Eating for fat loss shouldn’t mean that you have to be hungry all the time if you employ the right strategies in your nutrition. An often overlooked yet effective strategy when it comes to food is choosing foods with high volume and low caloric density. This means eating a greater volume of food in order to increase satiety, without going overboard on the total caloric intake so that you are dropping body fat and keeping the hunger pangs away.
Below is a list of foods ordered by their caloric density, or calories per 100g for foods and calories per cup for beverages.
Things to note:
- While caloric intake will determine whether you lose or gain weight, we do not recommend that calories are all you track. Macronutrient breakdown (protein, fats, carbohydrates) will determine whether the weight you gain or lose is body fat or muscle.
- To maximise muscle gain/retention, you still need to get 1-2g of protein per kg of body weight and 0.75-2g of fat per kg of body weight for optimal health.
- Caloric density should not be the only factor in deciding what foods to eat. Many calorically dense foods are full of vital nutrients that your body needs to thrive (such as avocado and garlic).
- There is no need to be scared of foods that appear lower on a list. Remember, its important to judge a food in context with the rest of your diet. Besides, noone ever became overweight by eating too much garlic.
- This list is intended to get you thinking about the caloric density of the common foods you eat day to day and to offer lower calorie alternatives.
- If you are tracking your intake, remember to adjust your portion sizes, as these figures are only for specific quantities (100g food or 1 cup beverages)
Vegetables (calories/100g)
Bok Choy (13)
Cucumbers (16)
Celery (16)
Radishes (16)
Zucchini (17)
Tomatoes (18)
Asparagus (20)
Mushroom (22)
Coriander (23)
Spinach (23)
Sprouts (23)
Cabbage (25)
Cauliflower (25)
Eggplant (25)
Green Beans (31)
Broccoli (34)
Onions (40)
Carrots (41)
Beetroot (43)
Brussels sprouts (43)
Kale (49)
Leek (61)
Potatoes (77)
Ginger (80)
Corn (86)
Sweet potato (86)
Pumpkin (49)
Garlic (149)
Animal Protein (calories/100g raw)
Tuna – springwater, canned (85)
Ling fish (87)
Prawns (99)
Kangaroo – mince (103)
Chicken breast (110)
Rump (125)
Chicken thigh (141)
Scotch fillet (146)
Sirloin (201)
Salmon (208)
Porterhouse (220)
Duck (337)
Other Foods Containing Protein (calories/100g)
Tofu (76)
Lentils (116)
Edamame (122)
Tempeh (193)
Kidney beans (333)
Black beans (339)
Chickpeas (364)
Quinoa (368)
Fruits (calories/100g)
Lemon (29)
Lime (30)
Plum (30)
Watermelon (30)
Honeydew Melon (36)
Peaches (39)
Grapefruit (42)
Papayas (43)
Nectarine (44)
Oranges (47)
Cherry (50)
Pineapple (50)
Apple (52)
Blueberries (57)
Pears (57)
Mango (60)
Kiwifruit (61)
Grapes (67)
Guava (68)
Figs (74)
Banana (89)
Avocado (160)
Beverages (calories/cup)
Sparkling water (0)
Green tea (2)
Long black (3)
Kombucha (17)
Almond milk (40)
Coconut water (45)
Milk – skim (90)
Milk – lite (124)
Soda (128)
Flat white (134)
Milk – full cream (148)
Flat white with 1 sugar (150)
Chai latte (224)
Mocha (394)
Carbohydrates (per 100g dry)
White rice (365)
Quinoa (368)
Brown rice (370)
Rolled oats (379)
Nuts (calories/100g)
Cashews (553)
Pistachio (562)
Peanut (567)
Almonds (576)
Hazelnut (628)
Walnut (654)
Brazil nuts (656)
Pecan (690)
Cashews (718)
Macadamias (718)
Seeds (calories/100g)
Pumpkin seeds (446)
Chia seeds (486)
Flax/linseeds (534)
Fats (calories/100g) *all other oils will have similar calories
Peanut butter (588)
Butter (717)
Coconut oil (862)
Olive oil (884)
Hope this helps!
