by R. R. Fritz

Created on: October 05, 2008   Last Updated: October 14, 2008

You've stuck to your diet but you have used up the calories or points you are allotted under your diet plan for the day, and a food craving has hit you. You think that your only option is plain celery but that's not the case. There are lots of very low calorie foods that you can turn to and not fall "off the wagon". Here are a few suggestions.

Some foods are actually considered to have "negative calories". This means that it takes more energy to digest the foods than the foods themselves have. Eating these foods should have little to no impact on your diet.

Some of the "negative calorie" vegetables that make good snack foods include asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, green cabbage, green beans, tomatoes, spinach, turnips and zucchini and yes, the aforementioned celery.

You expend more calories eating raw vegetables and fruit than cooked, so it is preferable to eat as many of these foods in uncooked form as you can. There is also less temptation to put butters and oils on the foods if you eat them raw or steamed.

Many fruits also fall into this category, including apples, blueberries. Pineapple, raspberries, mangoes, cranberries, oranges, tangerines, strawberries and papayas.

Other vegetables that can really help satisfy the craving to "eat" are jicima and artichokes. A steamed artichoke take a long time to eat so munching on one of these green beauties makes you feel like you're eating a whole meal when the actual calorie count is negligible. Jicima is often passed up at the grocery store because it looks like ginger root, but all you need to do is peel the brown covering and there is a tasty and refreshing vegetable lurking underneath. Cut it into "sticks" like a carrot and it is a great portable snack. In Mexico it is often served with lime juice, chili powder or salt, all calorie free.

Roasted vegetables such as brussel sprouts, asparagus and peppers are full of flavor and are filling and very low calorie. It's easy to roast your vegetables by simply putting a little olive oil and salt on them and placing them on a shallow baking tin and baking them at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, turning them once.

If you're craving something sweet, there are many different flavors of sugar free Jell-O to choose from. Another option is to keep some grapes in your freezer. Simply wash them and freeze them laying flat. When a craving comes on for something sweet and cool, pop one of these in your mouth,

Catering to the dieting public, there are also very low calorie cookies now on the market, such as the one calorie meringue cookies from Trader Joes. As long as you can stop at one or two, these are also great treats.

Sugar free beverages such as lemonade, iced tea sweetened with stevia or an artificial sweetener or diet colas can also quench a craving for sweets. For something different, make your own limeade using fresh lime juice, water and sugar substitute. Pour some of this into an ice cube tray and pop it in the freezer for a calorie free Popsicle substitute.

Don't lament and feel deprived or fall off the diet wagon when you are at the end of your calories or points and feeling hungry. Instead look to these flavorful and healthy options to quench your cravings.

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