In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, and low-calorie dense foods can help you reduce your calories. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, low-calorie-dense foods do not have many calories in each serving, and these foods are often nutritious, too. Of course, get your doctor's approval before going on a diet.
Vegetables
Most low-calorie-dense foods have a lot of water, are high in dietary fiber and do not have much fat, states MayoClinic.com, and most vegetables are very low in calories. They are high in vitamins and minerals, and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend at least three servings per day. Cooked broccoli, spinach, kale, red pepper, Brussels sprouts and Chinese cabbage are example of vegetables that have no more than 40 calories per half-cup serving. If you have canned or frozen vegetables, make sure they do not have added sugars or fats because those increase the calorie density. Starchy vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes have a higher energy density than other vegetables, and 1/2 of cooked winter squash has about 40 calories.
Fruit
Fruit is generally higher in calories than most vegetables, but is lower energy-density than many other foods. MayoClinic.com recommends eating fresh fruit as part of your low-calorie diet, and many kinds are high in dietary fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. A kiwi, orange, mango, or cup of berries, pineapple or melon all have less than 70 calories, and 1 medium apple has 72 calories. Since dried fruit does not have a high water content, it is much higher in calories than fresh fruit. Dried peaches have about 95 calories per quarter-cup serving, and prunes have about 133 calories per half-cup. Avocados and olives are high in calories because of their heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and 1/2 avocado has about 161 calories.
Soup
Since water has no calories but it adds weight and volume, soup can be low calorie-dense. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends broth-based soups instead of soups with cream or cheese. Choose a soup with vegetables, beans or lean protein. Good choices include minestrone, tomato, chicken vegetable and lentil. For a more substantial main dish that is still low in calories, try making chili with plenty of vegetables such as tomatoes, celery, onions and bell peppers. You can make it without meat, or use lean ground turkey instead of fatty ground beef. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests including beans in a low-calorie diet because their fiber and protein can satisfy your hunger. With about 120 calories per 1/2 cup, beans and lentils are slightly higher in calories than other vegetables, but they still have a relatively low energy-density.
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