Knowing which foods contain the lowest amount of calories will help you maintain your weight. The lowest-calorie foods will usually contain large amounts of water. That is what makes them low-calorie, states the USDA. Of all the foods we can eat, the largest category of low-calorie foods is found in the vegetable family. You can choose the fresh version, canned or frozen. As long as the food is not processed with calorie-laden sauces or topping, you can limit your caloric intake.
Leafy Greens
There are a variety of vegetables commonly found in salads that are some of the lowest-calorie foods around. A benefit to eating these vegetables is the fact that they can be natural appetite suppressants due to their high water content. Included in this category are varieties of lettuces such as red leaf, butter, iceberg, Romaine and green. Greens such as spinach, mustard greens, endive, turnip greens and watercress are all low-calorie foods, cites the USDA. For example, a 1-cup serving of either red leaf lettuce or spinach contains just 16 calories each.
Salad Vegetables
Low-calorie salad vegetables include radishes, cucumbers, water chestnuts, tomatoes, celery and alfalfa sprouts. Different varieties of peppers are used in salads. These include red, yellow and green colors. As an example, a 1-cup serving size of green peppers contains 16 calories. Bamboo shoots, commonly used in Asian cooking, can be added to salads. According to www.nutritiondata.com, a 1-cup serving of bamboo shoots contains 115g of water and just 12 calories. Shoots are also high in potassium, cites the USDA, giving you 18 percent of your daily nutritional allotment with this portion size. If you prefer not to eat the fresh versions of salad vegetables, canned or frozen versions are also low in calories (if they are prepared without added oils or sauces).
Squashes
All varieties of squashes are among the lowest-calorie foods. Included in the squash family are butternut, spaghetti, pumpkin, acorn, summer and zucchini. According to www.nutritiondata.com, a 1-cup serving size of chopped zucchini contains 16 calories and 117g of water. The seeds from the squash are also low in calories.
Soups
Water-based soups can provide you with a nutrient-rich meal that is low in calories. By consuming water-based soups made with low-calorie vegetables, you can keep your caloric intake down. Included in the water-based soups are a variety of broths. Vegetable, fish, chicken and beef broths are all some of the lowest-calorie foods. Fish broth, for instance, will provide you with 39 calories per 1-cup serving. Be aware, however, that store-bought broth may contain large amounts of sodium.
Minestrone and/or vegetable soups are water-based soups that contain low-calorie vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, onion, green, and/or red peppers and garlic. According to www.nutritiondata.com, the canned reduced-sodium version of minestrone soup contains 14 calories per 1-cup serving.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Release 20, USDA; 2008
- NutritionData.com
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