrooms are only 31 calories. They provide vitamin B1, B2, B3, B4, B6 and folate. They also provide nutrients such as selenium, copper, tryptophan, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, magnesium, iron and calcium. They offer protein and dietary fiber. Mushrooms contain L-ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant. In 2009, a study done at the University of Western Australia on the "Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women," was published in the "International Journal of Cancer." This study concluded that higher dietary intake of mushrooms decreased breast cancer in Chinese women. They found even a greater decrease when both green tea and mushrooms were combined.
Member Comments