What is a Negative Calorie Food

What is a negative calorie food? It sounds like a dieter's dream, doesn't it?

Well, actually- it is! Negative calorie foods are foods that burn more calories during digestion then they actually contain. Pretty sweet, right?

So you may ask yourself, 'What are these foods and why don't people only eat negative calorie foods to lose weight'?!?! While negative calorie foods are generally high in fiber, they are not what the average person is going to be able to consist on. In theory, you could eat negative calorie foods alone and lose weight, but in reality you are probably going to crave some pasta, protein, or sweets along the way. And also, you need a wide variety of foods to make up a nutritious diet. Since negative calorie foods are fruits and veggies, you would not be getting any protein, enough iron, and no whole grains.

The fruits that are considered to be negative calorie are: apples, cranberries, grapefruit, honeydew, lemons, limes, mangos, oranges, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, tomato, turnip, papaya, Peach, watermelon, tangerines, Cucumber (yes cumcumber is a fruit) and hot peppers (which surprise, surprise are fruits too).

The vegetables that are negative calorie are : lettuce, onion, broccoli, garlic, green beans, cauliflower, radish, carrots, cabbage, spinach, turnip, zucchini, chicory, garden cress and asparagus.

Now some people think the whole idea of negative calorie foods is hooey. I personally, think that its true. In my personal experience, I always become hungry again much fast after consuming an apple or some carrots, than I would after eating some toast. This would lead me to believe, that this is happening because of the negative calorie effect of the apple or carrots. And in the case that it is not true, these fruits and vegetables are so nutritious and vital to a healthy diet- that it doesn't make too much of a difference. Either way, you are going to lose more weight eating fruits and vegetables, rather than if you were carbo-loading like a mad woman.

I hope I answered that question of what a negative calorie food is. If you are new to the concept, that it is just another great reason to load up on fruits and veggies! Tasty, nutritious, AND a negative calorie food- doesn't get much better.

What to Eat to Lose Weight and Be Healthier: Food Combinations

What should you eat to lose weight and be healthier? Well, conventional wisdom tells us that the less calories we eat, the more weight we will lose. But is that really all there is to it?

Studies are showing that there may actually be more to losing weight than just counting calories. For instance, did you know that the combinations of food you eat may actually slow weight loss? That's right.

Certain foods are not only easier on the digestive system, but in combination will prove beneficial towards your weight loss efforts. Since our bodies were actually made to eat only natural foods, they are also used to certain combinations that would have been prominent in nature. The more efficient we digest food and metabolize food as energy, the less we store our calories as fat. So lets go over the most energy efficient food combinations:

First, lets discuss protein. It is actually best to eat protein by itself for best digestion and metabolization. But vegetables can be eaten in combination with protein, because they are the easiest source or energy for our bodies and the easiest to digest. Many say that vegetables are the easiest to digest because they were the most prominent food source thousands of years ago- and our bodies are still best equipped to digest vegetables today.

Next, lets talk about starches. Starches are best eaten alone. They cause drastic spikes in blood sugar and take a lot of energy just to stabilize your body. But if you must eat another food with your starch, opt for vegetables. I know it is tempting to add protein to your pasta or baked potato, but this is actually a bad choice. Proteins require an alkaline environment for digestion and starches require an acidic environment. So to combine the two- will only make you feel sluggish (because your body is using most of its energy to digest your food), and your weight loss efforts will suffer.

Fruits seem like they would be an obvious choice as an addition to almost any meal. But actually, fruit is extremely acidic and best eaten alone. Do not add fruit to your meals as a 'side'. As a matter of fact, allow about half an hour after eating fruit, to consume anything else.

Let us move on to another surprising combination that should be avoided: proteins and fats. Sorry Atkins diet, consuming a large amount of fat and protein at the same time is no good. Fat requires hours for digestion- which is great for feeling full.. but terrible for digesting other foods at the same time.

Honestly, it is really best to eat one food type at a time. It is easiest on your body- both for digestion and weight loss purposes. But if you must combine food- protein and vegetables, and starches and vegetables are the easiest and vest for your body. Keep these tips in mind to help you lose some extra weight or just to boost your energy levels.

There of course, are many factors when it comes to - but starting with beneficial food combinationslosing weight and being healthier is a great way to learn what is best for your body. Weight loss will only occur in optimal conditions- so starting out with the healthiest food combinations is the perfect step for anyone!