Eating the right foods can help you reach your health and wellness goals, and paying attention to nutrition is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
Different foods offer different nutrients and benefits, so it’s important to have variety in your diet and know which foods offer which, and in what quantities.
For starters, if you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll probably want to figure out how many calories a food has, as being in a calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight. If you consume too many calories, you’ll end up gaining weight (unless you burn them off through physical activity). That’s why people who are working on their weight loss goals are working on minimizing calorie intake because that’s half the battle.
Counting calories for every meal you eat isn’t necessary, but it’s very useful to have a general idea of the number of calories each food typically has since it will give you a better idea of how many calories you’re consuming every day and how much fuel your body actually needs (and naturally burns) on a daily basis.
Reducing calorie intake can be challenging because a lot of low-calorie foods can leave you feeling hungry after some time, but there are a lot of healthy, low-calorie foods that are filling at the same time. Those foods are known as high-volume foods – foods you can eat a lot of, but not go over your daily calorie intake goal.
That’s why in this post, I’ll talk about high-volume, low-calorie foods, so you can achieve feeling full and satisfied while on the journey of reaching your health and fitness goals.
What Are High Volume Low Calorie Foods
As mentioned, high-volume low-calorie foods are foods that you can eat a lot of, while not going over your desired daily calorie intake. The calorie density in those foods is very low, so you can fill up your plate, and lose weight.
Eating high-volume, low-calorie foods is called volume eating, and there are many benefits of it.
It helps you stay full for longer, as you’re not eating just a few bites of something, but big meals. It also allows you to reach your weight loss goals without counting calories (as you’ll know which foods are high-volume low-calorie foods, so you’ll know you can eat them without having to track the exact number of calories). And finally, it makes weight loss easier, as eating a big portion helps you not feel hungry. Not only will eating high volume foods help make achieving your weight loss goals easier, it takes the pressure off of having to always calculate how much you’re eating, which brings back some of the fun in food in the first place – which is a win-win in my book!
15 Best High Volume Low Calorie Foods
Losing weight starts in the kitchen! Add these foods to your weekly grocery list to see improvements in your overall health and weight loss goals and to reap the benefit of volume eating. These are all under 100 calories!
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are one of the best high-volume low-calorie foods, as they’re amazing for volume eating, and can be eaten in so many ways. They have a high water content.
Leafy greens include lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, etc. There are lots of high-volume meals you can make with leafy greens. You can use them to make big salads, lettuce wraps, include them in different dishes as a side, etc. It’s hard to beat leafy greens in a lot of the nutrients they provide. One cup of raw greens can range from 5-60 calories.
Cauliflower
100 grams of cauliflower has 26 calories
Cauliflower is another high-volume low-calorie food that is great for volume eating, as it’s not only healthy, but it’s also super versatile and filling.
It can be used as a substitute for so many carbs (potatoes, rice, etc.), as a side dish, as a main dish, it really works in everything. Many eat their cauliflower roasted, baked, or steamed.
Greek Yogurt
100 grams of greek yogurt has 59 calories
Greek yogurt is a good source of healthy fats, and a great addition to high-volume low-calorie foods. It’s the perfect snack or breakfast alternative when you’re wanting something grab and go. Simply incorporate fruit, nuts, or seeds, add cinnamon, or eat it plain and you’ll have the perfect bite – guilt free.
Watermelon
100 grams of watermelon has 30 calories
Not like you needed another excuse to grab these in the summertime, but watermelon has a very high water content, so it’s perfect for volume eating! You can eat a lot of it without eating too many calories, so it’s great for a healthy high-volume low-calorie snack. Plus, fresh fruit is nutrient dense, so it’s great for your health.
You can also check out other low calorie filling snacks.
Oats
100 grams of oats has 68 calories
Oats are an amazing food for breakfast, snacks, etc. They’re not too calorie-heavy, which makes them perfect for volume eating. Healthy oatmeal with some fresh fruit is the perfect breakfast.
Cottage Cheese
100 grams of cottage cheese has 98 calories
Cottage cheese is low-calorie, especially compared to lots of other cheese types, so when you want to add a cheese to your dish, this one is the perfect option if you’re on your weight loss journey.
Berries
Berries are another type of fresh fruit that’s low-calorie and high-volume. These antioxidant rich fruit is great not only as a snack, but also as an oatmeal topping, smoothie ingredient, breakfast add-on, etc. Load up on berries the next time you’re wanting to reach for a healthy snack.
Popcorn
1 cup of air-popped popcorn has 30 calories
Popcorn is definitely a filling low-carb snack, as it contains lots of fiber. Just make sure you eat air-popped popcorn, because using oil will add calories, and it won’t be as low-calorie anymore.
Fish
Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s very healthy for you, gives you nutrients your body needs, it’s filling, and it’s a low-calorie food.
There are lots of ways to prepare fish, so if you want to keep it low-calorie, make sure you don’t deep-fry it.
Legumes
Legumes are an amazing food to eat. They’re full of fiber, provide protein and other nutrients, and they’re super filling. They’re considered low-calorie, and are amazing for volume eating, as they will make you feel satisfied and full, while not going over your daily calorie intake goal.
Tomatoes
100 grams of tomatoes has 19 calories
Tomatoes are nutrient-dense, low-calorie, and perfect for volume eating. They’re great in salads, as sauce bases, as meal add-ons, etc.
Mushrooms
100 grams of mushrooms has 22 calories
Another high-volume low-calorie food is mushrooms. They’re super tasty, versatile, and nutritious. You can use them in tons of different ways: grilled mushrooms, in stews, in curries, as a side dish, as a main dish, in stir fries, in omelettes, the sky is the limit!
Eggs
100 grams of eggs has 155 calories
Eggs are probably the most popular breakfast item, and for a good reason – they’re full of protein, they give you the strength you need for the day, and they fill you up. Plus, they’re a low-calorie food (of course, that can depend on the way you prepare them). Eggs are extremely versatile so eat them boiled, scrambled, or however way you like. Just be mindful about the butters or oils you use.
Soup
Soup is very low-calorie, and fills you up. When you add veggies to it, or a lean protein, it also becomes packed with nutrients, and it’s the perfect start to any lunch or dinner (or it can even be a meal itself, depending on what you put into it).
Zucchini
100 grams of zucchini has 17 calories
Zucchini is another vegetable that’s amazing when you want to eat something high-volume and low-calorie.
They’re full of nutrients, and are great for weight loss.
They can be used as sides, they can be stuffed, added to stews and other meals, and in so many other dishes.
