Some foods have gained fame for, in theory, having negative calories, but some myths surround this term.
Everything that seems easy and quick attracts attention when it comes to losing weight. Therefore, the term “negative calories” would not be left out of this. But are there really foods that have a negative caloric value? To begin with, we explain what negative calories are: they are basically those foods in which the caloric expenditure that the body makes to digest them is greater than the amount of calories they contain.
However, some researchers claim that there is no scientific evidence to prove this. Some foods are low in calories because they are low in carbohydrates and rich in fiber and water. But they still do not promote weight loss on their own. Watermelon and cucumber, for example, have become popular as foods that theoretically have negative calories. However, a diet based only on these foods does not provide weight loss.
But before you lose hope, there are foods that can speed up metabolism due to their thermal effect on digestion. Therefore, combined with a balanced diet, they can help with weight loss. See more below.
Negative calories and thermogenic foods
The process of food digestion and weight loss is much more complex than its caloric values. In fact, a combination of factors, such as the calories in food, exercise and each person’s body, for example, is what will define how weight loss occurs.
But as we said before, thermogenic foods can help in this process. These are those that use a lot of calories during digestion, as is the case with proteins. Calorimetry tests estimate the amount of calories used by each food to metabolize and absorb macronutrients.
Furthermore, studies on the physiological effects of food show that, regardless of the energy spent on digesting a food, it is unlikely that it will reach 100% of the calories of the food itself. Therefore, once again, negative calories as a weight loss miracle are an urban legend.
Effective habits for weight loss
Each person has particularities when it comes to weight loss. This is because each organism has a different metabolism. As a result of this, the amount of calories burned per day will also be greater or lesser in each one. However, in everyone this process of digestion, metabolization and absorption of nutrients represents 5% to 10% of the minimum daily calorie burn to maintain the body’s vital functions at rest (basal metabolism).
Therefore, opting for foods that speed up metabolism is a great alternative. Simple carbohydrates – such as sugar and starch – and fats, for example, have low caloric expenditure. Therefore, the best options are complex carbohydrates, in this case, fiber. This is because digestion takes longer and calorie expenditure is greater, increasing the body’s satiety time. This way, you will feel less hungry.
Furthermore, physical exercise is essential for anyone who needs to lose weight. Therefore, combined with a healthy and balanced diet, join the gym, play sports or find some other way to keep your body active regularly.
Foods with “negative calories”
Foods that have gained fame for containing negative calories actually have some specific characteristics. Before listing them, it is important to remember that they do not spend more calories on digestion than they have, but each one has its advantage in weight loss diets.
The first characteristic concerns the low amount of simple carbohydrates in its composition. The second is the high amount of water and fiber in each one. Are they:
- cucumbers
- celery
- arugula
- lettuce
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- cress
- watermelon
- eggplant
- lemon
- tangerine
- plum
- strawberry
- eggplant
- zucchini
- onion
Furthermore, let’s not forget thermogenic foods, which speed up metabolism and help burn fat.
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Sources: Live My Life Well Dr. Diogo Simão Cuidaí
Images: Your Health Earth Freepik Everything She
