Myths And Facts About Negative Calorie Foods

The concept of negative calorie foods is something approaching a Holy Grail in the diet world: the idea that you can eat nearly unlimited quantities of food and still lose weight. It certainly sounds too good to be true, and according to some authorities it is. But let's look at how it works.

The idea is that there are certain foods that your body uses more calories digesting than it gets from them. Say, for instance, you eat a piece of food that gives you 10 calories, but your body expends 15 digesting it. That would be negative calories.

You could be forgiven for having science fiction or Stephen King-like visions of a man eating and eating and growing thinner and thinner. Certainly it would be appealing at least in the short term.

Actually, the math isn't quite as simple as all that. The fact is that no food works this way. What does happen is that certain foods' calories are harder for your body to extract than others, and this does require your body to expend extra energy to withdraw them. Think of it as the difference between reaching in your pocket for a dime or having to break open a piggy bank to get it.

Some of the negative calorie foods are:

Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Green cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Hot chili peppers
Cucumber
Endive
Garlic
Green beans
Zucchini
Apples
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Strawberries
Lettuce (all types)
Onion
Papaya
Radishes
Spinach

You'll notice a complete lack of protein in that list of foods. The reason there, of course is that protein rich equals calorie rich. Also, your body is well accustomed to getting all the calories out of meat. That's the sort of genetic programming that goes all the way back to our primordial ancestors bringing their daily hunt back to the cave.

To be quite blunt, negative calorie foods are not the way to long-term weight loss success. Eating a diet composed exclusively of them would pose severe health consequences, most specifically from the absence of protein. Even for short term weight loss, should you want to try a plan composed exclusively of these foods, do not do so before consulting with a doctor.

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