Low carb diets have surged in popularity as a method to promote weight loss and stabilize blood sugar levels. These diets restrict carbohydrates, commonly found in pasta, bread, and sugary foods, emphasizing protein, fats, and vegetables. While specific guidelines can vary, the core principle involves limiting foods high in carbs or added sugar.
Understanding Low Carb Diets
A typical low carb diet usually contains less than 26% of total daily calories from carbs. For someone consuming a 2000-calorie diet, this translates to fewer than 130 grams (g) of carbs per day. The allowed foods can vary based on your daily carb allotment. Even higher carb foods like fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains can fit into some low carb diets in moderation.
Benefits of Low Carb Diets
Low carb diets have been associated with several health benefits, primarily related to weight loss and blood sugar management.
Popular Low Carb Diet Plans
Several low carb eating patterns exist. Here are a few examples:
- Ketogenic (Keto) Diet: This high-fat, very low carb diet limits daily carb intake to less than 5-10% of total calories, or around 20-50 g of carbs.
- Atkins Diet: During the initial phase, carb intake is limited to about 20 g per day, depending on the chosen plan. Intake gradually increases but typically doesn’t exceed 100 g per day.
- South Beach Diet: This diet focuses on reducing carb intake while encouraging lean meats and heart-healthy fats. During the initial phase, grains and fruits are off-limits.
- Paleo Diet: Mimicking the eating patterns of hunter-gatherer ancestors, this diet is naturally low in carbs.
- Dukan Diet: This diet restricts carbs while being high in protein and low in fat, divided into four phases to help you reach your weight loss goals.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
Foods to Include
Here are some foods to eat on a low carb diet:
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- Meat: beef, lamb, pork, chicken
- Fish: salmon, trout, haddock, tuna
- Eggs: whole eggs, egg whites, egg yolks
- Non-starchy vegetables: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, tomatoes
- Lower carb fruits: oranges, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pistachios
- High-fat dairy: cheese, butter, heavy cream, Greek yogurt
- Fats and oils: lard, avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil
Foods to Include in Moderation
Unless you’re following a very low carb or keto diet, you may also want to include small amounts of these foods:
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, peas, corn
- Higher-carb fruits: bananas, pineapples, mango, and many others
- Whole grains: brown rice, oats, quinoa
- Legumes: lentils, black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas
- Higher-carb dairy: milk and full-fat yogurt
In addition, you can drink dry wines with no added sugar or carbs. Just be aware that both dark chocolate and alcohol may hinder weight management if you eat or drink too much.
Foods to Limit or Avoid
Depending on your daily carb allowance, you might need to limit or avoid the following foods:
- Sweet snacks: candy, ice cream, baked goods, other products that contain added sugar
- Refined grains: white rice, white pasta, tortillas, crackers
- Diet and low fat products: including dairy products, cereals, or crackers that are low in fat but contain added sugar.
- Highly processed foods: convenience meals, fast food, cookies, chips, pretzels
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks
Be sure to check the ingredient labels of foods to find options that fit into your diet.
Sample 3-Day Low Carb Menu
Here is a sample menu for 3 days on a low carb diet plan:
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Day 1
- Breakfast: 2 slices sprouted Ezekiel bread with 1/2 avocado, salt, and pepper. Total carbs: 36.5 g.
- Lunch: 3 ounces (oz) (85 g) grilled chicken with 2 cups (340 g) zucchini noodles made with 1 clove of garlic, butter, and 1 oz (28 g) Parmesan. Total carbs: 17 g.
- Dinner: bunless burger with a slice of Cheddar cheese, served with 1/2 cup (78 g) cooked broccoli and 2 tablespoons (35.7 g) of salsa. Total carbs: 8.5 g.
Total carbs for the day: 62 g
Day 2
- Breakfast: 7 oz (200 g) plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup (37 g) blueberries and 1 oz (28.35 g) almonds. Total carbs: 19.4 g.
- Lunch: 3 oz (85 g) rib eye roast with 1/2 cup (120 g) mashed rutabaga and 1 cup (129 g) sautéed green beans. Total carbs: 13.5 g.
- Dinner: 3 oz (85 g) baked salmon with 1/2 cup (90 g) cooked asparagus and 3/4 cup (85 g) cauliflower rice. Total carbs: 7.7 g.
Total carbs for the day: 40.6 g
Day 3
- Breakfast: breakfast bowl with 2 large hard-boiled eggs, 1 tomato, and 1 cup cubed avocado. Total carbs: 19 g.
- Lunch: 2.5 cups (244 g) shrimp garden salad with shrimp, lettuce, eggs, tomato, and carrots, with 2 tablespoons (tbsp), or 30 milliliters (mL), olive oil vinaigrette. Total carbs: 10.5 g.
- Dinner: 3 oz (85 g) grilled chicken with 1/2 cup (78 g) roasted Brussels sprouts and 1/2 cup (93 g) cooked quinoa. Total carbs: 25.2 g.
Total carbs for the day: 54.7 g
Healthy Low Carb Snacks
If you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, easy-to-prepare, low carb snacks that can fill you up:
- a piece of fruit
- Greek yogurt
- one or two hard-boiled eggs
- baby carrots
- leftovers from the previous night
- a handful of nuts
- some cheese and meat
Dining Out on a Low Carb Diet
Following a low carb diet while dining out can be challenging. Not only are the portion sizes often very large, but some restaurant foods are served with condiments, sauces, or side dishes that are high in added sugar or carbs.
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Still, at most restaurants, making your meals low carb is fairly easy.
Here are a few tips to get started:
- Opt for a meat- or fish-based main dish.
- Choose plain water instead of sugary soda or fruit juice.
- Get extra vegetables or a side salad instead of bread, potatoes, or rice.
- Check the menu beforehand to find options that fit your daily carb allowance.
- Ask for sauces, condiments, or dressings on the side so you can control your portion sizes.
- Consider taking half of your meal “to go” to reduce the amount of carbs during your restaurant meal.
Special Considerations
- No-Carb Days: If you’re avoiding carbs entirely, focus on eating animal and plant-based proteins and plenty of vegetables and fruit. That said, your body does need some carbs, so avoiding them entirely, unless directed by your doctor, may not be the best for your health. It’s also less sustainable than including a small amount in moderation.
- Vegetarian Low Carb Diet: You can follow a low carb diet as a vegetarian, but it can be more challenging because most plant-based protein foods also contain carbs. It’s important to ensure you’re getting enough calories and nutrients, so consulting with your doctor or a registered dietician is a good idea.
- Low Carb Diet for Diabetes: Research shows that following a low carb diet while living with diabetes can help you manage the disease. Eating low carb with diabetes is similar to eating low carb without diabetes. You can generally eat and avoid the same foods. That said, you’ll need to track your blood sugar and follow the diabetes treatment prescribed by your doctor.