10 Foods Under 50 Calories to Add to Your Diet, Stat

Eating food that's low in calories doesn't have to be as boring as it sounds.

"Selecting low-calorie foods does not mean flavor or nutrient content have to be compromised," dietitian Emily Wunder, RD, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Instead of trying to heap as much arugula as humanly possible into your mouth or eating salads for every meal in hopes of losing weight, it's better to incorporate a small serving size of a variety of foods that are both healthy and tasty.

"When trying to find foods under 50 calories, it's important to consider the portions," dietitian Rebecca Guterman, RD, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

To keep your weight-loss diet varied and interesting, try replacing your usual midday nosh with some of these 50-calorie snacks — they'll help you trim your waistline without any sacrifice to your taste buds.

Tangy and sweet, blueberries can make for a delicious breakfast — especially when combined with yogurt or kefir.

"This delicious little berry packs quite the punch," Wunder says.

"They provide fiber and vitamins C and K, but their antioxidant content is a big bonus. These compounds in blueberries help to reduce inflammation in the body that can have negative health outcomes."

Clementines are a great portable snack that give you a boost of citrus and may even prevent you from indulging on something less-than-healthy.

"This little fruit makes a great snack and because of its natural sweetness — and eating a clementine is a great way to combat that sweet tooth that often leads to excess calories," Wunder says.

"Just one clementine will get you to 60 percent of your needed daily vitamin C and it has no fat."

It's tasty, it's filling, and it makes for a great topping or side dish. As a bonus, it's really good for your gut.

"Because sauerkraut is fermented, it contains probiotics that contribute to your healthy gut bacteria," Wunder says. "It can help keep digestion regular, which can help with weight maintenance."

And if you don't want to spring for a store-bought product, why not try making sauerkraut at home yourself?

Cucumbers are very versatile fruits (yes, they're technically a fruit!).

You can enjoy a crunchy cucumber as an easy snack, chop one up into a healthy salad or throw a few slices into a glass of seltzer as a refreshing beverage. But they're also great for hydration.

"With the water content being at 95 percent, eating cucumbers may help combat bloating," dietitian Jenna Appel, RD, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Grapefruit contains vitamins A and C, and has that satisfying citrus flavor that can fulfill your cravings for sweets. But it's also great for suppressing other cravings as well.

"There are 2 grams of fiber in half a grapefruit, making it a powerful natural appetite suppressant," Appel says. "By suppressing your appetite, you are more likely to reduce your calorie intake, which can help you lose weight."

Celery is truly a magical vegetable when it comes to weight loss and health benefits.

"Celery is low in carbohydrates and calories," Appel says.

"It is packed with nutrients such as vitamins A and K as well as folate and potassium, which helps your nerves function and supports your heart health. The dietary fiber content of celery can boost digestion and weight loss while its water content in celery can help prevent dehydration and decrease bloating."

What can't it do?

There's nothing that says summer quite like a juicy slice of watermelon. And because it's 91 percent water and only 6 percent sugar, it can curb your sweet tooth while keeping you hydrated.

"Staying hydrated is a good tactic for weight loss," Wunder says. "Firstly, because you want to avoid just losing water weight [you want to lose fat, too], but also because dehydration can lead to food cravings."

Oftentimes, your body confuses thirst and hunger so drinking a glass of water or eating something hydrating, like watermelon, can quell those hankerings.

While the butter-laden buckets of popcorn at the movie theater are often packed with calories and fat, a small serving of air-popped popcorn is a filling, low-calorie snack for when you're on the couch at home.

"Air-popped popcorn is a weight loss-friendly choice not only because it is low in calories, but because it fills you up faster (thanks to the fiber content) and takes longer to eat," Wunder says.

To make your popcorn more flavorful, Wunder recommends using a light drizzle of olive oil combined with fresh herbs like rosemary or some spices to give it lots of flavor without lots of calories!

This summer squash is very versatile, as you can grind it into a substitute for noodles or grill it as a substitute for potatoes.

It's also got plenty of nutrients, such as vitamins B and C as well as vitamin A, which benefits your vision and immune system, Wunder says.

You might not have been expecting something as decadent as shrimp on this list, but the truth is that shrimp is a low-calorie, zero-carb food, and you don't need to eat too many pieces to feel like you've had your fill.

"Most of the calories in shrimp come from protein, making shrimp a lean protein source," Wunder says.

Given that it's seafood, shrimp is also a great source of minerals including selenium, copper, phosphorous and zinc, according to the USDA.