Low Calorie Foods that Fill You Up

List of low-calorie foods that fill you up and satisfy your hunger. When looking for foods that curb hunger, reach for snacks that are high in fiber or water, like fruits and vegetables. This winning combination makes up most so-called high-volume foods, that add bulk to your meals and help fill your stomach. Not all low-cal foods are high density, but all the items on this list are the most filling foods that are low in calories.

To visualize this concept, think of a plate of spinach v. an equally large plate of french fries. In both cases, your eyes see a full plate of food. Both meals could take just as long to eat. However, since spinach is a high-volume food, it has significantly less calories per volume as the french fries. There are 14 calories in two cups compared to 500 calories in a large McDonald's fries.

How does it work? Foods containing water, air, or fiber have fewer calories than other foods and also cause the stomach to stretch and digest food slowly. In addition, the simple act of seeing a large amount of food -- like a plate of spinach -- can help you feel more satisfied while dieting. These healthy snacks are also called low-density foods.

Since you are more likely to feel full after eating protein, lean proteins--like fish, chicken breast, soybeans and eggs--can also be considered low-density foods. They give you the most bang for your buck, calorie-wise. This may seem obvious to some, but remember to restrict oil and butter when cooking protein or vegetables to mainstain their status as healthy low calorie foods.

Choosing foods low in caloric density helps you lose weight without dieting, or feeling like you are restricting your diet too much. This list of low-density foods contains many filling low calorie foods. They're healthy, they provide high energy, and virtually all of them are low fat. Dieting is hard, make it easy on yourself by choosing foods that you can eat as much of as you want. Use this list to vote on your favorites and add other low calorie foods that fill you up.