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Which foods are lowest in calories?
The lowest-calorie foods are mostly water and fibre: chicken broth (6), dill pickle (12), celery (14), iceberg lettuce (14), cucumber (15), zucchini, cooked (15) calories per 100 g. Most vegetables and many fruits stay under 60 calories per 100 g, so you can eat a large plate for very few calories. For weight loss, the most useful low-calorie foods also fill you up: vegetables, fruit, broth-based soups and lean protein such as fish, chicken breast and egg whites.
The 25 lowest-calorie foods
| Food | kcal / 100 g | kcal / serving | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken broth1 cup (240 g) | 6 | 15 | 0.0 g |
| Dill pickle1 spear (35 g) | 12 | 5 | 0.4 g |
| Celery2 stalks (80 g) | 14 | 10 | 1.3 g |
| Iceberg lettuce2 cups (144 g) | 14 | 20 | 1.7 g |
| Cucumber½ cucumber (150 g) | 15 | 25 | 0.8 g |
| Zucchini, cooked1 cup (180 g) | 15 | 25 | 1.8 g |
| Radishes1 cup (116 g) | 16 | 20 | 1.9 g |
| Romaine lettuce2 cups (94 g) | 17 | 15 | 2.0 g |
| Tomato1 medium (123 g) | 18 | 20 | 1.5 g |
| Asparagus, cooked1 cup (180 g) | 22 | 40 | 3.6 g |
| Mushrooms, white1 cup (70 g) | 22 | 15 | 0.7 g |
| Cauliflower, cooked1 cup (124 g) | 23 | 30 | 2.9 g |
| Spinach, raw2 cups (60 g) | 23 | 15 | 1.3 g |
| Cabbage1 cup, shredded (89 g) | 25 | 20 | 2.2 g |
| Red bell pepper1 medium (119 g) | 26 | 30 | 2.5 g |
| Spaghetti squash, cooked1 cup (155 g) | 27 | 40 | 2.2 g |
| Watermelon2 cups, diced (304 g) | 30 | 90 | 1.2 g |
| Strawberries1 cup (152 g) | 32 | 50 | 3.0 g |
| Cantaloupe1 cup, diced (156 g) | 34 | 55 | 1.4 g |
| Milk, skim1 cup (245 g) | 34 | 85 | 0.0 g |
| Broccoli, cooked1 cup (156 g) | 35 | 55 | 5.1 g |
| Eggplant, cooked1 cup (99 g) | 35 | 35 | 2.5 g |
| Green beans, cooked1 cup (125 g) | 35 | 45 | 4.0 g |
| Kale2 cups (42 g) | 35 | 15 | 1.7 g |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked1 cup (156 g) | 36 | 55 | 4.1 g |
Low-calorie vegetables
| Food | kcal / 100 g | kcal / serving | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dill pickle1 spear (35 g) | 12 | 5 | 0.4 g |
| Celery2 stalks (80 g) | 14 | 10 | 1.3 g |
| Iceberg lettuce2 cups (144 g) | 14 | 20 | 1.7 g |
| Cucumber½ cucumber (150 g) | 15 | 25 | 0.8 g |
| Zucchini, cooked1 cup (180 g) | 15 | 25 | 1.8 g |
| Radishes1 cup (116 g) | 16 | 20 | 1.9 g |
| Romaine lettuce2 cups (94 g) | 17 | 15 | 2.0 g |
| Tomato1 medium (123 g) | 18 | 20 | 1.5 g |
| Asparagus, cooked1 cup (180 g) | 22 | 40 | 3.6 g |
| Mushrooms, white1 cup (70 g) | 22 | 15 | 0.7 g |
| Cauliflower, cooked1 cup (124 g) | 23 | 30 | 2.9 g |
| Spinach, raw2 cups (60 g) | 23 | 15 | 1.3 g |
Low-calorie fruits
| Food | kcal / 100 g | kcal / serving | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watermelon2 cups, diced (304 g) | 30 | 90 | 1.2 g |
| Strawberries1 cup (152 g) | 32 | 50 | 3.0 g |
| Cantaloupe1 cup, diced (156 g) | 34 | 55 | 1.4 g |
| Peach1 medium (150 g) | 39 | 60 | 2.3 g |
| Grapefruit½ fruit (123 g) | 42 | 50 | 2.0 g |
| Blackberries1 cup (144 g) | 43 | 60 | 7.6 g |
| Orange1 medium (131 g) | 47 | 60 | 3.1 g |
| Pineapple1 cup (165 g) | 50 | 85 | 2.3 g |
| Apple1 medium (182 g) | 52 | 95 | 4.4 g |
| Raspberries1 cup (123 g) | 52 | 65 | 8.0 g |
| Blueberries1 cup (148 g) | 57 | 85 | 3.6 g |
| Pear1 medium (178 g) | 57 | 100 | 5.5 g |
What 200 calories looks like
| Food | For 200 kcal | About |
|---|---|---|
| Watermelon | 667 g | 2.2 × 2 cups, diced |
| Strawberries | 625 g | 4.1 × 1 cup |
| Broccoli, cooked | 571 g | 3.7 × 1 cup |
| Potato, baked with skin | 215 g | 1.2 × 1 medium |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 121 g | 1.2 × 100 g |
| White rice, cooked | 154 g | 1.0 × 1 cup |
| Whole-wheat bread | 79 g | 2.5 × 1 slice |
| Cheddar cheese | 50 g | 1.8 × 1 oz |
| Almonds | 35 g | 1.2 × 1 oz |
| Olive oil | 23 g | 1.7 × 1 tbsp |
This is energy density: calories per gram. People tend to eat a similar weight of food from day to day, so meals built from low-energy-density foods (vegetables, fruit, soups, lean protein) fill you up on fewer calories, and studies find people eat less overall without trying.
Low-calorie swaps that save 100+ calories
| Swap | Saves |
|---|---|
| 1 cup of rice → 1 cup of cauliflower | 175 kcal |
| 1 cup of pasta → 1 cup of spaghetti squash | 180 kcal |
| Whole milk → skim milk, 1 cup | 65 kcal |
| Whole-milk Greek yogurt → nonfat, 1 pot | 65 kcal |
| ¼ cup trail mix → 3 cups popcorn | 85 kcal |
| A bagel → 1 slice of whole-wheat toast | 195 kcal |
| 2 dates → 1 cup of strawberries | 85 kcal |
Two or three of these a day add up to a 300–400 calorie deficit without eating less food. For more on making a deficit work, see what is a calorie deficit.
Low-calorie and high-protein
Vegetables are low in calories but also low in protein. To stay full and keep muscle while you diet, pair them with lean protein: egg whites, white fish, shrimp, chicken breast, nonfat Greek yogurt or tofu. The ranking by protein per calorie is in high-protein, low-calorie foods.
Do low-calorie foods help you lose weight?
Only through the total. No food burns fat or has "negative calories"; celery and cucumber are just so low that they barely count. Low-calorie foods make a calorie deficit easier to live with, which is what matters. Set your calories with the calorie deficit calculator, log them as in how to count calories, and see how they fit into a whole day in the calorie deficit meal plan.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018). Food IDs in the table notes.
- Rolls BJ. The relationship between dietary energy density and energy intake. Physiol Behav 2009;97(5):609–615.