由 home-healthhaven 
If you’re aiming to eat healthier, whether to lose weight or just improve your diet, there are some incredibly nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods you’ll love. These foods are packed with essential nutrients like fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, giving your meals a nutritious boost. Here are some top picks:
### **Celery**
Celery is a super light snack, with just five calories per stalk, but it’s packed with nutrients. It’s high in phthalides, natural compounds that help relax the muscles in your blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure. You can add celery to salads, soups, or enjoy it as a crunchy snack. It’s great year-round, but locally grown celery in the summer often has the best flavor. Don’t forget about the leaves and root either—they’re fantastic for seasoning!
### **Spinach**
Spinach is a nutrient powerhouse and very low in calories. You’d need to eat 15 cups of spinach to consume just 100 calories! While no one expects you to eat that much, adding spinach to your meals—whether in salads or lightly steamed—can have a big impact. It’s loaded with calcium, vitamin K, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium. Plus, it has a unique hormone that may help your muscles recover faster after exercise. No wonder Popeye loved it!
### **Kiwi**
Kiwis are nutritious and delicious little fruits. Each kiwi has only 46 calories, including the skin, but is packed with fiber, vitamins K and E, calcium, iron, and potassium. One kiwi also gives you more than your daily recommended dose of vitamin C. They make a great snack, especially for kids, and can help reduce respiratory issues, support digestive health, and combat constipation due to their high antioxidant and fiber content.
### **Cottage Cheese**
Cottage cheese is a popular low-calorie, high-protein food that’s both versatile and satisfying. It offers three grams of protein per ounce. A cup of one-percent-fat cottage cheese has about 163 calories, with 73% coming from protein. Pair it with fruits like strawberries or low-calorie plums for a sweet treat, or enjoy it with savory options like tomatoes, rich in lycopene. Cottage cheese is perfect for a filling snack or light meal.
### **Flounder**
Flounder is an affordable, lean white fish that’s a fantastic source of protein. A four-ounce portion has just 103 calories but delivers 21 grams of protein, plus half your daily selenium intake and a good amount of vitamin B12. It also offers 286 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for heart and brain health. For a healthy meal, bake, broil, steam, or poach it to keep the calories low. Although you can fry it, the oil will add extra calories. For a simple and delicious dish, try broiled flounder with a bit of lemon, butter, salt, and pepper—delicious and guilt-free.
Incorporating these low-calorie, nutrient-packed foods into your diet will help you eat healthier while enjoying a variety of flavors. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated—sometimes, the simplest foods offer the most benefits!