If you or your doctor have applied calorie restrictions but not other limits on your diet, variety will see you through the change. To leave room in your smaller calorie allowance for enough beneficial nutrients, choose foods with less fat and sugar. The broad range of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fatty acids that you need should come from many different members of each food group, rather than from dietary supplements.
Fruits
Strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, peaches, cherries, mangoes and grapes represent just a few diverse choices in low-calorie fruits. At about 50 calories per 1/2 cup, you can afford this natural sweetness in your weight-loss or weight-maintenance diet. Plums and apricots have slightly fewer and apples and bananas slightly more calorie content per whole-fruit serving. Eat fruits daily for their vitamin C and fiber.
Vegetables
Most nonstarchy vegetables offer rich nutrition and little fat in under 50 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Choose tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, broccoli, spinach and lettuce for the greatest nutrient boosts. Fill in with fiber-rich celery, cucumbers, cauliflower and zucchini for a wider array of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, iron, potassium and other nutrients. Eat starchy potatoes, corn and peas less often, due to higher calorie counts.
Grains
Fortified cereal is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can include in a calorie-restricted diet, delivering complete daily values of iron and selected other nutrients. Choose a brand that's high in fiber but low in fat and sugar, such as wheat bran flakes, avoiding granolas and frosted varieties. Suggested servings of whole-grain cereal, whole-wheat bread, rye crackers and corn tortillas weight in at 80 calories or fewer. Higher-calorie grains include rice and noodles at about 100 calories per 1/2 cup.
Dairy
Low-fat and nonfat milk, cheese and yogurt contribute important calcium, vitamin D and protein to your diet within calorie restrictions. The American Heart Association suggests 1 percent or fat-free dairy products. Fat-free milk has 83 calories per 1 cup; a slice of fat-free cheddar cheese has 31 calories; and 1 cup of plain fat-free yogurt contains 127 calories and no added sugar.
Protein
Make most of your protein food choices low-fat, to preserve your calorie balance. Choices under 100 calories include 3 oz. of cod, tuna, haddock, orange roughy and extra-lean deli turkey or ham slices. A 1/2 cup of black beans or lentils has around 115 calories, while a 3 oz. beef round has 177 calories.
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