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By Registered Dietitian
on September 17, 2008
Although many people succeed at losing weight, few manage to keep the weight off for the long haul. Those who have are referred to as “successful losers” and research studies on these individuals reveal the keys to permanent weight loss. More...
By Registered Dietitian
on September 16, 2008
Controlling your weight comes down to one thing - managing calories. More...
By dotFIT experts
on October 07, 2008
Dieting to lose weight is difficult at best, and generally ends in frustration for the average person. The majority of people gain most of the weight back within the first year. However, there are three strategies that have consistently proven to be effective in losing weight and maintaining the loss. More...

Are there really foods that are negative calories, like celery and broccoli?

Are there really foods that are negative calories, like celery and broccoli?

Answer: Negative calorie foods are a myth. It is a common misconception that foods high in fiber such as the ones mentioned above burn more calories during digestion than they contain. It’s true that your body doesn’t absorb fiber, but it does absorb the calories associated within the fibrous food. For example, the act of chewing gum burns 11 calories per hour (.183 calories/min). Applying this to a 2 oz serving of celery that contains 8 calories, it would take 43 minutes of chewing to burn 8 calories! No one has that kind of time or could live with a diet that contains a high percentage of total calories coming from these types of foods. The bottom line is you could not include enough of these foods nor chew each one as mentioned in order to make any significant contribution to weight/fat loss.

Fiber-rich foods that are low in calories may aid in weight loss by providing greater volume than, for example, an energy-dense, low volume cheeseburger. Added fiber in the diet may lower your risk of digestive disorders, improve blood cholesterol and reduce diabetes risk. Women under the age of 50 should strive for 25 grams per day while men 50 years and younger should consume 38 grams/day. If you are over the age of 50, the recommendation is 30 and 21 grams for males and females respectively.

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