How do negative calories work?

Question

I’ve heard about this thing so many times. How is it possible to eat something, but still burn calories?

In: Biology

Answer 1

“Negative calories” is a term that describes foods that supposedly require more energy to digest than the calories they provide. The idea is that eating these foods could help with weight loss because your body burns more calories digesting them than the foods themselves contain.

Here’s an easy-to-understand explanation:

1. All foods contain calories, which are units of energy. When you eat, your body uses these calories for various functions.

2. Your body uses energy (calories) to digest food. This process is called the thermic effect of food (TEF).

3. Some foods, like celery and certain leafy greens, are low in calories and high in fiber and water. The theory is that the energy required to digest these foods might be equal to or more than the calories they provide.

Imagine a piece of celery has 10 calories. If your body uses 10 calories to digest it, you break even. If it uses more than 10 calories, you might end up burning extra calories.

In reality, the concept of “negative calorie foods” is mostly a myth. While some foods have very low calories and can be part of a healthy diet, the energy required to digest them is usually not enough to create a significant calorie deficit.