Keto, GM, Atkins, and so many more–people trying to lose weight have tried a lot of fad diets. Completely cutting off carbs, drinking too much water leading to water intoxication, and working out to the point of injury are all pretty common practices. And these usually have more negative results than positive ones. In the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about negative calorie food, especially when it comes to weight loss. But what exactly does this mean?

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What is negative calorie food?

Negative calorie food items are those that require more energy to digest than what the food provides. Basically, this means any food item that takes more calories to process and digest than the calories it adds to the body. That is not to say that these food items do not have calories. They do. It only means that your body burns more calories than you consume. These food items are nutritious as well as low on calories.

What are some negative calorie food items?

Whenever you go on a diet, there are certain low-calorie food items that a nutritionist, a dietician or your trainer prescribes. These are usually negative calorie food items. Here are five such foods you can include in your diet.

1. Apples

Apples are fibre rich and keep your hunger pangs at bay. They provide around 50 kcal/100 gms. Apples are also a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C.

2. Cucumber

Cucumber is high in water content and fibre, which makes it another food that keeps you full. Along with that, cucumbers also help with hydration. Cucumbers usually contain around 15 kcal/100 gms.

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, fibre, and antioxidants. They are also high in water content. Tomatoes are known to contain close to 20 kcal/100 gms.

4. Lettuce

Lettuce is an immunity-boosting food rich in vitamins A, C and K. They are also a rich source of calcium and fibre that aids in weight loss. Lettuce provides up to 15 kcal/100 gms.

5. Broccoli

Broccoli is a superfood that’s good for overall health. Vitamin A in broccoli improves vision, the iron and folic acid in it helps prevent anaemia. Broccoli is also good for bone health due to the presence of vitamin K, calcium, and phosphorous. Broccoli contains up to 35 kcal/100 gms.

Some other negative calorie foods include berries, celery, grapefruit, carrots, and zucchini.

Does negative calorie food really exist?

While theoretically there is a plausibility of negative calorie food, there is no proven study that defines any food as negative calorie. Researchers and experts have labelled certain food items as healthy, low-calorie food. Experts claim that all food, no matter how low in caloric count, has some calories. And these are usually more calories than the body can effectively burn.

Why do ‘negative calorie’ food items aid in weight loss?

Most food items included in the negative calorie list, like apples and celery, make you feel full. According to experts, the reason these foods aid in weight loss is not because they burn more calories, but because they satisfy your hunger pangs. You don’t have enough room to gorge on junk food once you are full after an apple or two. Also, weight loss is only possible if you pair these low-calorie foods with regular exercise and curb your intake of high-calorie food.

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