Carbohydrates are found in varying levels in a wide range of foods, including grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, beans and sugars. While carbohydrates are an essential part of your diet, consuming too many carbohydrates may have a negative impact on weight gain and loss. If your doctor has recommended going on a low-carb diet, it's important to know which foods contain the lowest amount of carbohydrates.
Eggs
While you may not think of eggs as a diet food, they are a good choice if you're looking for a food that is low in carbohydrates. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raw eggs contain no carbohydrates at all. One cooked egg contains just 1g of carbohydrates, regardless of how it's cooked. Consider substituting an egg-white omelet for scrambled or fried eggs to minimize your fat and cholesterol intake.
Meats
Meats tend to contain significant amounts of protein but no carbohydrates at all. According to the USDA, pork, lamb, veal, beef and chicken are carbohydrate-free. Processed meats such as salami, hot dogs, bacon and lunch meat typically contains 1 to 2g of carbohydrates per serving. The primary consideration when choosing meats is how they are prepared, as certain methods such as curing or cooking in oil can drastically increase their fat, cholesterol and sodium content.
Seafood
Like poultry, pork and red meats, fish is also an excellent source of protein and contains no carbohydrates. No-carb fish choices include tuna, salmon, herring, trout and sardines, according to the Glycemic Index resource from the University of Sydney. Other low-carb seafood choices include crab meat, shrimp, clams and oysters, which typically contain between 2 and 6g of carbohydrates per serving, depending on how they are prepared. Adding breading also adds carbs, so keep your seafood plain to retain its low-carb properties.
Cheese
The different varieties of cheeses available also present another low-carb option. According to the USDA, provolone, Swiss, mozzarella, Parmesan, feta, blue cheese, cheddar cheese and cream cheese all contain just 1g of carbohydrates per serving. A typical serving amount is either 1 tbsp. or 1 oz., depending on the type of cheese.
Vegetables
Vegetables tend to be a significant source of fiber and they also contain very few carbohydrates. Vegetables that contain 10g or less of carbohydrates include broccoli, kale, spinach, turnip greens, squash, carrots, asparagus, beet greens, mushrooms, onions, eggplant, cauliflower and okra, according to the Glycemic Index.
Fruit
Fresh fruit is also high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. The fruits with the lowest carbohydrate content include grapefruit, strawberries, cherries, watermelon, kiwi fruit, pineapple, honeydew, apricots, avocados, raspberries, plums and oranges, which have 15g of carbs or less, according to the USDA.
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