Negative Calorie Foods are a widely discussed and disputed subject in the weight loss industry, and there are a lot of myths, half truths, and misinformation which surrounds this concept.
In this article, I'll tell it exactly like it is.
What are negative calorie foods? These are food items which supposedly create a calorie deficit when you eat them because the body uses more calories to digest them than the calories they contain.
This is the place to dispel the first common myth: no food contains a negative amount of calories.
The concept of negative caloric foods revolves around the theory that the body uses more energy to digest the food than the energy the food contains.
Myth #2 These foods do not increase your metabolism to any length of time, they just create a temporary calorie deficit.
This means that if you're looking to speed up your metabolism, it is best to concentrate on overall healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and a stable lifestyle.
Eating negative calorie foods each day will cause your body to burn more calories, but this will not last the second you stop eating those foods.
Myth #3 - You can base your entire diet on these foods.
Most calorie negative foods are fruit or vegetables.
It is not recommended to base your diet entirely on negative calorie foods since they fail to provide the body with all the nutrients it needs: especially protein.
Overall, it is best to limit your daily fruit intake to 3 pieces, and your vegetable intake to 5 items.
If you do eat a lot of negative caloric foods, be sure to supplement them with a good dose of protein from eggs, fish, dairy, and meat.