8 High Volume Low Calorie Foods for Weight Loss

In a world filled with fad diets and conflicting nutritional advice, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated. However, the concept of high-volume, low-calorie foods offers a refreshing alternative.

These foods allow you to consume a greater quantity of food while keeping your calorie intake in check, enabling you to achieve your weight management goals without feeling deprived or hungry.

Whenever anyone thinks about going on a diet, they associate it with hunger and misery, but what if it doesn’t have to be like that, what if we can be on a diet and still be fully satiated from our meals?

Well lucky for us, there are multiple food options out there that we can eat to our heart’s content even when we’re on a diet, they may not be the tastiest, but they will make your weight loss journey so much easier!

In this article, I will cover foods like leafy greens, fresh fruits, and vegetables that can be consumed at high density when you’re trying to lose weight.

These foods when compared to other high-calorie foods and your daily calorie intake, will show how crucial they are to your weight loss goals.

Before we get into the list, you need to know a bit about volume eating.

What is Volume Eating?

Volume eating is an approach to eating that promotes consuming large amounts of food while minimizing calorie intake. Volume eating allows you to lose weight without feeling hungry by consuming high-volume meals without consuming too many calories.

Now that know the concept of volume eating, let’s get into the list.

These are my top 8 best high-volume low-calorie foods that promote weight loss.

1.    Potatoes

Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are great high-volume food choices when going on a diet as they can be consumed at a reasonable amount, letting you feel full on fewer calories.

Potatoes are also a great addition to your diet as they are high in fiber, their fiber presence makes our bodies digest them at a slower pace which helps us feel fuller for longer which will in turn lead us to eat fewer calories for the day resulting in weight loss.

Here are some quick nutrition facts about them.

Potatoes (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	87	328 mg	1.7g	20g	0.1g	2.2g

 

Sweet potatoes (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	86	336.8 mg	1.6g	20.8g	0.1g	3g

 

Of course, this is dependent on how you choose to cook them. You can either boil, steam, bake, or grill them to maintain the same caloric value for more volume.

2.    Watermelon

When it comes to fruits, watermelon is top tier for weight loss, the high water content in it leaves you feeling full and satisfied. Watermelon is made up of 97% water which makes it a perfect mix between sweet, hydrating, and low calories.

It can be consumed in high quantities even on your diet without having to worry about counting calories. Here are some quick nutrition facts.

Watermelon (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	30	112 mg	0.6g	8g	0.2g	0.4g

 

3.    Lettuce

Not too long ago, if anyone offered me a lettuce meal, I’d laugh them off and grab a plate of pasta, but after some time of dieting, I had to cut down on my calorie intake even more and that meant that I’d have to opt for something less interesting but at a favorable calorie ratio if I wanted to be satisfied with my meals, so I started adding lettuce. They are extremely low in calories for the amount of volume you can eat.

They can be paired up with almost any meal and you don’t have to eat it plain. Add some tomatoes and cucumber to make it more interesting while keeping the calories low.

Here are some quick nutrition facts.

Lettuce (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	15	194 mg	1.4g	2.9g	0.2g	1.3g

 

4.    Cauliflower

This is the perfect option if you want a healthier, low-calorie substitute for rice.  The density you can take compared to the number of calories is almost too good to be true. Cauliflower can be grated to get a rice or couscous texture at a massive volume for very low calories. They can be steamed, roasted, baked, or even stir-fried with minimal fatty oil to get a more interesting and tastier meal.

They may not taste as great as rice and other high-carb foods, but they are a lifesaver for anyone going on a diet. They are also really high in fiber which allows you to stay fuller for longer. It is one of the best foods in my opinion for anyone that wants to volume eat to keep you full.

Here are some quick nutritional facts.

Cauliflower (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	25	299 mg	1.9g	5g	0.3g	2g

 

5.    Chicken Breast

I can’t go a day without having chicken. This is the most popular and talked about option in the fitness industry and it is worth all the hype. Chicken is one of the highest sources of protein, and due to its high protein presence, you don’t require too much to feel satiated, and can still be consumed at a reasonable volume since it doesn’t pack many calories.

It is best prepared boiled, grilled, or roasted with minimal fat, to not spike up its calorie value.

Here are some quick nutritional facts.

Chicken (per 100g)	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	165	1.6g	0g	2.5g	29.8g

 

6.    Goat Meat

This is probably the least popular option for weight loss. Goat meat is extremely underrated for how low in calories they are, even lower than chicken! Goat meat is a lean beef and they are also really high in protein and iron. It is considered to be one of the healthiest red meats out there and also has low amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol.

Goat meat is a hit or miss, some people like it and some don’t, but it doesn’t change how great of an option they are for weight loss. It is best prepared boiled and in soups and stews. They are quite tender and can be paired with most meals. Whether you’re on a diet or not, I highly advise you give it a shot, you won’t regret it!

Here are some quick nutritional facts.

Goat meat (per 100g)	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	143	27g	0g	3g	0g

 

7.    Oats

This is another high-volume food that is perfect for a low-calorie diet. I know it has been recommended countless times, but I can’t stress how good it is for your diet. If you want a meal that will leave you satisfied and full for long periods, then oatmeal is my strong recommendation. They contain a good amount of protein and are high in fiber, so they take long periods to digest, which keeps you satiated for around 4-5 hours.

They can be prepared in many different ways but be mindful about adding too much to it, so the calories don’t add up.

Here are some quick nutritional facts.

Oats (per 100g)	Calories	Potassium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	379	429 mg	16.9g	66.3g	6.9g	10.6g

8. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a great high-volume, low-calorie food that is also rich in protein. One serving (half a cup) of full-fat plain cottage cheese only contains around 100 calories. The addition of cottage cheese to your diet is sure to help you lose weight.

Cottage Cheese (per 100g)	Calories	calcium	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
	84	111 mg	11g	4.3g	2.3g	0g

Bottom Line

The different foods covered in this list are guaranteed to lead to weight loss as long as you prepare them correctly. At the end of the day, to lose weight you have to be at a calorie deficit, your body has to burn more than you consume, so that means even though these foods are low in calories, you still have to fit them well into your diet. This means occasionally subbing rice for cauliflower rice, reducing your carbs and adding more protein, having fruits instead when you need a snack, etc.

So next time you want to go on a diet, I urge you to consider high-volume and low-calorie foods that will fill you up rather than trying to portion-reduce high-calorie foods.