Below is a list of negative calorie foods, but let’s first consider what this means. There are no negative calories: a calorie is a unit of heat and cannot be negative. So when people talk about negative calorie foods, this just means a food whose calorie level is low enough to eat and digest more energy than the food contains.
For example, if you consider water to be a food, then cold water is definitely a negative calorie food. It contains no calories at all and the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature. So every time we drink a glass of cold water we burn a couple of calories and lose a little weight. But there are very few foods like this. Most of the foods on the list don’t really use more calories than they add, or if they do, the effect is negligible … until you remember that, at the same time, the body expends energy just to stay alive and breathing. Celery, for example, does not provide us with enough calories to cover both the energy needed to digest it and the energy we use even when we are not doing anything. This is why people call it a negative calorie food.
Negative calorie foods are more attractive to anorexics. A negative calorie diet would obviously result in long-term starvation, and nutritional deficiencies can occur surprisingly quickly. The calories burned generally come from muscle mass and the result is weakness and wasting.
A healthier way to use a negative calorie diet is as a form of fasting or detoxification. It’s something you can do for a day or three right after the holiday season or another time you’ve been eating too rich a diet. As long as you are healthy, it can be a great way to cleanse your system. However, it is best to consult with a doctor before trying.
If you decide to use a negative calorie detox, keep the following points in mind:
1. It is never a good idea to eat large amounts of one type of food, especially fruits. Many foods contain substances that can be harmful if consumed in excess. For example, the acid in grapefruit and pineapple can damage the lining of the stomach. Other foods place an excessive burden on the liver or can cause diarrhea. So try to use all the different foods in small amounts.
2. Don’t spend all day eating. It will just swell and feel bad. If you’re only doing this for a couple of days, you shouldn’t feel too hungry. Plan four or five salad meals each day and let your digestion rest at other times.
3. You will feel more satisfied if you eat slowly and chew your food well. You will also use more calories that way. So if the food can be eaten raw, it will be more effective than cooking it. Foods like carrots and beets will also be more satisfying if you eat them grated.
4. Schedule a time when you don’t have big commitments. As with fasting or any type of detox, you may suffer from some uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches, tiredness, depression, and irritability. If these become severe, discontinue the diet and consult a doctor.
5. When the detox is over, plan for a gradual return to normal eating.
If all the above points are verified and approved, let’s move on to the food list.
* Apples
* Asparagus
* Beet
* Blueberries
* Broccoli
* Cantaloupe
* Carrot
* Cauliflower
* Celery stalk
* Celery root
* Blueberries
* Cucumbers
* Eggplant
* Endives
* Garden cress
* Garlic
* Pink grapefruit
* Green beans
* Green cabbage
* Lamb’s lettuce leaves
* Lemons
* Lettuce
* Onions
* Papayas
* Pineapples
* Plums
* Radishes
* Raspberries
* Spinach
* Strawberries
* Tangerines
* Tomatoes
* Turnips
* Zucchini
Use the above list of negative calorie foods wisely.