Consuming primarily low-calorie foods is the key to sustained weight loss, according to Barbara Rolls, author of "The Volumetrics Eating Plan." By eating a diet filled with low-calorie foods, high fiber fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, fewer high fat foods and adequate quantities of lean protein, you will feel full and lose weight.
"Consumer Reports" magazine published a study that found consuming a low-calorie, low-fat broth-based soup or salad could be essential to successful dieting. By filling up with a low-calorie dish before the meal, overweight individuals were less likely to consume excess calories. They felt full quicker.
By adding low-calorie foods to your diet, you can gracefully push out unhealthy choices from your diet and lose weight with more ease than those who try to cut overall calories. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that emphasizing low-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetable, rather than what foods should be avoided contributed to the dieters' success. Even though they were consuming more food weight, it was low in energy density and high in nutrients. On average, study participants lost 13 pounds over the course of six months.
What to Look for
Raw or steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, red peppers, sweet potatoes and celery provide some of the lowest calorie food choices. If you're picking from fruits, any of the berries, grapefruits, melons or apricots are fantastic options. From the dairy category, cottage cheese and non-fat yogurt both contain less than 100 calories per serving. In terms of soy consumption, tofu and miso soup are delicious low-calorie options. And if you're craving a snack, popcorn and rice cakes barely dent your daily calorie intake.
Eating foods with a low ratio of calories to mass when compared to energy dense, processed foods, such as butter and margarine, salad dressings, breakfast cereal, nuts and nut butters, bananas and fruit juices, can have a profound effect on overall health. The question then becomes how you actually cook up low calorie options. Fortunately, there are plenty of websites which provide an assortment of dishes, under 500 calories, that can be turned into tasty options for the whole family.
Common Pitfalls
Low-fat doesn't always mean low-calorie. Many times when food companies reduce the fat in a processed product, they increase the calories by adding other ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup to make up for taste. Check labels to make sure the serving to calorie ratio is indeed low.
Unfortunately, inflation is creating a price disparity affecting low-calorie foods. According to a 2007 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, expect to pay more for low calorie, healthy food when compared to energy dense foods high in refined grains or added sugars and fats. Since the energy dense foods are often less nutritious, people who consume them regularly also tend to overeat.
Member Comments