Negative calorie foods: is it possible to lose weight with food

Eat something to lose weight — Isn't a dream? On the wave of popularity of healthy lifestyles and the desire to control their weight, many became interested in the composition and calorie content of dishes. Demand generates supply, and now nutritionists offer a menu based on  negative-calorie foods (yes, these are those that don add calories, but supposedly burn them). Are there     possible to really lose weight without  restricting yourself food — we'll figure it out in this article.

• What is the calorie content of foods and how the body absorbs energy
• Why negative calorie foods — myth
• What foods can help you lose weight
• Summary: how to still eat so as not to gain weight

What is the calorie content of foods and how does the body absorb energy

Calories — is a unit of measurement of energy value, i.e. how much energy the body will receive by assimilating this or that food. Ideally, this same amount of energy needs to be spent, so that the excess calories are not stored in the bins  — body fat.

In a state of complete rest (roughly speaking, after lying on the sofa all day), we spend energy anyway, approximately 1500-1750 Kcal, depending gender, weight and age. If the same or fewer calories are supplied with food, the body will fully absorb all the energy received, and there will be nothing left for creating new fat and muscle tissue. And if the assimilation of the product requires more energy than it will give, then you will also have to use the existing reserve, i.e. "burn" fat. This idea also lies in the basis of the theory of negative calorie content, and like there is logic in this. Alas, but in 

Read also: The whole truth about fat-free foods: diet food or harm to health

Why negative calorie foods — myth

Even if a product contains a minimum of calories, not all of them will go to assistance. The balance between calories consumed and expended on digestion will always be positive, this is a basic need for survival. If the cost of digesting food leads to energy starvation, then the body simply stops digesting food. It does do nothing good, at least digestive problems are guaranteed.

It is more logical to talk not about negative caloric content, but about thermic effect of food. It is this indicator that expresses the amount of energy required for "recycling"; food. Among all products, the most "energy-consuming" are proteins, 30% of the calories received with them are spent on their own assimilation. In  carbohydrates (5-10% calories "burn"), and after fats, which are digested with little or no energy loss.

Read also: Food for athletes: high protein foods

To be fair, it should be noted that negative calorie foods still exist. This is cold water or any chilled drink with zero energy value. It by itself does contains calories, but to heating it to body temperature the body will expend energy (1 kcal per to to 1 degree liter of liquid).

What foods can help you lose weight

Some citrus plant flavanoids enhance metabolism, such as naringin and synephrine. They act like stimulants and speed up metabolism. Of course, it’s not worth it to abuse it, but if you want to have a bite, it’s better to have a slice of grapefruit or orange on hand than a cake.

Bitter foods also contribute to the rapid flow of metabolic processes, besides, they reduce appetite. Try to eat a piece of dark chocolate after a meal, the feeling of fullness will come faster. If you gradually introduce bitter foods into your diet, you can reduce cravings for sweets (espresso with a smaller dose of sugar will seem tastier, and sugary confectionery products will no longer cause an immediate desire to eat a bite).

Read also: All the pros and cons of the "dolce vita": the benefits and harms of sugar

Summary: how to still eat so as not to gain weight

No matter how specialists try to make a revolution in dietology, but the principles of nutrition for those who want to lose weight remain the the same as 20 years ago, namely:

• Prefer protein,  less — carbs, and  minimize your fat intake.

• Don't stretch the stomach with large portions, it is better to eat more often, but less.

• Reduce the amount of processed foods in your diet (frozen, canned, sterilized, pickled, etc.).

• Eating with  appetite, i.e. when it is precisely hunger that is felt, and not & nbsp; the desire to intercept "something delicious".

Rather than looking for mythical  negative-calorie foods or scrupulously calculating the energy value of milk and sugar in a cup of latte, it's better to remember the main principle: food — it is a source of energy, not pleasure. Spend your calories on physical activity, and not digesting food and the weight problem will resolve itself.

Read also: Myths about weight loss — forget about them if you want to stay healthy

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