Calorie deficit is essential to unlock the access to stored fat and to lose weight successfully. It is absolutely essential to maintain a steady calorie deficit for the body to tap into stored fat to use as fuel source when it exhausts calories made available through dietary source. Since calorie deficit occurs when someone takes in lesser calories and burn more through physical activity, we should aim to eat a diet that is nutrient dense yet keep you in calorie deficit, without food deprivation, or compromising on nutrition and health, and including fruits and veggies are a great way to do so. Fruits and vegetables are indispensable part of a healthy and balanced diet since they are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that nourish the body. So, having fruits and vegetables can actually boosts the whole weight loss process, and here’s a list of 31 fruits and vegetables with lowest number of calories.
Benefits of Eating Vegetables and Fruits in a Weight Loss Diet:
1. Low in calories.
2. Powerhouse of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, just to mention a few.
3. Low fat content.
4. Rich in iron, good for anemics.
5. Boosts metabolism.
6. Easy to digest.
7. Rich in trace minerals like manganese, copper, chromium, magnesium, etc.
31 Fruits and Vegetables with Lowest Number of Calories:
1. Apple: High in fiber, antioxidants, and other trace minerals, apple is a must-have fruit, whether you want to lose weight or not. Apples are rich in fiber. Studies have shown that eating apples whether it’s daytime or night will help you lose weight. There are around 116 calories in a medium-sized apple.
2. Asparagus: Full of nutrients, vitamin A, C, K, and many minerals, asparagus is good for weight loss because it has only 20 calories in 100 gm.
3. Beetroot: High in antioxidants, low in calories (only 43 calories in 100 gm), it’s absolutely great for skin too.
4. Cauliflower: Cauliflower is extremely low in calories, less than 25. You can grate up cauliflower and replace it to make healthy cauliflower pulao.
5. Capsicum: Only 30 calories in 100 gm, capsicum is a nutrient-dense food with low calorie count.
6. Celery: Celery juice is credited with detoxifying properties, also helping with reducing inflammation. Calories are 14/100 gm.
7. Broccoli: Broccoli is rich in nutrients and vitamins and is extremely low in calories. The phytochemicals in broccoli help to break down fat. Calories are 34/100 gm.
8. Blueberries: Rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and trace minerals like potassium, it’s a yummy fruit you cannot give a miss! Calories are 30/100 gm.
9. Carrots: Carrots have less fat content, have high fiber content. Fiber-rich foods take longest to digest and give you a feeling of fullness, and will prevent you from binging any further. Calories 41/100 gm.
10. Grapefruit: There’s an entire diet based on grapefruit. High on vitamin C, this citrus fruit has antioxidants and fiber content, with just 52 calories per 100 gm.
11. Green Beans: High on fiber, with no fat content at all, it has around 30 calories in 100 gm.
12. Guava: Packed with vitamin C and fiber that takes a lot of time to digest, guava is one fruit that can be considered a free fruit because there are only 14 gm in 100 gm.
13. Honeydew Melon: This is a water-dense fruit, there are just 36 calories in 100 gm.
14. Lemon: Honey and lemon is an extremely popular morning detox drink and with lemon you get about 20 calories.
15. Mushroom: Mushrooms have a lot of good nutrients including riboflavin, copper, selenium, niacin, and also fiber. Mushrooms are very low in calorie (22 calories/100 gm) and a good choice to include in your dinner.
16. Radish: Belonging to the root vegetable family, radish has no fat content, and 16 calories per 100 gm.
17. Raspberries: With 53 calories in 100 gm, they provide a dash of sweetness without throwing you out of calorie deficit.
18. Strawberries: These berries are water dense with only 32 calories in 100 gm.
19. Tomatoes: Good source of vitamin C, the tangy taste of tomatoes can make any dish flavourful, and with 18 calories in 100 gm.
20. Turnips: High on nutrition and low in calories (34 in 100 gm), it’s a root vegetable that is also high in vitamin C.
21. Zucchini: Instead of calorie-dense French fries, you can make fries out of asparagus or zucchini because these two vegetables are low carb veggies that keep you full for longer as well. Zucchini especially is only 17 calories per 100 gm.
22. Spinach: A cup of spinach at dinner is the healthiest way to lose weight quickly. Spinach, is a rich source of “thylakoids,” that have been found to suppress appetite and reduce the level of “ghrelin” (the hunger hormone). Thylakoids prevent insulin spike and also storage of fat in the body. Spinach is also a rich source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A, C, and other trace minerals as well. Calories are 23/100 gm.
23. Plum: Along with peaches and cherries, plum is a stone fruit that is low in calories as well as in low glycemic index, and good to include in any weight loss diet. Calories are 43/100 gm.
24. Lettuce: Rich in fiber and fat, low in calories, nobody ever gained weight with lettuce in their sandwiches. Calories are 43/100 gm.
25. Oranges: High in vitamin C content, oranges are also water dense, and low in calories too (47 calories per 100 gm).
26. Cucumber: Cucumbers can help you lose weight because they are very low in calories, less than 20 calories. Cucumbers are fat free so you can eat as many cucumbers without the fear of adding up fat content at night.
27. Kale: Kale is one of the healthiest veggie available and it can benefit your body in several ways. Due to the high content of fibre and antioxidants present in kale, it can help to cut down the extra fats in the body. Also, due to a high level of water content present in the kale, it helps to keep your body hydrated and cool on hot summer days. Calories are 33/100 gm.
28. Pumpkin: It’s a high volume vegetable that keeps you full for longer, has 26 calories only per 100 gm.
29. Okra/Bhindi: Okra is definitely good for weight loss with 33 calories in 100 gm.
30. Cabbage: Cabbage is known to be very effective in boosting weight loss as it is believed to prevent conversion of sugar and carbs into fat. A medium-sized cabbage has around 25 calories only.
31. Onions: It’s a part of every dish imaginable, and while adding it into salads or curries, one doesn’t have to worry about calorie deficit because it’s only about 40 calories per 100 gm.
Summing up, in the end, what matters in weight loss is “calorie deficit” and maintaining the correct balance between “calories in vs calories out,” and portion control is essential even with fruits and vegetables. A calorie is a calorie at the end of the day, and the calories in the fruit add up at the end of the day, and may in fact lead to weight gain. So, eat your apples, oranges, bananas, and melons, but do practice portion control even with low calorie fruits and veggies. Do check out the weight loss diet plans on the Rati Beauty diet that help you lose weight by eating the right kind of food.
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