Weight loss

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Low-calorie foods and the concept of energy density

Simply put, energy density is the number of calories (energy) in a given amount (volume) of food. For weight control, your best bets are healthy foods that provide low energy but high volume. By choosing these low-calorie foods, you can eat more and feel fuller on fewer calories. Foods such as fruits and vegetables tend to be low in energy density — they're low-calorie foods.

So what about raisins? They actually have a high energy density — they pack a lot of calories into a small package. For example, 1/4 cup of raisins has about 100 calories.

1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
2. Wendy's Baconator Single: Nutrition facts. http://www.wendys.com/food/Nutrition.jsp. Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.