A List Of Low Density Foods

Focusing on low density foods can lead to a healthy and long-term weight loss. This is because energy density is the number of calories in a specific amount of food. Low energy density means a food product has a few calories in a large amount food. Aim to eat three to five servings of low energy foods per day for maximum benefits.

Fruits

Fruit is one of the best low density food choices because it is high in water content, which provides volume and weight but not an excessive amount of calories. Not all fruit is created equal. To stay within low density guidelines, it is important to either consume fruit juice or whole fruit that has not been dehydrated. Also, aim to eat whole fresh, frozen and canned fruits that do not have added sugar, such as canned peaches, fresh blueberries, or frozen mango.

Vegetables

Overall, most vegetables are in the low density category because they are low in calories and high in nutrition volume. Examples of the best low density choices include salad greens, asparagus, green beans, broccoli and zucchini, all of which can be added to pizza, eaten as a salad, put into pasta, and eaten as snacks. The Centers for Disease Control recommend eating raw or steamed vegetables in order to avoid cooking them in butter, oil, and add fat. These cooking methods will take add extra calories.

Low Fat Dairy

The Centers for Disease Control recommend choosing low fat or fat-free dairy products to replace all high fat dairy products when trying to achieve a low density diet. The healthiest low density dairy choices are products that are high in protein but low in fat and calories. Examples include low fat yogurt, low fat Greek yogurt, fat-free cheese, and skim milk. Aim for two to three servings of low density dairy per day.

Whole Wheat Carbohydrates

Make carbohydrate choices from whole wheat, whole grain, or stone ground options in order to achieve a low density diet. These products are lower in calories, and higher in fiber content. Avoid simple carbohydrates such as white flour, sugar, and enriched products, which are higher in density due to low nutrition content and high calories. Aim to eat three to five servings per day of items such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, brown rice, and whole grain cereal for maximum low density benefits.