What is calorie density?


Calorie density is a measure of the calorie content of food relative to its weight or volume.
It is also called energy density and is usually measured as calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of food.
Choosing foods with a low calorie density can help with weight loss. It makes you automatically eat fewer calories while still eating large and filling portions (5Trusted Source6).
An easier way to make sense of this is to imagine a full plate of food. The fewer calories the plate contains, the lower the calorie density of the meal.
A vegetable with 30 calories per 100 grams has a low calorie density, while chocolate that has 550 calories per 100 grams has a very high calorie density.
Although calorie density may be less well known than other weight management concepts like calorie counting, choosing foods based on this measure may be simpler and more effective (7Trusted Source).
For example, basing your diet on low-calorie-density foods tends to limit you to predominantly healthy and nutrient-rich whole foods.
It can quickly clean up your diet, eliminating most calorie-dense, processed foods that are generally unhealthy and easy to overeat.

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