More flavor without extra calories

1. If you are on a diet, the general opinion is that there is little variation in what you eat. It is often limited to a few dishes, which are no longer enjoyed after a few weeks. Simply because the â € ˜normalâ € ™ seasonings are too fat, contain too many sugars or too many calories.

1. This would make all the effects of the weight loss diet disappear like snow in the sun. I regularly get questions about how you can vary this, how you can still give more flavor to your food, without the number of calories increasing excessively.

What exactly is a â € calorieâ € ™?

1. This is a very common term, but most people have no idea what it actually means. Although you often hear that you shouldn't eat too many calories, this is an incorrect use of the term. You can't eat calories. It is not a nutrient, but a unit to express a certain amount of energy.

1. Despite the fact that the term â € ˜Calorieâ € ™ has become very outdated, and has been replaced by Sl units, the food and related industries still use the term â € ˜ calorie use. Not so bad in itself, as long as we're all talking about the same thing.

1. When we talk about energy requirements, adult men have an average of 2600 kcal per day. required . Women can do with a little less: 2100 kcal. per day . Please note that these are averages. The amount of energy you need to function optimally varies from person to person.

1. If you eat more calories than your body needs at that moment, there is a surplus of energy. The body is very energy efficient, and will transform and store excess energy as body fat, usually in the abdominal area. This fat can later, when necessary, be re-transformed into energy when there is a shortage.

2. If you eat more calories than your body needs at that moment, there is a surplus of energy. The body is very energy efficient, and will transform and store excess energy as body fat, usually in the abdominal area. This fat can later, if necessary, re-transform into energy when there is a shortage.

1. To make this principle a bit more concrete: If you ingest 7000 kcal too much, you will gain about 1 kilo in weight. So eating 3600 kcal for 7 days instead of the 2600 kcal that you need on average will ensure that you gain 1 kilo in one week. If you calculate this, you can see that this can go very quickly.

2. To make this principle a bit more concrete: If you were to ingest 7000 kcal too much, you would gain about 1 kilo in weight. So eating 3600 kcal for 7 days instead of the 2600 kcal that you need on average will ensure that you gain 1 kilo in one week. If you calculate this, you can see that this can go very quickly.

1. The opposite also works: If you were to eat 1600 kcal for 7 days, instead of 2600 kcal, you would lose 1 kg in one week. The body does not get enough calories, and so starts using the reserves. Now this example is extreme, because eating so many fewer calories is not wise. You should limit this to a maximum of 500 calories less per day. Losing weight then goes slowly, but certainly!

2. The opposite also works: If you were to eat 1600 kcal for 7 days, instead of 2600 kcal, you would lose 1 kilo in one week. The body does not get enough calories, and so starts using the reserves. Now this example is extreme, because eating so many fewer calories is not wise. You should limit this to a maximum of 500 calories less per day. Losing weight then goes slowly, but certainly!

1. Another topic is the calorie-restricted diet to extend your life. Either a very interesting topic with even more interesting studies.

1. You don't have to count every calorie as a result of this, because that is very difficult and also very annoying. But it does indicate that you should pay attention to this every now and then.

2. You do not have to count every calorie as a result, because that is very difficult and also very annoying. But it does indicate that you should pay attention to this every now and then.

1. For those who do count calories, and at the same time also want to give a little more flavor to the food without it immediately skewing your addition, I will give you nine tips to give your food more, or at least a different flavor:

2. For those who do count calories, and at the same time want to give a little more flavor to the food without it immediately skewing the sum completely, I will give you nine tips to give your food more, or at least a different flavor:

Cocoa powder

1. Calories: 4 cal. per teaspoon

1. It is very difficult to satisfy the hunger for something sweet, especially chocolate is a problem. When you're on the phone, chocolate is definitely not a good idea, we all know that. But what you can do is add unsweetened cocoa powder to your food. Consider, for example, your bowl of low-fat yogurt or a smoothie.

1. A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder gives it extra flavor, and satisfies your cravings for chocolate. In addition, cocoa powder also contains a large amount of zinc, magnesium and iron. Ideal to put through the smoothie!

2. A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder gives it extra flavor and satisfies your cravings for chocolate. In addition, cocoa powder also contains a large amount of zinc, magnesium and iron. Ideal to put through the smoothie!

Flavored vinegar

1. Calorie count: 5 cal. per tablespoon

1. In most cases you will have a bottle of wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar in the cupboard. Use this more often! It is a tasty and original way to add some extra flavor to your food, without the need for extra calories. But it doesn't have to be limited to wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar: You can also try port vinegar or champagne vinegar. Original and very tasty!

Garlic and Onion

1. Calories: 9 cal. per tablespoon

1. Vegetables can of course be seasoned with some salt and pepper, but that also gets boring very quickly. Try some Onion or a clove of Garlic. Don't use too much, just a little bit immediately gives a surprisingly different taste.

Ginger

1. Number of calories: 2 cal. per teaspoon

1. Unfortunately ginger is well known, but not much eaten. Most people know it as that â € goodâ € ™ that is on your plate when you eat Japanese Sushi. To be clear: I am talking about FRESH ginger here, not a powder or any other ginger product. Nothing beats fresh ginger, sliced, chopped or grated.

1. Fresh ginger is delicious in combination with, for example, a salad or in a marinade sauce for the chicken. Have you ever thought about making ginger tea? Grate some fresh ginger into a glass with very hot water and you have a delicious, energizing tea. By the way, ginger has many more positive effects, in addition to being a tasty seasoning for your food.

1. Ginger is a true antioxidant bomb and has many benefits for the functioning of the intestines, spleen and stomach. In addition, an excellent source for vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, magnesium and can even balance your blood sugar.

Curry

1. Calories: 4 cal. per teaspoon

1. We all know curry. We have it in a jar in the spice rack, otherwise you know it as the seasoning in the Indian Restaurant. Curry can be combined with, for example, chicken or tofu. A lesser known combination is the one with roasted vegetables. Just experiment and you will come to surprising new discoveries.

1. To be clear: Curry is also known by many other names: Curry powder, turmeric, turmeric or turmeric. Curry has many health benefits in addition to its spicy flavor. Just to name a few that are believed to result from the use of curry: Improving liver function, reducing inflammation, destroying mutated cancer cells, and inhibiting cancer.

Fresh herbs

1. Number of calories: less than 1 cal. per tablespoon

1. There is nothing better than just using fresh herbs when you cook. The pure taste gives the taste its own character. Make sure you use fresh herbs. You can buy these in the shop, but it is even better to have your own herb garden: A few pots of herbs in the windowsill or a container of herb plants on the balcony.

1. Think of coriander, parsley or rosemary. The latter in particular, the rosemary, has even more advantages: It would make your mind clearer. In fact, a study has shown that rosemary can even reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's or even delay the onset of Alzheimer's until later in life.

Spicy sauce

1. Calories: 4 cal. per teaspoon

1. Most spicy sauces can often be perfectly combined with all kinds of dishes, and not just with exotic dishes. Spicy sauces in combination with a â € ˜normalâ € ™ Dutch pot are perfectly achievable. Make sure you buy unsweetened sauces. Just read the label carefully and choose the purest sauce you can find.

1. It is best to go to a health food store or an organic store. In addition to the great taste, adding spicy sauce has another important advantage: A recent scientific study showed that people who add spicy sauce, or spicy herbs, to their food, generally 75 cal. eat less than if they didn't. Spicy food is therefore an excellent support for reducing your energy intake.

Cucumber

1. Number of calories: 1 cal. per slice

1. We all know that drinking water is healthy and a must for optimal functioning. Water contains no calories at all. But if you want something different, you can add a few slices of cucumber to a jug of water. The cucumber immediately transfers its flavor and nutritional value to the water, resulting in a wonderfully fresh drink. Besides the taste, the cucumber also releases calcium, iron, vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C into the water.

Lemon

1. Calories: 4 cal. per tablespoon

1. It is nice to finish a dish with a bit of sour taste with the help of lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice instead of the ready-to-use version that you can buy in the supermarket. The fresh lemon juice has a much better taste and has no unnecessary additives.

Conclusions and recommendations

1. To flavor your dish without adding extra calories, you can use the above tips. But don't feel limited to these ingredients: Dare to experiment with flavors and surprising combinations.

1. Do you have any additions to this?