In Nigeria, most of the food we eat is filled with calories, bad fat etc. These foods end up adding more fat to our system, which is why I have compiled some Nigerian food with low calories to help you lose some pounds.
Weight gain happens when you eat foods that are high in calories. Just like you lose weight when you consume foods low in calories content.
If you’ve got plans about losing some weight, then you’ve got to focus on what you eat. You will have to focus on eating foods that are low in calories.
Lots of people think that the only way to lose weight is by fasting or by skipping meals, but it is not very sustainable, instead, you will develop ulcer.
Rather than skipping meals, you should try to eat food with low calories. Basically, almost everything we eat in Nigeria has some amount of calories, but there are some foods that contain fewer calories than others, and those types of foods should be eaten more often if you plan to lose some weight.
In this article, I have listed out some food with low calories that you can find in Nigeria. Some of these foods contain almost zero calories.
About Lossing Weight
Losing weight simply involves your body burning more calories than it has consumed. Calories are the amount of energy that is found in foods and beverages. When it is consumed, this energy is being used to fuel lots of biological processes that occur right inside the body system.
Because we are all different in body size and age, so does the calorie requirements the body needs differ. The activity of the day is also very important.
For people who have excess fat in their body, the fail-safe is a guaranteed method that helps to get rid of the fat by making the body to burn more calories than it consumes in the meals they eat daily.
Where most people fail with this method is when they try to go on extreme diets that restrict them or starve them to lose weight. Some people eat as little as just one meal in a day, on a daily basis for weeks or months, and they end up getting stomach ulcer.
You may have noticed that when you starve yourself, you lose weight fast. The truth is that you can’t starve yourself forever, you have to go back to eating again. When you start eating again, you will gain back that fat quickly.
But instead of starving yourself to death, in the name of losing weight, I have listed food with low calories you can eat, even if it is up to 4 times daily and still lose weight.
The secret to weight loss is just for you to eat some of this Nigerian food with low calories
You just have to eat Nigerian fat burning foods that are super low in calories that will enable your body to burn more calories than you have consumed making weight loss much easier.
Nigerian Food With Low Calories
In no particular order or category, here are the food with low calories.
1. Ewedu (Jute Leave)
Jute leave popularly known as ewedu is a popular Nigerian vegetable in the western part of Nigerian. It is used in making a soap called Ewedu soap. Ewedu is very low in calories. About 100g of the ewedu leave contains about 37 calories. This food is low in calories and good for your weight loss journey.
2. Okra
Okra is another widely popular vegetable in Nigeria. It is usually consumed in the form of okra soup. Okra is a Nigerian food with low calories. It is a good source of minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Okra soup is one of the best Nigerian food with low calories for weight loss. Okra soup is easy to prepare and likely the cheapest soup to prepare in Nigeria. Okra’s helps to remove toxins from the body.
According to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, a cup of raw okra, weighing 100 grams (g) contains the following:
- calories = 33
- calcium = 82mg
- fat = 0.2g
- carbohydrate = 7.5g
- sugar = 1.5g
- vitamin A = 36mcg
- vitamin B6 = 0.215mg
- vitamin C = 23mg
- vitamin K = 31.3mg
- potassium = 299mg
- sodium = 7mg
- thiamin = 0.2mg
- magnesium = 57mg
- protein = 1.9g
- fiber = 3.2g
- folate = 60mcg
Okra is not only a food with low calories, it also gives the body some iron, lectin ( reduces the risk of certain cancers), niacin, phosphorus, and copper and being a good source of fibre, improves digestion, whilst keeping you satisfied for a long time, thus minimizing your food cravings.
3. Nsala (White Soup)
Nsala is a Nigerian food with low calories that stands out from other soups. Ofe nsala is a soup that is mainly prepared with spices, a small pieces of yam, utazi leave, and flavored with ogiri or iru. This is a very light soup and it is easy and fast to prepare. Nsala soup is also very low calories food and should be added to your weight loss diet.
4. Oats
Oat is a food with low calories and it is also very satisfying. Oat is rich in fibre a, which fills you up for a longer time and also promotes regular bowel movements. It simply means that after eating oat, you would not feel hungry as often as you do after eating oats. Oats are also very nutritious as it contains loads of other nutrients, including zinc, protein, selenium, iron, carbohydrates, and more.
Oatmeal as a delicious and healthy breakfast or dinner option, it can also lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of a heart disease and cancer.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes is also a Nigerian food with low calories. They are healthy food for weight loss because they contain fewer calories than other foods. Potatoes is ranked as one of the most filling food, which means eating them would keep you full and also keep hunger away most of the time. The best way to eat potatoes is by boiling or mashing it, instead of frying it to eat them as chips.
6. Ofada Rice
Ofada rice is a Nigerian food with low calories and it is vitamin B, important minerals such as zinc, phosphorus and folate and a substantial amount of protein which could help burn off calories faster.
7. Cowpeas
Protein reduces the level of ghrelin, a hormone that is responsible for stimulating feelings of hunger. Cowpeas is a food with low calories because of its content of protein and soluble fibre, adding cowpeas to your diet is a great way to boost weight loss.
8. Egg
Egg is a low calorie food that is rich in protein which boosts metabolic activity and increases feelings of fullness. Eating eggs may support weight loss, especially if a person incorporates them into a calorie-controlled diet. If you want to lose weight, eat eggs as part of a healthy breakfast with fruits and vegetables.
According to the National Health Service (NHS) UK, the recommended daily calorie limit should be:
- Woman = 2,000 calories
- Man = 2,500 calories
You should know the calorie content of some of these foods you consume in order to plan your meal and diet correctly.
The table below shows some popular Nigerian foods, stews, soups, snacks, drinks, fruits and vegetables with low and high calories.
Read Also: 9 Healthy Nigerian Food To Eat At Night
Nigerian Foods Calories
| FOOD | PORTION SIZE | CALORIES |
| 7up | 50cl
(1 Big Bottle) |
216 |
| 35cl
(1 Medium Bottle) |
160 | |
| Akara | 1 Ball | 71 |
| Almonds | 1.2g | 7 |
| Amala | 1 Cup | 352 |
| Apple | 223g
(1 Large Fruit) |
116 |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | 100g | 22 |
| Apple Juice | 200ml
(Small Glass) |
87 |
| Avocado | 150g
(Sliced) |
285 |
| Banana | 118g | 105 |
| Barbecue Sauce | 17g
(1 Tablespoon) |
29 |
| Beans (Baked) | 255g | 239 |
| Beans (White) | 178g | 249 |
| Brown Beans (Raw) | 100g | 379 |
| Beer | 356g
(1 Can) |
154 |
| Broccoli (Raw) | 91g
(1 Cup Chopped) |
31 |
| Butter | 14.2g
(1 Tablespoon) |
102 |
| Cabbage (Raw) | 89g | 22 |
| Can Tomatoes | 110.5g | 19 |
| Carrot Juice | 236g | 93 |
| Carrots (Raw) | 61g | 25 |
| Cashew (Dry Roasted) | 8.6g | 49 |
| Cassava (Raw) | 206g | 328 |
| Cauliflower (Raw) | 107g | 27 |
| Champagne | 175ml | 133 |
| Cherry | 155g | 77 |
| Chicken Breast | 52g
(1 Unit) |
86 |
| Chicken Drumsticks | 133g
(1 Drumstick with Skin) |
211 |
| Chicken Liver | 44g
(1 Liver) |
76 |
| Chicken Thigh | 135g
(1 Thigh with Skin) |
239 |
| Chicken Wings | 13g
(1 Unit) |
26 |
| Coconut | 45g
(1 Piece) |
159 |
| Coconut Oil | 4.5g | 39 |
| Coconut Water | 240g | 45 |
| Coke | 50cl
(1 Bottle) |
210 |
| Coleslaw | 191g | 291 |
| Cooked Starch | 1 Wrap | 500 |
| Corn | 90g | 77 |
| Corned Beef | 85g | 213 |
| Cowpea | 170g | 194 |
| Cucumber, With Peel, Raw | 52g | 8 |
| Cupcake With Icing | 43g | 155 |
| Curry Powder | 2g | 6 |
| Date | 7.1g | 20 |
| Egg Fried | 46g | 90 |
| Egg (White Raw) | 33g | 17 |
| Egg (Boiled) | 50g | 78 |
| Ewedu (Cooked) | ½ Cup | 20 |
| Fufu (Akpu) | One Wrap | 330 |
| Gala | 2.3g
(1 Packet) |
297 |
| Garden Egg | 100g | 25 |
| Garlic, Raw | 3g (1 Clove) | 5 |
| Garri (Eba) | 100g (1 Cup) | 360 |
| Ginger | 11g
(5 Slices) |
9 |
| Gizzard | 100g (1 Cup) | 239 |
| Goat Meat | 28g | 31 |
| Grape Juice | 249g | 54 |
| Grapefruit | 123g
(½ Grapefruit) |
52 |
| Green Beans | 55g
[10 Beans (4″ Long)] |
17 |
| Green Leaf Lettuce | 36g | 5 |
| Green Peas | 145g | 118 |
| Green Peppers | 119g | 24 |
| Groundnut | 1 Seed | 5 |
| Guava | 55g | 38 |
| Honey | 21g | 64 |
| Hot Chili Peppers | 45g
(1 Pepper) |
40 |
| Ice Cream (Vanilla) | 66g | 137 |
| Noodles | 1 Super pack | 640 |
| Irish Potatoes | 75g | 77 |
| Ketchup | 17g | 20 |
| Lemon | 58g | 17 |
| Lemon Juice | 1 Table spoon | 3 |
| Lime | 67g | 20 |
| Lime Juice | 1 Table spoon | 3 |
| Liver | 85g | 140 |
| Maggi | 1 Cube | 5 |
| Mango | 336g
(1 Mango Without Refuse) |
201 |
| Margarine | 14.2g | 102 |
| Mayonnaise | 13.8g | 94 |
| Milk (Peak- Powdered) | 1 Table
Spoon |
40 |
| Milk (Powdered) | 32g | 159 |
| Millet | 200g | 756 |
| Moimoi | 1 Wrap | 306 |
| Oatmeal (Cooked) | 234g | 158 |
| Okpa | 1 Wrap | 250 |
| Okra | 95g
(8 Pods) |
33 |
| Onions, Raw | 14g
(1 Slice, Medium) |
5 |
| Orange | 131g
(1 Orange) |
62 |
| Orange Juice | 248g | 111 |
| 13.6g | 117 | |
| Palm Oil | 1 Tablespoon | 130 |
| Pap (Raw) | 1 Tablespoon | 91 |
| Pawpaw | 145g
(1 Piece) |
62 |
| Peach | 150g | 59 |
| Peanut Butter | 32g | 188 |
| Pear | 178g | 102 |
| Pineapple | 84g | 42 |
| Plantain
(Fried) |
1 Slice | 68 |
| Plantain (Ripe) | 179g | 253 |
| Plantain (Unripe) | 179g | 218 |
| Pounded Yam | 1 Milk Tin Cup | 400 |
| Prawn | 100g | 105 |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 64g | 258 |
| Raisin | 26g
(50 Raisins) |
78 |
| Red Wine | 175ml
(Small Glass) |
149 |
| 250ml
(Large Glass) |
212 | |
| Rice (Ofada) | 1 Cup | 565 |
| Rice (White, Long-Grain, Cooked) | 1 Tablespoon | 14 |
| Rice (White, Long-Grain, Raw) | 185g | 675 |
| Samosa | Average Size | 80 |
| Semovita | 1 Cup | 600 |
| Shrimp (Raw) | 100g | 85 |
| Snail | 100g | 90 |
| Soybeans | 100g | 446 |
| Spinach, Raw | 10g
(1 Leaf) |
2 |
| Spirit | 35ml | 81 |
| Sprite | 330ml
(1 Can) |
146 |
| Strawberry | 12g | 2 |
| Sugar | 2.3g
(1 Cube) |
9 |
| Sugar Granulated | 2.5g | 10 |
| 8g | 31 | |
| Sweet Potato, Raw | 130g | 112 |
| Tangerine | 88g | 47 |
| Tomatoes | 123g | 28 |
| Tomatoes Juice | 243g | 42 |
| Turkey Breast | 18kg | 120 |
| Tuwo Masara (White Corn Meal) | 1 Cup | 450 |
| Ugwu Leaf | A cup of chopped | 14 |
| Ugba | 100g | 406 |
| Vegetable Juice | 247g | 72 |
| Walnuts | 28g
(7 Nuts) |
183 |
| Watermelon | 152g | 46 |
| Wheat Flour (All Purpose) | 245g | 455 |
| White Wine | 175ml
(Small Glass) |
144 |
| 250ml
(Large Glass) |
205 | |
| Yam | 150g | 177 |
For conversion of some of these foods to grams, 1 Cup, Tablespoons, Teaspoon’s etc., look at:
Take Note That:
- The portion sizes in grams (g) are worldwide standards and are included as a reference.
- However, foods without the portion size in grams (g) are not completely accurate but are close estimates.
- The “calorie” we refer to in food is actually kilocalorie. One (1) kilocalorie is the same as one (1) Calorie (upper case C).
- Most companies usually add some other ingredients making the calories higher.
- Always look at the food label to find the nutritional facts of some of these foods when buying from the market.
Read Also: How To Use Turmeric For Weight Loss
Conclusion
Most of the food we consume is high in calories. It is important to know the calorie content of the food you are about to eat if you truly want to lose some weight. With this article, you can control what you eat. There are some delicious Nigerian foods with low calories that you can enjoy and still shade weight. I hope this article has been helpful to you.
Good luck on your weight loss journey.
