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Free Food

The name "free food" is given to foods that contain less than 20 calories per serving and less than 6 grams of carbohydrates.  Several fruits, vegetables, drinks, and seasonings are considered to be "free foods."  If you eat free foods in moderation (1-2 servings per meal) they don’t need to be counted as part of your meal plan. However, don’t forget that these foods are not free of calories so if, for example, you eat 8 servings of them, you would be having 160 extra calories, which would affect your plan.

You can choose any of the following foods, and add them to your meal plan, without affecting the calorie level:

Free Food

BEVERAGES

  • Water
  • Coffee, black
  • Diet sodas
  • Kool-Aid, without sugar
  • Lemonade with artifical sweetener
  • Unsweetened ice tea,
  • All kinds of tea, unsweetened

VEGETABLES

  • Chicory
  • Garlic
  • Arugula
  • Watercress
  • Kale
  • Pumpkin flowers
  • Chives
  • Endive, raw
  • Epazote, raw
  • Fennel bulb
  • Lime
  • Lemon
  • Sweet pickle cucumber
  • Pepper, canned
  • Radishes

OTHERS

  • Baking soda
  • Cream substitute (powder)
  • Cream substitute (liquid)
  • Cream of tartar
  • Artificial sweetener (powder)
  • Gelatin, reduced calorie
  • Gum, sugar-free
  • Syrup, sugar-free
  • Orange peel
  • Sugar-free popsicle
HERBS AND SPICES
  • Basil
  • Poppy seeds
  • Anise seeds
  • Celery
  • Saffron
  • Cinammon, powder
  • Cardamom, ground
  • Onion, powder
  • Cilantro
  • Cloves, ground
  • Cumin
  • Turmeric, ground
  • Curry
  • Dried dill
  • Dried seeds
  • Tarragon, ground
  • Bay leaf
  • Ginger
  • Dried marjoram
  • Green mint
  • Fresh peppermint
  • Mustard, seeds
  • Nutmeg
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Dried chervil
  • Paprika
  • Black pepper
  • Pepper
  • Rosemary
  • Sprouted alfalfa seeds
  • Thyme

CONDIMENTS

  • Capers
  • Chili, powder
  • Salt
  • Soy sauce
  • Chicken seasoning
  • Vanilla
  • Vinegar

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