What are 500 calorie meals? Are there any benefits?

500 calorie meals are a popular option for ensuring each meal is well-balanced and filling. As the name suggests, these are meals that have approximately 500 calories, give or take 10-20 calories.

More often than not, 500 calorie meals have the macronutrients at the proper ratio and don't become too filling or leave you starving. One of the best factors of the 500 calorie meals is the ability to create different meals with various ingredients given the high number of calories assigned to the meal.

If you consume three 500 calorie meals, you’ll be consuming a healthy number of 1,500 calories a day.

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Examples of 500 calorie meals

Examples of meals (Photo via Sam Moghadam Khamseh/Unsplash)

You should know about some of the basic 500 calorie meals that you can make from scratch without too much hassle.

Meal 1

Four oz Grilled chicken breast served with one cup of roasted potatoes and one cup of steamed broccoli.

Meal 2

One cup of brown rice served with ½ cup of black beans, one cup of roasted vegetables, and ¼ avocado.

Meal 3

Four oz of grilled salmon served with one cup of quinoa, one cup of roasted Brussels sprouts, and 1 cup of sliced cucumber.

Meal 4

Three oz of grilled chicken served with one cup of lentil soup mixed with two cups of green salad, some cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Meal 5

Four oz turkey burger made from a whole wheat bun served with one cup of roasted sweet potato fries and one cup of mixed green salad with a light dressing.

Meal 6

Four oz of stir-fried shrimp served with one cup of mixed vegetables and ½ cup of brown rice noodles.

Meal 7

Chickpeas and vegetable curry made from ½ cup of chickpeas, one cup of mixed vegetables, and ½ cup of coconut milk and are served with ½ cup of quinoa.

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Benefits of a 500 calorie meal

Weight loss (Photo via i yunmai/Unsplash)

Everything has its pros and cons, and meals that round out to be approximately 500 calories possibly have more pros than cons.

Here are some of the benefits of the 500 calorie meals that you should be aware of:

Weight loss

If each of your meals is 500 calories and you’re consuming three such meals per day along with moderate physical activity, you’ll be able to maintain a calorie deficit that will trigger weight loss.

Portion control

500 calorie meals aren’t too much or too little. Since they’re not an extravagant amount, it helps with portion control and preventing overeating. As a result, it also helps with curbing weight gain.

Nutrition

A 500 calorie meal can provide your body with macronutrients along with other essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that will support overall well-being and health.

Blood sugar control

When you consume frequent meals throughout the day but keep them small, it helps with blood sugar regulation and prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes.

Flexibility

The 500 calorie meals have the ability to be customized completely and fit into various diets, keeping the dietary preferences and requirements in mind. So whether you follow a keto diet or a vegan diet, you’ll be able to customize it enough to acquire all the essential nutrition from it.

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It goes without saying that a 500 calorie meal is already a popular option among fitness enthusiasts. It helps with nutrition, weight loss, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Nevertheless, as an individual, you will have to judge these meals for yourself. It’s possible that your body doesn’t want to consume 500 calories in one meal, and in such cases, you need to lessen the calories and consume meals accordingly.

In every diet and fitness routine, it’s essential to listen to what your body is telling you and make adjustments accordingly.