Two meals can have the same 500 kcal and leave you in completely different states. One fills the plate and carries you to dinner; the other fits in your palm and disappears in minutes. The difference is calorie density: how many calories a food has for the space it takes up.
Low density: eat plenty
- Vegetables, greens and salads.
- Whole fruit.
- Soups and broths.
- Beans and other legumes.
- Lean meat, eggs and plain yogurt.
High density: in moderation
- Fried foods, chips and cookies.
- Sweets, chocolate and cakes.
- Nuts, hard cheeses and oils: healthy, but very calorie-dense in small amounts.
How to use it every day
- Start the meal with a salad or soup.
- Bulk up dishes with vegetables: more zucchini in the sauce, more carrots in the rice.
- Swap instead of cutting: stovetop popcorn instead of chips, fruit with yogurt instead of packaged dessert.
Losing weight doesn't have to mean eating little. It can mean eating a lot of the right food.
This content is for information only and doesn't replace advice from a doctor or dietitian.
