A very large amount of low-calorie foods are now available in the grocery store. Some are natural products and others are processed, sometimes almost beyond recognition. Eating a diet low in processed foods is always a good choice if you want to lose weight in a healthier way. Processed foods, even low-calorie foods, are often filled with artificial flavors and ingredients, so find natural, low-calorie foods to incorporate into your daily diet.
Fruits
Natural fruit is a low-calorie, healthy food. Processed fruit products may contain some real fruit, but generally contain fats, refined sugars and chemicals. An apple toaster pastry has 204 calories, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, where a plain, raw apple has about 70. Fruits vary in caloric content. A cup of watermelon has 46 calories and one orange has 62. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an adult female eat between 1-1/2 to 2 cups of fruit daily, and an adult male should eat between 2 and 2-1/2 cups of fruits a day. Eat a piece of fruit with your cereal, carry fruit with you in your car for a quick snack and eat a bowl of sliced fruit for dessert.
Vegetables
Potatoes are starchy vegetables that are full of complex carbohydrates. Eat a 145 calorie baked or roasted potato instead of consuming the 578 calories in a large serving of restaurant fried potatoes. Include a variety of vegetables when you make salads. An entire cup of raw spinach has 7 calories. Add broccoli florets, chopped tomatoes, celery and shredded carrots. Serve with fat-free dressing or vinegar. Limit the number of higher-calorie vegetables like olives, which have 25 calories for 5 large, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Do not fry vegetables like okra, squash or zucchini. Boil, bake or roast them instead.
Eggs and Dairy
Eggs are a complete source of protein and low in calories. One hard-boiled egg has 78 calories and an egg white has 17 calories. The MayoClinic.com recommends limiting the amount of cholesterol you eat on the days you eat a whole egg, if you are watching your cholesterol. Dairy products contain fat; however, low-calorie versions of dairy products contain the same nutrients without the calories. A 1/2 cup of regular cottage cheese has 108 calories, while the fat-free version has 62 calories. Choose lower calorie yogurt, cheese and skim milk to save calories.
Grains and Protein
Natural grain and seed products such as oatmeal, grits, quinoa and brown rice contain healthy fiber and B vitamins. When served without added fats or sugar, these grains are low in calories and filling. Oatmeal has less than 100 calories per premeasured packet, while 1 cup of corn grits has 143. Both breakfast choices will help you stay full until lunch. Combine 1/2 cup of pinto beans for 123 calories with some onions, and put the mixture in a low-calorie, whole-wheat wrap. One-half of a chicken breast adds 142 calories to a healthy meal.
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