Evidence-based
This article is based on scientific evidence because it has been written, fact-checked, reviewed, and regularly updated by experts that follow our strict editorial process.
The sources used by our editorial team are trustworthy, experienced, and authoritative, such as peer-reviewed journals and governmental information.
All the pieces of evidence are clearly highlighted in the articles as sources in the form of clickable endnotes ([1],[2],[3]) or simple in-text links.
Learn more about our editorial process.
Medically Reviewed
Unfold Today articles that require additional medical expertise are reviewed by a qualified member of our Expert Review Network, a group inside Unfold Today's team that verifies content to guarantee that the information delivered to our readers is thorough, authoritative, accurate, and fact-based.
In this article: find a list of 63 foods that are both low-calorie and high in volume, so they will help you lose weight and fill up your stomach at the same time, leaving that hungry sensation behind.
Many people think that losing weight requires them to eat low-calorie foods that leave their stomachs unsatisfied. Yet, the truth is this habit may stop them from reaching their fitness goals, even if they chase these goals the smart way.
After all, it’s hard to keep a diet that keeps you hungry all day long, isn’t it?
However, low-calorie foods are handy when you’re trying to lose pounds, but not all of these foods were created equal.
Some will leave you wanting more, leading to overeating, while others will, thankfully, leave you satisfied.
In the latter category, one of the best foods when it comes to losing weight are those high in volume, which means they contain water or air in large proportions.
So, here are 63 high-volume foods (consisting of at least 75% water) extracted from a comprehensive list of low-calorie foods, which we put together using official USDA data.
Fruits are one of the best foods to eat if you're trying to lose weight because they have very few calories, no fat, and are high in volume, being mostly water.
Rose apples have the highest water percentage (93%) among the low-calorie fruits. Also, they have only 25 calories per 100 g and are a decent source of potassium and calcium.
Ohelo berries are high-volume fruits since 92.3% of their composition is water. They have 28 calories per 100 g and contain some vitamin C as well.
Besides being a high-volume food (91.85% water), casaba melon is rich in vitamin C, has 28 calories per 100 g, and also offers some potassium.
Pink and red grapefruits are perfect for those of you trying to lose weight. They are composed in a proportion of 91.56% from water, are full of vitamin C, and have only 30 calories per 100 g.
With its high-volume composition (91.45% water), watermelon is a very healthy choice to put on your plate. Also, watermelon has only 30 calories per 100 g.
Star fruits or carambolas are high in vitamin C and have plenty of fibers. Besides, they count among this list of low-calorie high-volume foods because they have only 31 calories per 100 g and are mostly water (91.38%).
Strawberries are a delicious source of vitamin C. Moreover, they are high in volume (90.95% water) and have only 32 calories per 100 g.
There is no secret that lemons are a solid source of vitamin C. Also, 88.98% of their composition is water and they have only 29 calories per 100 g.
Limes are some high-volume foods that are also low in calories, but they don’t offer as much vitamin C as lemons do. Limes are composed in a proportion of 88.26% from water, loading you with only 30 calories per 100 g of consumed fruit.
Most vegetables are foods with a low-calorie density and are very filling due to the high amount of water in their composition.
Below are some of the low-calorie vegetables with the highest water content.
Butterbur is the low-calorie vegetable with the highest volume because 97.92% of its composition is water and has only 3 calories per 100 g.
Butterbur is also a good source of vitamin C and contains a trace of iron and calcium.
After butterbur, cucumber is the second most hydrating vegetable in its peeled form. It is 96.73% water and has only 10 calories per 100 g.
Cucumber also has some vitamin C, potassium, and phosphorus.
Butterhead lettuce is 95.63% water and has 13 calories per 100 g, but it’s not too rich in terms of vitamins and minerals since it offers only low amounts of iron, potassium, and vitamin C.
Celery is another high-volume vegetable since 95.43% of its composition is water. Besides, celery has only 14 calories per 100 g and a decent amount of vitamins B and C, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.
White icicle radish is 95.37% water and has only 14 calories per 100 g. Besides, this type of radish is high in vitamin C and makes for a decent source of potassium and iron.
Chinese cabbage, also known as Pak-Choi or Bok-Choy, is high in volume (95.32% water) and has just 13 calories per 100 g. Other than that, Chinese cabbage is rich in vitamin C and has a decent amount of calcium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus.
Yellow tomatoes are composed mainly of water (95.28%) and have only 15 calories per 100 g. Besides, yellow tomatoes are a fairly good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, and phosphorus.
Watercress is high in proteins compared with the other vegetables on our list (2.3 g), but still, it has only 11 calories per 100 g. Besides, watercress is full of vitamin C and has a decent quantity of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Pickled cucumbers are fermented vegetables that are especially useful in soothing an upset stomach. Other than that, sour pickled cucumbers are high in volume (94.08% water) and have only 11 calories per 100 g.
You can find more high-volume low-calorie veggies in our list of weight loss vegetables.
Snacks are generally pretty high in calories, but we found one that is both high in volume and low in calories.
Boiled Japanese chestnuts are the only low-calorie snack that should be considered high-volume. This type of chestnut is 86.03% water and has 56 calories per 100 g.
Besides, boiled Japanese chestnuts have a good amount of vitamin C as well as a few mg of iron, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.
Grains, with their high proportion of complex carbs, make excellent breakfast foods, but to make sure you fill up and not consume too many calories, make sure to choose high-volume grains that are also low-calorie, like the following ones.
Congee is very efficient in filling your stomach due to its high-volume content (91.26% water). Besides, this type of porridge has only 33 calories per 100 g and plenty of healthy carbs that will load you with energy.
Yellow cornmeal grits’ composition is 84.36% water and has 65 calories per 100 g. Other than this, yellow cornmeal has plenty of energizing healthy carbs.
Cooked oat bran is a high-volume low-calorie food because it’s 84% water and has only 40 calories per 100 g.
Besides, oat bran is a good source of phosphorus and contains trace amounts of iron, potassium, and calcium.
Oatmeal is undoubtedly a popular breakfast choice, but did you know it’s also helping you lose weight? Cooked oatmeal is 83.61% water and has 71 calories per 100 g.
Besides, oatmeal is a good option to eat when you have an upset stomach while containing plenty of healthy carbohydrates and decent amounts of phosphorus and iron.
Canned hominy is 82.53% water and has 72 calories per 100 g. Otherwise, it’s worth mentioning that hominy is good to eat when you are depleted of energy.
Cooked bulgur is pretty high in proteins compared with the other low-calorie grains. Bulgur is high in volume (77.76% water) and has only 83 calories per 100 g.
Besides, cooked bulgur has small quantities of iron, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.
Cooked yellow rice will fill you up due to its high-volume content that is 77.09% water. Also, yellow rice is useful when you’re trying to lose weight because it has only 88 calories per 100 g.
Otherwise, yellow rice contains small amounts of potassium, phosphorus, and iron.
White rice is an easy-to-digest grain whose composition features water in a proportion of 76.19%. Other than this, white rice helps you lose weight because it has only 96 calories per 100 g.
Buckwheat groats are 75.35% water and have 92 calories per 100 g. Besides, this type of groats is a great energy source and contains small amounts of iron, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.
Dressings and oils can be very useful if you’re trying to prepare a meal that is low-calorie and filling at the same time, but if you choose the wrong one, you can wake up with much more calories than you wished for.
So, here are some high-volume dressings, fats and oils that will help you fill up and lose weight at the same time.
Sweet and sour salad dressing is 95.7% water and has only 15 calories per 100 g. Besides, this dressing has a decent amount of vitamin C.
The fat-free vegetable oil spread is high in volume (91% water) and has 43 calories per 100 g.
The Italian salad dressing with reduced fat is 85.95% water and has only 47 calories per 100 g.
For example, Kraft’s fat-free mayonnaise is a high-volume dressing that is composed of water in a proportion of 81.8%. Kraft’s mayo has 64 calories per 100 g.
Although it is pretty high in fat, the blue or Roquefort light cheese dressing is low in calories (86 calories per 100 g) and high in volume (79.5% water).
Besides, this kind of cheese dressing has small quantities of calcium and phosphorus.
Kraft’s “Miracle Whip” salad dressing is 78.7% water and has 84 calories per 100 g, so it’s still a good choice for those of you trying to lose weight.
Fortunately, low-calorie dairy products are extremely hydrating foods, with the majority of them containing approximately 90% water, so they will fill you up.
Whey fluid is the dairy with the highest volume and lowest number of calories. This fluid is 93.12% water and has 27 calories per 100 g.
Besides, whey fluid contains trace amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
Skim milk is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Also, this low-fat milk is 90.8% water and has only 34 calories per 100 g.
Low-fat buttermilk is 90.13% water and has only 40 calories per 100 g. Aside from that, it contains similar nutrients to skim milk, except for a little bit higher fat content.
Raw egg whites are one of the healthiest and most filling low-calorie foods you can eat because they are high in protein, which aids in muscle building and weight loss.
Besides, egg whites are high in volume (87.57% water) and have only 52 calories per 100 g.
Whole goat milk is pretty high in fat compared to the other dairy products on this list, but it is still good for weight loss. Goat milk is 87.03% water and has only 69 calories per 100 g.
Besides, goat milk is high in vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and a trace of potassium.
Non-fat yogurt is 85.23% water and has only 56 calories per 100 g. On top of this, if you are deficient in calcium, phosphorus, or potassium, non-fat yogurt is a good choice because it is high in these minerals.
Also, consuming non-fat yogurt is healthy for your gut due to the probiotics found in it.
Low-fat cottage cheese is a high-protein cheese that is filling. Furthermore, nonfat cottage cheese is high in phosphorus and contains adequate amounts of calcium and potassium, as well as a trace of iron.
Cottage cheese is high in volume (82.48% water) and has 72 calories per 100 g.
Hot cocoa counts among the low-calorie drinks that are high in volume because 82.45% of its composition is water and has only 77 calories per 100 g.
Furthermore, due to the milk used in its preparation, hot cocoa contains significant amounts of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
Only fish can be called high-volume among the researched low-calorie meats, so here are some filling and protein-rich fish that will help you build muscle while losing weight.
Canned eastern oysters are high in iron and make for a good source of phosphorus, vitamin C, and potassium.
Aside from this, eastern oysters count among the high-volume low-calorie foods because they are 85.14% water and have only 68 calories per 100 g.
Flatfish are high-volume foods because they’re composed in a proportion of 81.11% of water. Flatfish are also low in calories because they have only 86 calories per 100 g.
Other than this, flatfish are a treasure of phosphorus and vitamin D.
Crayfish are 80.8% water and have 87 calories per 100 g, which makes them a high-volume and low-calorie kind of meat.
Besides, crayfish are high in phosphorus and contain a good amount of iron, potassium, and calcium.
Cod count among the high-volume foods which are also low-calorie because they are 78.37% water and have only 84 calories per 100 g.
On top of this, cod count among the easiest to digest foods and are rich in phosphorus and potassium.
Moreover, cooked cod, because it's rich in proteins and stomach-friendly, is one of the best foods for making pre-workout meals for muscle gain.
Lobster meat is 77.6% water and has only 88 calories per 100 g, so it will fill you up while helping you lose weight.
Furthermore, lobsters are low-fat protein sources featuring solid quantities of phosphorus.
As with dressings, a little seasoning with spices, herbs, and other condiments can make a meal much more filling, but keep an eye on the calories.
Here are some of the most filling low-calorie condiments available.
Distilled vinegar is mostly water (94.78%) and has only 18 calories per 100 g. Other good high-volume and low-calorie alternatives are red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
Fresh basil is a high-protein herb that is low in calories. Basil is 92.06% water, so it’s high in volume and has only 23 calories per 100 g.
Besides, basil has plenty of vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
Dill is high in vitamin C, iron, calcium, and potassium. This high-volume herb is also 85.95% water and has 43 calories per 100 g.
Spearmint is rich in fibers and has only 44 calories per 100 g. Also, its composition features 85.55% water.
Besides, spearmint is high in iron and contains moderate amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.
Horseradish is 85.08% water and has 48 calories per 100 g. Besides, horseradish is rich in vitamin C.
Canned capers are 83.85% water and have only 23 calories per 100 g. Aside from this, they contain plenty of fibers, iron, and are salty, so you shouldn’t use too much of this condiment.
Yellow mustard counts among this list of high-volume foods which are also low-calorie because it is 83.72% water and has only 60 calories per 100 g.
In terms of minerals, this condiment contains adequate amounts of iron and phosphorus while containing only trace amounts of calcium and potassium.
In general, the soups and broths we've listed below are some of the best low-calorie foods you can include in your diet because these meals will fill you up, given their high volume (water) content.
Vegetable broth is 98% water and has only 5 calories per 100 g, so it’s a very filling high-volume food choice.
Fish stock counts among this list of high-volume foods that are also low-calorie since it has only 16 calories per 100 g and its composition is 96.6% water.
Besides, because fish stock contains trace amounts of phosphorus and potassium, it will also provide you with some essential minerals.
Beef broth made from bouillon is 96.24% water and has 12 calories per 100 g, so it makes for a high-volume and low-calorie meal.
Even though the presence of veggies adds more carbs to it, the vegetable soup is still a low-calorie choice that will fill you up. Vegetable soup is 92.41% water and has only 28 calories per 100 g.
Mushroom barley soup is 92.4% water and has 30 calories per 100 g.
Chicken stock is a high-volume meal (92.15% water) and has only 36 calories per 100 g. Besides, the chicken stock has some protein as well.
Cream of asparagus soup is 91.8% water and features only 35 calories per 100 g. Furthermore, this soup is a great option for vegans.
Originating from Italy, minestrone is 91.33% water and has only 34 calories per 100 g.
Black bean soup is a good source of fiber and has trace amounts of iron, potassium, and phosphorus. Moreover, black bean soup is 87.62% water and has 46 calories per 100 g.
To sum up, you now have a list of high-volume foods that fill you up, from fruits and grains to meat and dairy products, so you can finally lose weight without feeling hungry, even if you're on a low-calorie diet.
Which of the low-calorie foods mentioned in this article is your go-to when you're looking to fill up and escape hunger? Let us know in the comments.
