"Negative Calories"?

 

I recently heard that there are such things as negative calories, celery and such, and that you use more calories to digest the food then it gives you. I'm wondering if this is true, I searched up a list of foods and I want some reassurance if this is in fact correct:

asparagus
beet
broccoli
green cabbage
carrot
cauliflower
celery root
celery chicory
hot chili peppers
cucumber
dandelion
endive
garden cress
garlic
green beans
zucchini apple
cranberries
grapefruit
lemon mango
orange
pineapple raspberries
strawberries
tangerine
lamb's lettuce
lettuce
onion
papaya
radishes
spinach
turnip

I'm curious as to know if this is in fact true. I've been going on a pretty flexible diet, I eat a lot, but I've sped up my metabolism so I burn the majority of it off, I just need a little snack before I sleep and I don't want many excess calories from that. Help would be appreciated. :D Many websites have this exact list, but then again, it could be some kind of scam ):

i have too heard this, and im hoping it is true haha! sounds good to me

I believe in it.  Heres the skinny (IMHO) You should still track those calories.  The foods still contain vitamins and "calories"  units of energy, they are just a pain in the ass for your body to break down.

They are only good in their raw uncooked state. (harder to break down)

You should not mix them with other foods when trying to eat them as just a calorie free treat. 

 These really are "safe" foods, but there is a ton of debate and in all honesty every ones body works different.  Try them and see if they work for you.

Thank you :D I'm just scared because I usually overeat on carrots before I sleep xD;;; Thank you for the help :D

Relax....  Chewing & digesting burns the same cals per hour as 'sitting'... which is about 50.  In the 5 minutes it takes you to eat a few carrots you will only burn about 4 calories... much less than the calories in the carrots themselves.  There's NO SUCH THING as a negative energy food.

If you fancy a snack before going to sleep and if you're burning off everything you eat... have something decent like a slice of toast and don't worry.

Actually, I tried doing the negative-calorie diet in a sort of half-way fashion ealier this year and it worked wonderfully! the only thing is, I wouldn't suggest eating ONLY those foods or even just MOSTLY those foods... When I was eating mostly the foods on the list, I would feel full but I would get headaches/lightheadedness as if I weren't eating at all, which makes me think maybe the idea that they burn more calories when you digest them than they provide might actually be true. They're all really healthy low-cal foods anyway, but all I know is, it worked for me! just make sure you have some other stuff with it (cereal and milk, low fat dairy, some healthy fats here and there) to keep you from feeling like you're not eating enough!

Good luck! Let me know how things work out for you!

I have heard of this too.. and I have been using it to my advantage lately as my own little late nyt snack when i'm hungry or peckish..

..i figure eating 1 raw carrot is better than eating an unhealthy snack before bed...and so far it hasn't been a problem for me

They're still calories and you need to count them....but with most of them you'd be full of before getting to 50 calories worth. I'd be a little careful with oranges, tangerines, apples and and mangoes - they contain a lot of sugar - but the rest of them are pretty low cal for their volume. I'd agree with the comment on eating them raw, too - especially carrots and beets.

one of the first things that i read when i started considering counting calories to lose weight was that the "only" free food was celery. later i saw the list above floating around on this site, but i had already been secretly indulging in as much celery as i wanted (yes, CC police, ....without counting.....which i am in no way suggesting to anyone else).

but yeah, i absolutely LOVE raw celery and make sure that i NEVER run out of it at home or at work. it so satisfies the urge to munch/chew on something crunchy. i find myself having it while i'm preparing my meals, times when i would normally be eating like cookies or something.

it's a great source of fiber. it also seems to be a natural diruetic(sp)?

i'm really surprised to see some of the other foods on the list...especially some of the fruit choices. but anything is possible, i guess.

I have a full ist of these foods on hand at all times.  I love baby carrots.  I use them for a late night snack or movie watching.  I also like popcorn for a tv snack.  I use to eat a whole bag.  Now I only buy the good stuff and don't bring the whole bag in to the livingroom.  Makes a big difference.  I too would have eaten the whole bag of chips if I had them in front of me.  Walking to the kitchen for more makes you think.  Plus if your watching something really good you don't want to leave the couch.  

I am not reaching my calories today.  Any ideas?  I forgot breakfast tying to get out of the house with and extra kid got me side tracked and my lunch was a sandwich and yogurt.  I will probably have a salad with a crispy chicken breast cut up on it.  I love them and can justify the chicken that way. LOL I am also going to make some sides but don't think I will be close.  I did however see on BIggest Looser (of course) Bob said to give yourself a day of higher calories after a weigh in to then boost  your metabolism.  ANy thoughts. 

A reasonable serving of any of those would work as a bedtime snack.  I love to have a pound of broccoli with dinner which comes out to 125 calories.  A serving of frozen raspberries is about 1/4 cup and isn't a whole lot of calories.

The good thing about these foods is that they are unquestionably healthy, but make sure that you do get your whole grains, proteins and healthy fats as well. 

There is some science here if you are talking about the items uncooked.  If if is "crunchy" to chew, it is going to take more for your tummy to break it down too, burning calories on food that is already very low in calories.  I seem to notice a difference when I eat them - also the really high fiber item like apple and raw broccoli really fill you.