Foods Which Contain Low Amounts of Carbs
- Meat, seafood, fish, poultry, and eggs have very few carbs or none at all. Watch out for precooked meats and cheap sausage, lunch meats and hamburger patties that may be loaded with carb-rich fillers. Breaded items such as fish sticks, fried chicken or country-fried steak will have a lot of carbs as well. Choose natural protein foods such as steak, pork chops, shrimp, fried eggs, baked chicken, bacon, and pot roast. Tofu is a soy protein food that is low in carbs and makes a nice change of pace if you want a light meal.
- Most dairy foods are low in carbs. You can eat hard cheeses such as parmesan, cheddar, and Swiss, or soft cheeses such as Neufchatel, Brie, fresh mozzarella or mascarpone. Creamy dairy foods such as heavy whipping cream, sour cream and half and half are also low in carbs. Beware of milk, cheese spreads, diet cheese and low-fat dairy products, as most of these items are higher in carbs than most plans allow.
- Salad vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and celery are low in carbs. Other vegetables that are low in carbs include summer squash, mushrooms, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, okra, zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower. Tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and berries contain a few more carbs, but you may be able to eat these foods in limited quantities. Avoid starchy, high-carb vegetables such as carrots, beans, potatoes and corn, as well as sweet fruits.
- Pure fats contain no carbohydrates at all, so feel free to enjoy natural fats such as butter, ghee, lard, olive oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and sunflower oil. Nuts are fairly low in carbohydrates, as are most seeds. Enjoy macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts for a snack low in carbs. You may be able to find specialty products in your local grocery store or online that are made for low-carb dieters. These products include low-carb breads, tortillas, shakes, bars, sauces, ice cream, candy and pasta.
