Negative calorie foods

245

Replies

  • micls
    micls Posts: 234
    Isn't celery a negative calorie food

    Sorry, I wasn't clear.

    Celery was simply an example using a random food and random figures, not claiming it actually was negative calories.

    I have no idea if there are foods you can eat that burn more than they contain, but even if there were you'd still have to log it as that would be counted in the basic TDEE.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ...I have no idea if there are foods you can eat that burn more than they contain...
    There aren't. TEF (Thermic Effect of Feeding) isn't high enough to overcome the raw caloric content, and your jaw muscles are very small - you burn negligible calories in the act of chewing. "Negative calorie foods" are an old wives' tale. There are certainly some foods with calorie counts so low as to be almost negligible (celery, for example), but they're not "negative calorie" - nor do they provide many nutrients.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Everything has calories!!

    BUT,

    Some foods are so few in calories, it takes more calories (or same amount of calories) to burn and digest the food than there are calories in the food.

    Examples...

    Fruits

    apple
    cranberries
    grapefruit
    lemon
    mango
    orange
    pineapple
    raspberries
    strawberries
    tangerine

    Vegetables

    asparagus
    beet
    broccoli
    cabbage (green)
    carrot
    cauliflower
    celery
    Chile peppers (hot)
    cucumber
    dandelion
    endive
    garden cress
    garlic
    green beans
    lettuce
    onion
    papaya
    radishes
    spinach
    turnip

    Link to study published in a reputable peer reviewed journal please.
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    Everything has calories!!

    BUT,

    Some foods are so few in calories, it takes more calories (or same amount of calories) to burn and digest the food than there are calories in the food.

    Examples...

    Fruits

    apple
    cranberries
    grapefruit
    lemon
    mango
    orange
    pineapple
    raspberries
    strawberries
    tangerine

    Vegetables

    asparagus
    beet
    broccoli
    cabbage (green)
    carrot
    cauliflower
    celery
    Chile peppers (hot)
    cucumber
    dandelion
    endive
    garden cress
    garlic
    green beans
    lettuce
    onion
    papaya
    radishes
    spinach
    turnip

    False. All false.

    While it may take maybe one or two calories more energy to digest those foods, it STILL is less than the calories in the food. It really doesn't take the body very much energy to digest food, and it doesn't matter what kind. If the GI tract is faced with a food/substance that is extremely difficult to process, it will take the path of least resistance, and instead of working harder to break it down, will just pass it through.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Link to study published in a reputable peer reviewed journal please.
    Don't hold your breath waiting.
  • Neconilis
    Neconilis Posts: 19 Member
    Why do you people hate science?

    This.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    Why do you people hate science?

    Because Dr. Oz does
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
    All food takes some energy to digest. None of it is adjusted for post-digestion. Even ones that may or may not have a negative caloric effect. Bottom line, log everything. Count the dietary caloric value of the food the same for all items you eat.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Venison from a deer you chased down and killed with your bare hands.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
    Why do you people hate science?
    can I "like" this?
    Venison from a deer you chased down and killed with your bare hands.
    And this?
  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    If chewing is enough exercise to equalize the calories from an apple, as one poster states.
    That means I could eat a dozen apples a day and not have to count those 960 or so calories.
    Hmmm Unlikely. And we could also call, gum chewing a calorie burner.
    I chew and digest meat, walnuts, and other whatevers. Am I allowed to subtract calories for that?
    Hmmm Unlikely. If it has calories and you eat it. Count it.
  • haroldz123
    haroldz123 Posts: 20 Member
    i ate more than my BMR then i got negative gain (no workout)

    the app tell me that i will gain more weight
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member


    Some foods are so few in calories, it takes more calories (or same amount of calories) to burn and digest the food than there are calories in the food.

    Examples...

    Fruits

    apple <<<<<<<<<<<<<I am calling shenanigans!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY apples have at least 80 calories....... I'd be kidding myself not to log my daily apple!!!!!!

    cranberries
    grapefruit
    lemon
    mango
    orange
    pineapple
    raspberries
    strawberries
    tangerine

  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Why do you people hate science?

    Because people want to believe in miracles and easy things like negative calorie foods and diet pills. They don't want to deal with the reality of losing weight.
  • Bethbr00tality
    Bethbr00tality Posts: 36 Member
    Why do you people hate science?

    Calories! How do they work?!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    There is no such thing as a negative calorie food.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    If chewing is enough exercise to equalize the calories from an apple, as one poster states.
    That means I could eat a dozen apples a day and not have to count those 960 or so calories.
    Hmmm Unlikely. And we could also call, gum chewing a calorie burner.
    I chew and digest meat, walnuts, and other whatevers. Am I allowed to subtract calories for that?
    Hmmm Unlikely. If it has calories and you eat it. Count it.

    yes! while you are logging cleaning, food prep and sex, you can add chewing too!!!
  • I don't log diet drinks and fruit when its 10 calories or less because I don't want to get bored of tracking and it seems so minimal it's pointless. Never adds up to more than 100 calories in a day.

    On the other hand, I don't log the 10-15 min walks with my dog or quickies on the home bike and only log 30 min plus exercise sessions. Also, if I give the last bite of my biscuit to the dog, I don't make any deduction for it from my log.


    If the scale stops showing results I may become more strict, but considering how much stuff we eat is just estimated anyway I don't think a few 10 calorie drinks missed off the list will make much difference.
  • Look at it this way...if you are logging in everything you eat and a few of the foods
    happen to be 'negative' in calories...you'll be that much ahead! LOL
  • For_the_Last_Time
    For_the_Last_Time Posts: 136 Member
    Since mango was on the "list" a mango has aprox 130 calories say you eat 10 of them (yes that's a lot of mangos) do you think that those 1300 calories just go poof? You would log that correct? If you would log it if you ate 10 you should log it if you ate 1 or a half etc.

    To me it would be a very slippery slope to decide that some calories don't really count.

    Edited because of math
  • DaveHuby
    DaveHuby Posts: 175 Member
    I log everything including black coffee.

    I find it much easier to log everything than trying to work out what counts and what doesn't. I even log water added to my recipes(makes repeating them easier!)

    It is all simply maths, just keep the figures accurate and you'll get a true answer.

    :wink:
  • consumone
    consumone Posts: 139 Member
    I am eating more celary if I get to eat more - LOL I log it ALL!
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    A good rule to live by when logging, if it goes in your mouth it goes in your log... whether you think it is 0 calorie or not. There is more than the calorie aspect when you are eating food.
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
    I have heard and read about so called negative calorie foods but I personally log everything. Its my belief its all tied into your BMR and TDEE calculations anyway. Nothing is 100% accurate but I'd rather log everything I put in my mouth (so I can look back and see patterns, etc) and then log exercise as accurately as possible to get the end result.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I have heard and read about so called negative calorie foods but I personally log everything. Its my belief its all tied into your BMR and TDEE calculations anyway. Nothing is 100% accurate but I'd rather log everything I put in my mouth (so I can look back and see patterns, etc) and then log exercise as accurately as possible to get the end result.
  • hlavers
    hlavers Posts: 32
    I stll log to track my zero cal drinks (water and herbal tea). It helps me remember what I've already had that day.
  • Macstraw
    Macstraw Posts: 896 Member
    I think the point is to realize what, how much, and when you consume things. Then you can work on reproducing those better days, evaluate when you get the hungriest, etc. So, I think it's worth posting up there. :wink:

    That's exactly why I log everything - it keeps me aware of what I'm eating. Before I joined MFP I would go through spells of exercise where I would lose some weight. I would keep half an eye on what I was eating & lost a little weight. This time, in addition to the exercise I've been logging EVERYTHING every day on MFP & I'm getting results like never before. Having in the back of my miond that I need to log every little nosh has me thinking if I'm really hungry when I reach for something or if I'm grabbing it out of boredom, because it's there, etc. It's also changing what I'm eating because I'm aware that I have to log it & I don't want to log a big hit unnecessarily. I'm balancing my days better, as far as food goes, & although I'm hungry often I'm not ravenous & I'm not having trouble spacing out what I'm eating during the day.....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    This an attempt to eat more food................................get over it. You want to eat more food, go do some exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Everything has calories!!

    BUT,

    Some foods are so few in calories, it takes more calories (or same amount of calories) to burn and digest the food than there are calories in the food.

    Examples...

    Fruits

    apple
    cranberries
    grapefruit
    lemon
    mango
    orange
    pineapple
    raspberries
    strawberries
    tangerine

    Vegetables

    asparagus
    beet
    broccoli
    cabbage (green)
    carrot
    cauliflower
    celery
    Chile peppers (hot)
    cucumber
    dandelion
    endive
    garden cress
    garlic
    green beans
    lettuce
    onion
    papaya
    radishes
    spinach
    turnip

    It doesn't take 70 calories to digest an orange. Same with most of this. list. A few of these have so few calories that it might more or less even out, but most of this is untrue. Especially the fruit.
  • ce_fit
    ce_fit Posts: 299 Member
    This an attempt to eat more food................................get over it. You want to eat more food, go do some exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    So True!