low-cal

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Certainly! The word "low-cal" is an informal adjective that means something has a relatively low number of calories. Calories are the units we use to measure how much energy food provides. Foods and drinks that are low-cal are often chosen by people who want to eat healthier or lose weight.

Usage Instructions:

• When to use: You can use "low-cal" to describe foods, drinks, or diets that are lower in calories than regular options.
• Where to use: It’s commonly used in conversations about food, health, and dieting.

Examples:

1. "I prefer low-cal snacks, like fruit and yogurt, instead of chips."
2. "This restaurant offers a low-cal version of their famous pasta dish."
3. "She drinks low-cal soda instead of regular soda to cut down on sugar."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "low-cal" may be used in discussions about nutrition and weight management. For example: - "Many athletes incorporate low-cal options into their diet to maintain energy without gaining excess weight."

Word Variants:

• Low-calorie: This is the full form of "low-cal" and can be used interchangeably. For example, "I switched to low-calorie mayonnaise."
• Lite: This is another form often used in branding, like "lite beer" or "lite yogurt," which means the same as low-cal.

Different Meanings:

While "low-cal" primarily refers to food and drinks, it doesn't have many different meanings. However, it can also be used in a broader sense to describe anything that is reduced or minimized, though this is less common.

Synonyms:

• Low-calorie
• Light
• Diet (in some contexts)
• Reduced-calorie

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "low-cal," but you might hear phrases like: - "Cutting calories" which means to reduce the number of calories you eat. - "Light on calories" which has a similar meaning to "low-cal."

Summary:

"Low-cal" is a handy word to know when talking about healthier food options.

Academic

Adjective

1. having relatively few calories
   • diet cola
   • light (or lite) beer
   • lite (or light) mayonnaise
   • a low-cal diet

Synonyms

• light
• lite
• calorie-free