17 Low-Calorie Foods You Can Eat As Much As You Want

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Let’s get right to it. Here are 17 Low-Calorie Foods You Can Eat As Much As You Want…

1. Celery

Celery is a very interesting vegetable, it provides both a pleasant crunchy texture to food while adding a distinct flavor without being too overpowering. The leaves and stalks of celery are a favorite to add to macaroni salads and shakes.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of celery contains just 16 calories. Crunch away.

2. Arugula

Arugula, aka “Rocket”, is a common salad green that is also added to pizza and pasta — a favorite in Italian cuisine. In fact, the name “arugula” was derived from the plant’s Italian name “rucola”, the same way the term “rocket” in England was taken from “rucola”.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of arugula contains 25 calories.

3. Egg Whites

Eggs are commonly thought of as a high calorie food but it is quite the opposite! The only part of the egg that is significantly high calorie is the yolk or the yellow portion; the rest of the egg is a great source of protein, which can help build muscles — without added calories! Egg white (or the scientific term being albumin) is mostly water, approximately 90 percent, and protein, approximately 10 percent. Egg whites are very common in cooking, used in a variety of food products like baked goods.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of raw egg white contains 52 calories.

4. Salad

The term “salad” here is used loosely because it can be a variety of different vegetables mixed together. You can opt for purely vegetables in your salad, purely fruits, or a combination of both, which is the most popular choice if you want to lay off the meat.

A vegetable / green salad without any condiments is around 25 calories per 100g according to the Mayo Clinic Diabetic Exchange list; you only need to add calories for the dressing you will be using in your salad. According to the USDA, every 100 grams of fruit salad is 50 calories.

5. Cucumber

Cucumbers are very popular in the beauty world for their soothing properties when used in skin care — but they are also a very delicious, low-calorie snack as well! A salad can be made more interesting by adding cucumber for an extra crunch, or you can even just slice up some cucumber as a snack to get rid of cravings for chips.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of cucumber contains 16 calories.

6. Cauliflower

Cauliflowers are often overlooked because they aren’t as vibrant in color as other vegetables, but they are quite nutritious and free of the “vegetable-y” taste that kids dislike. They are perfect to add in stir-fry dishes or even steamed with a little bit of butter and garlic as a side dish to your meal — or better yet, as a salad alone!

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of cauliflower contains 25 calories.

7. Tomatoes

The health benefits of tomatoes are endless; they are known for being potent cancer-fighters because of their lycopene content while being delicious. Technically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable but they are still perfect to add in salads, soups, and even sandwiches.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of tomatoes contains 18 calories.

8. Broccoli

Broccoli is a delicious, low calorie vegetable that is great steamed on its own, or together with other vegetables in a salad, casserole, and soup.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of broccoli contains 34 calories.

9. Popcorn

Don’t be mistaken than popcorn is a junk food! Popcorn only becomes unhealthy because of sugar and artificial flavors added — but it is naturally a healthy snack. Just pop plain popcorn and add a little bit of salt and you’re good to go! This is a perfect alternative snack to chips which contain minimal nutrients or “empty calories”.

The USDA reports that a cup of popped corn is around 20 to 30 calories only.

10. Kale

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that is slowly gaining popularity as a chip. If you aren’t into salads, you can add spices and salt and pepper to taste to kale, pop them in the oven, and make kale chips! Other ways you can include kale in your diet are through shakes or steamed with other vegetables.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of kale contains 49 calories.

11. Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas are closely related to snow peas with round pods compared to the latter’s flat ones. You can eat them whole or chopped, in either a stir fry, roasted, or even pickled! These vegetables are popular during the colder months since they thrive in cool weather.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of peas contains 42 calories.

12. Grapefruit

The best way to eat grapefruit is raw as a snack, but did you can also add its juice to salad dressing for the extra citrusy zest?

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of white grapefruit contains 37 calories. Pink and red grapefruit has even lower calories at 30 kcal per 100 grams of fruit.

13. Melon

Melon is another excellent low-calorie alternative to your typical snack fare of unhealthy junk food. There are different kinds of melons but they are all similarly sweet and perfect to cool off during the summer (or any season really!). Melons are an excellent addition to a fruit salad; you can try mixing berries and melons together.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of honeydew melon contains 36 calories. Cantaloupes have slightly less calories, 34 kcal per 100 grams of fruit.

14. Strawberries

Among the different kinds of berries, strawberries are probably the most popular. They are often used in desserts, cakes, milkshakes, and ice cream. They are great as-is with cream — you can freeze them and eat them with fat-free cream as a dessert.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of strawberries contains 33 calories.

15. Blackberries

Blackberries are quite popular because of their high antioxidant content, which makes them an excellent fruit for detoxification. This fruit is typically used in fruit salads, jams, jellies, and sometimes wine or juice.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of cucumber contains 43 calories.

16. Oranges

Aside from apples, oranges are probably the most well-known kind of fruit. Different orange flavored products have found their way into the market, like juices and spreads. However, don’t be fooled! The best kind of oranges are fresh, so fresh juice and fruit slices. They are also rich in Vitamin C which helps boost your immunity.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of oranges contains 47 calories.

17. Blueberries

Blueberries are popular berries used in different desserts, cakes, muffins and pancakes. Like other berries, blueberries can be consumed by themselves as a healthy treat, They are also rich in antioxidants that help with detoxification.

According to the USDA, every 100 grams of blueberries contains 57 calories.

Related:

Free (Printable) Chart Of Foods Under 100 Calories