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Tips on Negative-Calorie Food Recipes

A "negative calorie" food is a food requiring more calories to digest than are found in the food itself. If a serving of broccoli contains 25 calories, but takes 80 calories to actually digest, the theory says you will burn an additional 55 calories of body fat. Whether true or not, the facts are that most so-called negative-calorie foods are fruits and vegetables--food groups that are highly recommended in almost any diet plan.

  1. Fruits and Vegetables to Consider

    • The foods included on most negative calorie food lists include anise, apples, asparagus, bean sprouts, beets, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage (green), cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, cayenne, celery, chicory, chili peppers, cinnamon, cilantro, cloves, coriander, cranberries, cucumbers, cumin, dill, endive, fennel seeds, flaxseed, gardencress, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, green beans, honeydew melon, jicama, kale, leeks, lemons, lettuce, limes, mango, mustard seed, onions, oranges, papaya, parsley, peaches, pineapple, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, spinach, squash, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, turnip, watercress, watermelon and zucchini.

      As you can see from the list above, it is possible to make a wide variety of tasty - even spicy - dishes from these so-called negative calorie foods, including vegetable stir fries, vegetable soups, fruit or vegetable salads, smoothies, and juice drinks.

    Use Other Food Groups Sparingly

    • By making these fruits and vegetables the main focus of any recipe, and adding only a minimal amount of ingredients like meats, dairy and oils, you can create a fantastic array of low-calorie healthy dishes. Use a lighter, more healthy oil when cooking, and use it sparingly. When making smoothies or other recipes using dairy products, try to use only water; but if milk or yogurt is necessary, add it a tablespoon at a time until you reach an acceptable consistency. Cut meat into small pieces and limit the serving to 3 ounces or less.

    Season Liberally With Spices and Herbs

    • Nothing is worse than a diet of bland foods. Take advantage of the variety of herbs and spices that are considered negative-calorie foods, and use them liberally in dishes like baked apple with a generous topping of cinnamon, a Mexican stir fry of spinach, onions and tomatoes that is heavy on the cilantro and chili peppers, or a pesto that is light on the nuts and cheese but heavy on the garlic and pepper. Experimenting may help you find a delicious alternative to a forbidden dish.

    Fat and Sugar

    • Oil and sweeteners should be used as little as possible, but if you want to use either, choose the lightest options. Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil are much better than butter or margarine. A spray oil is better than a bottled oil. When using sweeteners, look for natural varieties such as Splenda or stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia that do not lose their sweetness when heated.

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