Foods Have Way Fewer Calories Than You Think

When it comes to watching what goes in our mouths, we all have good days and bad days.

Some days you’re an A+ healthy eater. Other days, you treat yourself to your favorite cheesy breakfast sandwich and then *surprise!* … free burgers and fries for lunch at work. Before you know it, you’ve blown your ideal calorie budget before dinner, and you know those “hanger” pangs are going to show up again at 7 P.M. sharp. What’s a dieter to do when those dinner hunger signs strike?

First of all, it’s definitely not wise to ignore your hunger, because being hungry is not the sign of being a “good dieter.” Instead, do some diet damage control by filling up on these delicious, low-cal foods:

1. Egg whites. For a high-protein, low-cal nosh, egg whites are just 17 calories per egg.

2. Papaya. This decadent tropical fruit is surprisingly low in calories: A half a cup of chopped papaya is only 30 calories.

3. Jicama. This versatile crunchy veggie will only set you back 30 measly calories for a whopping 15 slices.

4. Broth. Fill up without filling out: Chicken broth is only 15 cals per cup.

5. Coffee. It pays to be a minimalist here. A typical cup of black coffee (12 ounces) is only 5 calories.

6. Pickles. Craving a salty treat? One large pickle is only 15 calories.

7. Hot sauce. Most fiery sauces have little to zero calories. Sing it with us: All the flavor without the fat, hot sauce is where it’s at. 

Aside from these yummy foods, there’s one food group you can always turn to when in diet doubt: vegetables