Negative Calorie Weight Loss: Fad or Phenomenon?

Negative calories. Sounds just heavenly, doesn’t it?

What exactly are negative calorie foods?


The point of eating is to have calories for the body to burn and convert into usable energy. Therefore, there is a caloric component to every kind of food we eat. Where the "negative calorie" part comes in is that some foods cause your body to burn more calories during their digestion than the foods themselves added to our body in the first place; hence, these foods are said to add "negative calories" to the body. In a nutshell, you basically lose a small amount of calories when eating these foods as opposed to gaining calories like you do when most other foods are processed within your body.

The concept of "negative calories" is that there are certain types of food, that when ingested causes the body to produce certain enzymes or stimulates the tissues that cause the production of these enzymes. The said enzymes are the solvents that break down the calories in food. It is because of these enzymes and the amount of energy that the body requires to produce them that technically makes their production a calorie-burning activity.
The Negative Calorie Diet Components


Foods included in the negative calorie diet are foods that take a greater amount of energy in order to be digested. This amount of energy is more than the energy that they actually provide.

These foods are mostly fruits and vegetables. Among the food group that is claimed to have the said effect (or negative calorie foods) are:

apples
asparagus
cranberries
grapefruit
oranges
lemons
mango
pineapples
raspberries
strawberries
chili
peppers (hot)
cauliflower
broccoli
beets
celery roots
cabbages (green)
green beans
garlic
cucumbers
zucchini
spinach
radishes
lettuce
lamb’s lettuce
turnips
onions
prunes
tomatoes
papayas
blueberries
tangerines.



Because most all negative calorie foods are fruits and vegetables, most of them are very rich in vitamins and minerals. Interestingly, however, the ones that are claimed to be most effective at producing the "negative calorie" effect have some of the lowest nutritional value of the group, like celery. Still, each of the foods on the list are excellent sources of what the body needs. Some broths and juices (sugar-free) are also claimed to provide negative calorie benefits.
The Pros and the Cons


Despite its overwhelming popularity, the whole concept of the Negative Calorie Diet comes admist much heated debate and is receiving a lot of criticism from the scientific community.

The name of the diet itself, "Negative Calorie Diet", is being challenged. This challenge is based off of the fact that there is no food in the world that actually contains “negative” calories.

Critics also say that the diet uses up the body’s reserve of calorie energy that is meant for exercise and for recovery from exercise. This may have a negative effect for those who are undergoing weight training, as it will actually cancel the effectiveness such activities.

Though even the thought of such a diet so wonderful as to include "negative calories" is music to the ears of every person in search of the perfect weight loss system, the diet still lacks scientific credibility. Research has yet confirm that this diet is actually effective. The whole concept at present is more of a theory than a fact and still cannot be viewed as a practical resort.

Right now, there is still very little information surrounding the diet, and it is still possible that complete reliance may only lead to disappointment.

However, supporters of the negative calorie diet argue that certain foods do increase one’s metabolic process. These advocates agree that there really is no such thing as a “negative” calorie food, but there are foods that can provide an excessive amount of vitamins that causes faster production of the enzymes that break calories down.

The promoters stand their ground that these kinds of food cause the body to burn calories present in the digestive system. They also added a few advantages of the diet. Since the diet is composed of mostly vegetables and fruits, it promotes the consumption of vitamin and mineral enriched foods. Simply put, you lose weight by eating healthy.
The YourBestBodyNOW Take on Things


We are big fans of so-called "Negative Calorie" foods---not because we necessarily believe that you will burn "negative calories"---because that is still uncertain. What we do like, however, is that this system of eating promotes consuming fiber and nutrient rich fruits and vegetables. Add that to a consistent exercise program and you'll have an excellent formula for not only weight loss but an overall lifestyle change for the better.