Weight management is a vital aspect of our overall health, and calorie consumption plays a significant role in it. We often hear advice about consuming fewer calories or burning more calories through physical exercise to achieve weight loss or gain. Recently, the concept of “negative-calorie” foods has gained popularity. These foods are claimed to cause the body to burn calories during digestion, leading to weight loss. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of negative-calorie foods, their potential role in weight loss, and their validity.
What are Negative-Calorie Foods?
Foods contain carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, which are the primary sources of calories or energy. The process of digesting and metabolising food requires energy, and the amount of energy needed varies depending on the diet. This energy expenditure is known as the thermic effect of food.
Negative-calorie foods are those that require more calories to consume, digest, and process than the energy they provide to the body. The theory is that if these foods exist, consuming them may lead to weight loss because the body burns more calories eating and digesting them than the calorie content of the food.
Some foods with high water content are typically considered negative calorie foods. Here are some examples of fruits and vegetables that are often considered negative calorie foods:
- Broccoli (89% water, 31 calories per cup)
- Celery (95% water, 14 calories per cup)
- Cucumber (95% water, 8 calories per cup)
- Tomatoes (94% water, 32 calories per cup)
- Watermelon (91% water, 46 calories per cup)
- Grapefruit (92% water, 69 calories per cup)
- Apples (86% water, 53 calories per cup)
Are Negative-Calorie Foods Real?
The theory of negative-calorie foods seems appealing, but the question is whether the body burns more calories digesting these foods than the number of calories they contain. Unfortunately, negative calorie foods are a myth. While the above-mentioned foods are nutrient-dense and have a good micronutrient profile, it is unlikely that the energy required to digest them is higher. The thermic effect of food accounts for only 10% of the total calorie expenditure. Protein has the highest thermic effect of food, which is 30% of the caloric intake. For any food to have negative calories, its thermic effect of food must be more than 100%, which is impossible. This proves that negative calorie foods are just a myth, and there is no scientific evidence proving this theory.
Zero-Calorie Foods: Are They a Part of Negative Calorie Foods?
Zero-calorie foods such as cold water are frequently touted as metabolism boosters, similar to negative-calorie foods. Some studies suggest that drinking cold water enhances metabolism for a short period, resulting in a minor increase ranging from 3 to 24 calories during an hour. However, such a small impact will not significantly increase the number of calories burned by the body.
What Should You Eat Instead?
While negative calorie foods may be unlikely to exist, many foods are still extremely healthy and have a low-calorie and high-water content. These foods can often be consumed in large quantities without consuming too many calories. Rather than focusing on negative calorie foods, focus on nutrient-dense foods that provide the necessary nutrients to live a healthy life. Here are some examples of such foods:
- Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens
- Fruits like berries, oranges, and apples
- Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers
- Whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice
- Lean proteins like chicken breast, fish, and tofu
FAQs
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Are negative calorie foods a good way to lose weight?
No, negative calorie foods are a myth. The body does not burn more calories digesting these foods than the number of calories they contain. Instead, focus on nutrient-dense foods that provide the necessary nutrients to live a healthy life.
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What are some examples of negative calorie foods?
Foods with high water content are typically considered negative calorie foods. Some examples include broccoli, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, and apples.
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What are some examples of negative calorie foods?
Drinking cold water has a minor impact on metabolism, resulting in a small increase in the number of calories burned. However, this increase is not significant enough to cause weight loss on its own.
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Is it possible to consume negative calorie foods?
No, it is not possible to consume negative calorie foods. For any food to have negative calories, its thermic effect of food must be more than 100%, which is impossible.
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Is it possible to consume negative calorie foods?
No, zero-calorie foods and negative calorie foods are not the same. Zero- calorie foods are foods that contain very few or no calories, such as water or tea, while negative calorie foods are a myth.
References
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2018). Energy requirements. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/y5686e/y5686e05.htm
- Rolls, B. J., Bell, E. A., & Thorwart, M. L. (1999). Water incorporated into a food but not served with a food decreases energy intake in lean women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70(4), 448-455. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/70.4.448
- Romieu, I., Dossus, L., Barquera, S., Blottière, H. M., Franks, P. W., Gunter, M., … & Willett, W. C. (2017). Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers? Cancer Causes & Control, 28(3), 247-258. doi: 10.1007/s10552-017-0869-z
- Schoeller, D. A., & Buchholz, A. C. (2005). Energetics of obesity and weight control: does diet composition matter? Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), S24-S28. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.013
- Schoeller, D. A. (1999). Insights into energy balance from doubly labeled water. International Journal of Obesity, 23(Suppl 2), S31-S35. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800853
- Wansink, B., & Cheney, M. M. (2005). Super Bowls: serving bowl size and food consumption. Jama, 293(14), 1727-1728. doi: 10.1001/jama.293.14.1727
- Westerterp, K. R. (2004). Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & Metabolism, 1(1), 1-5. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-1-5