Zero-calorie Foods That Help You Slim Down

One of the best ways to lose weight without starving is to eat low-calorie foods. Listed here are a few of the zero-calorie foods that help one to slim down, check it out.

By Archana Mukherji

Friday, June 9, 2017, 18:35

The biggest challenge for people today is to burn the calories that they consume. Too many calories can only lead to you putting on excess weight and thereby giving you a big tummy.

As people are becoming beauty conscious these days, they are doing a lot of workouts to burn the calories they consume. Hence, the easiest solution is to consume zero-calorie foods that can help you to slim down.

So, what are the zero-calorie foods? Any food item that has scanty calorie content is a zero-calorie food.

When you consume these foods, you do not have to do any kind of a workout to burn the calories, the energy that you spend to consume and chew these foods itself burns out the calories in them, such that you do not have any excess calories left out in your body.

It is vital for all of you to remember that low-calorie foods do not mean you are eating foods that are low in nutrients.

In fact, eating low-calories foods in large quantities helps you from not consuming high-calorie foods and, at the same time, these provide you with all the nutrition and energy that you need.

So go ahead, read this article to know more about the foods that have zero calories in them and load your refrigerator with them. They are low in calories but are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Celery:

Celery stands on top of my list of zero-calorie foods. It is rich in water content. Consumption of celery every day can fulfill your daily intake of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, fibre, folate and potassium. Celery also contains compounds called phthalides, which can relaxthe muscle tissues in the artery walls and increase blood flow, thereby helping you to lower blood pressure. When you eat celery, you do not even feel like you are eating anything. The stringy nature of celery makes it seem as if it only exists to hold the water it contains. You can often find celery with peanut butter or cream-based fillings inside of it. Better avoid these fillings if you are looking for low-calorie foods. The total calories per 100 g of serving of celery is 16.

Beet:

Beets again are low-calorie foods that contain betalains, an antioxidant that gives beet its colour and is only found in a few selected foods. If you are planning to consume beets as a zero-calorie food to slim down, you should ensure that you consume it either raw, boiled or grilled. Adding other ingredients to make it spicy or pickled will only add on to the calories. The total calories per 100 g serving in beet is 43.

Cucumber:

Another wonderful low-calorie food is cucumber. They have so much water in them that they are one of the most hydrating foods out there. They make an excellent ingredient in your salads and you can even eat them raw. Since they contain a lot of water content, they are filling to your stomach and you can eat them as much as you want and you will still not gain weight. You can eat until you feel full, while still keeping your total number of calories to a minimum. When you are tired of drinking too much of water to fill your stomach and keep you out of hunger, cucumbers play an excellent replacement. Cucumbers are also packed with Vitamin K and Vitamin C, potassium and a compound called silica, which helps to build and maintain connective tissues like muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. The total calories that you can gain with 100 g serving of cucumber is 16.

Lemon:

Lemons are alkalizing foods that contain antioxidants to keep you healthy. You cannot sit and eat lemons as is, the whole day. However, lemons are great flavouring agents and you can squeeze them in a glass of water or on your salads and any other dish that you wish to. By consuming lemons, you will not be putting much of a strain on your total calories consumed in a day, so you can use them as much as you want to. The total calories consumed in every 100 g serving is 29.

Watermelon:

Watermelon isan amazing fruit, which is super sweet and delicious. It is full of antioxidants. There is nothing like a glass of chilled watermelon juice to beat the hot summers!! Watermelons have a high water content and consuming a large bowl of watermelon can help you prevent dehydration. This summer-time fruit is loaded with citrulline, an amino acid that the body converts to arginine, and arginine aids in weight loss. Watermelon has a low number of calories, despite being so naturally sweet. It has also been shown to be able to boost your metabolism. The calorie content in every 100 grams of watermelon is 30.

Cabbage:

Another excellent low-calorie food is cabbage and is very well known for its ability to prevent cancer and heart disease, and it often ranks on the list of foods that help with weight loss. The calorie count in cabbage is so low that you end up burning it off just by going about the normal motions of your day. Cabbage soup is one great way to eat cabbage, as it is a filling meal while containing far fewer calories than most soups.

Cabbage is also very often consumed raw or in the form of salads and sandwiches. Be careful not to add cheese or any other high-calorie ingredient to compliment cabbage, else you will end up in consuming high calories. The total calories consumed per 100 g serving of cabbage is 25. It is a fantastic choice to eat this at any time of the day!!

Cabbage is a very good source of fibre and vitamin C. Slice a head of cabbage and refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. Take it out of the refrigerator, squeeze some sour lime juice over it and toss it along with a few pinches of salt and a little pepper. You can have this salad instead of your regular snacks to reduce your calorie intake.

Orange:

Oranges are rich sources of Vitamin C and they are also low in calories compared to other fruits. Consumption of this fruit helps you to keep your total caloric load for the day lower than normal. These delicious fruits are very filling, give you good nutrition, taste great, and have very few calories. The total calories per 100 g serving of oranges is 47.

Onions:

Onions are widely used in salads and in a lot of foods that we consume every day. Onions are often referenced to as a healthy food that can help you reach your weight loss goals quicker. The total calories per 100 g serving is 40.

Broccoli:

Broccoli is another wonder food with a lot of health benefits. It is a cancer-fighting food and is extremely low in calories. It is packed with phytonutrients as well as fibre, so it helps keep your digestive system humming along, which is key to maintaining a proper weight. It even contains plant-based proteins, which can help you if are planning to build your lean muscle mass. The total calories for every 100 g of serving is 34. One cup raw broccoli contains as much fibre and vitamin C as an orange.