Calorie-free foods

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Feb 4th 2008 11:00AM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Ah, the calorie. For those who want to lose weight or maintain a weight loss, there's just no use trying to avoid it. Calories count. When we eat too many for our activity level, we gain weight. To lose weight, we must burn more calories than we eat. How you go about doing that depends on your own personal program, but the fact of the matter is that calories in vs. calories out is very important to weight management.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were some foods that were just free from calories? Foods that you never had to count or worry about, but could just eat and enjoy? Well guess what? There are. Though with few exceptions these foods do have calories, the act of eating and digesting them burns enough energy to make them not "count". In many cases, they're also high in nutrition, so you just can't lose when you eat them:

hot tea
berries
citrus
sugar-free Jello
egg whites cooked in cooking spray
crunchy vegetables
water

What's your favorite no-calorie food?

Diet-friendly Coffee Choices(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Source

Comments (63)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Judy 2-04-2008 @ 3:51PM

Berries? Really? They're so sweet and super-yummy that I've always figured there was no way they would be on the list. I LOVE berries - blackberries and raspberries are my favorite - and so do both of my sons. They can be expensive, though, so we gt them frozen a lot and add to yogurt or cereal.

But seeing this, I'll have to eat even more!

Bethany Sanders 2-04-2008 @ 5:31PM

Judy,

I was pretty surprised to see berries on the list too!

Bethany

Jon Boy 2-05-2008 @ 6:52AM

I am surprise to see berries there too. But what about the natural occurring sugars?

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Lynn 2-05-2008 @ 9:19AM

This article is rediculous. To say that egg whites don't have calories makes no sense at all. They have protein, which means they have 4 calories per gram. Six egg whites are about 25 calories of protein.

And berries? OF COURSE they have calories. Look at a bag of frozen blueberries or strawberries for calorie content.

Judy 2-05-2008 @ 12:05PM

I commented before I read the linked article. Yes, this was very misleading. I think it's just saying that berries and some of the other foods that while they are not "free foods," they are healthy options that you should eat plenty of.

I'll still be eating plenty of berries. Love 'em, in yogurt.

TedSez 2-05-2008 @ 1:42AM

Unfortunately, the reason that sounds too good to be true is that it is. A cup of raspberries contains 64 calories, while a cup of blueberries contains 84. You only burn a fraction of that much in digestion. Which isn't to say you shouldn't eat berries (or citrus, or egg whites), but they certainly do add to your daily caloric intake.

Felicia 2-05-2008 @ 1:26PM

The article does go on to say that not all of these foods/drinks are calorie free, but the act of eating and digesting them burns the little amount of calories it does have, making them good choices.

Tim 2-05-2008 @ 2:25AM

Bethany,

I'm very disappointed! A person could eat only berries, citrus fruit and crunchy vegetables and still gain weight. Those foods are good for your but there is no such thing as a zero or negative calorie food. Everything in moderation.

Peace,
Tim

Gloria 2-05-2008 @ 6:42AM

I thought celary was a negative callorie food. It is very fiberous, i can imagine it taking a long time to digest.

Kali 2-05-2008 @ 6:59AM

I noticed chocolate is NOT on the list! Shocking that chocolate has calories?
I didn't know that!

yvette 2-05-2008 @ 11:22AM

I was shocked as well! Although I eat celery and pickles because they have basicly no calories

tessa 2-05-2008 @ 8:18AM

I am a weight counselor/personal trainer and was obese as a child. Berries are so not calorie free. They are a smart food choice and give you great bang for the buck.. but you can't eat vat of blueberries and think you are having zero calories.

A few delicious berries on a nice plate eaten sitting down is great and slightly sensuous too.

Some foods/beverages that I recommend to my clients that I feel are smart choices are:

a glass of seltzer with an ounce or two of grapefruit or orange juice...so much more of a treat than plain seltzer.

cup of soup of miso soup (found in ethnic section at market)..tasty and filling

watermelon (not a huge portion)

butternut squash

fat free cream cheese on a bran crisp.

As an adult I have made a lifelong committment to being in shape.

I have made major changes to my lifestyle. I drink lots of water,
try to get decent sleep and try not to drink more than 2 glasses of
wine at a time.

I make sure I get some form of exercise every day. I wear smartsole
exercise insoles (http://www.smartsole.com) to burn extra calories
with every step. They are under $30 and fantstic.

I use a nordic track toning wheel which is great to travel with too
as it is light and works out your arms http://www.nordictrack.com
It is about $12

michelle 2-05-2008 @ 12:27PM

How refreshing that a misleading article could elcit such useful information. Thank you! I am going to try many of your helpful suggestions (from watermelon to smartsoles and training wheel to name just a few).

e 2-05-2008 @ 7:58AM

im so sick of these little "tidbits of useful information" it says calorie freee FOODS. this moron actually considers tea and water a food? c'mon.

dietpro 2-05-2008 @ 8:21AM

There is only one or two TRUE 'calorie free foods'.....plain water, AIR (if you swallow it but we know what that leads to later toot toot)
Berries do have calories as do citrus fruits, vegetables (though much can be offset with the natural fiber in some),
not sure of the sugar-free jello.....I don't touch anything with fake 'sweetener' in it.....who knows what science will discover about it years from now??

The best thing you can do is limit carboydrate intake, cut out ALL (or majority) of white flour, white sugar, rice, potatoes, pasta's, corn, anything 'starchy'.
Eat protein (if no hx of kidney disease) and I mean LEAN protein like turkey breast, chicken, fish......steamed veggies or raw.
LOTS of water.
I went on the Atkins diet and lost 50 pounds in 9 weeks-TRUTH....and I never exercised. (can't , physically unable to do much because of spina bifida occulta and several serious back injuries)
Dieting is common sense. Limit portion sizes (switch to a salad plate for proper portion sizes-fill once!!), exercise any way you can if you're disabled like me, drink LOTS of H20 but mostly......and this is the MOST IMPORTANT thing-if you fall off the diet wagon don't feel guilty for being HUMAN! Get right back ON the diet wagon the next morning as if it never happened. Be good one day at a time and ANY diet can work for you! (not advocating Atkins or any other diet for anyone, its personal choice and Drs choice)

Flame 2-05-2008 @ 10:04AM

Why is it you can not exercise? I have SB Ocuulta as well and a herniated disc and pinched nerve as well as having had several back injuries. My Doc did not restrict me exercising. Just certain movements and weight limits. That said I am HUNGRY ALL the time..... I try to control my hunger then end up bingeing.

gotegrl 2-05-2008 @ 11:24PM

I also have lost 52 lbs by giving up most carbs and sticking with lean proteins. I cannot do a lot of exercise because of severe arthritis in my feet and ankles.I have lost this weight since the middle of August,eating sensibly.I slipped a couple of times during the holidays but I didn't beat myself up for it and I got back on track the very next day.

SWEET C... 2-05-2008 @ 8:26AM

IF ONE DRINKS REALLY COLD WATER , I WOULD THINK IT WOULD SPEED UP METABOLISM, AS WELL AS FEELING FULL

googoogaagaa 2-05-2008 @ 9:17AM

tim, you've got to be kidding, right? how many people have you seen eat fruits and (crunchy=raw) vegetables and still get fat? NOOO. it's what they eat ALONG-side those fruits and vegetables. if you stop reading into it so much, people, these foots are good for you. most *DO* help boost metabolism, burn fat, etc, etc...and in general if you eat fruits and vegetables and egg whites, along with, say, chicken or fish, you can't go wrong. now eat those fruits with a plate of pasta, of course you won't.