Carbohydrates are found in all plant-based foods, including beans, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, grains and anything made with flour. Sugar is a simple form of carbohydrate. Most foods contain some sugar or carbohydrates. Almost all packaged, man-made food contains added sugar or a carb-containing sweetener. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the three basic forms of nutrients. Some natural forms of protein and fats do not contain any carbohydrates or sugar, and certain beverages also lack carbohydrates.
Protein
Foods that are made of protein and haven't been processed sometimes contain no carbohydrates. However, proteins such as milk, or cheese and other products made with milk, naturally contain sugar.
Meats such as turkey, chicken, beef and pork do not contain carbohydrates. If the meat has been processed, sugar and carbohydrate fillers have been added to the meat. Fresh cuts of fish such as unprocessed salmon and tuna do not contain carbohydrates.
Egg whites, with no yolks, are a basic form of protein and do not contain carbohydrates.
Fats
Egg yolks, without the white, are a form of fat and do not contain carbohydrates. Because the entire egg is made of only fat and protein, you can enjoy poached, fried, hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs without carbohydrates.
Natural, unprocessed oil such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil and olive oil are pure fat, with no sugars or carbs. Pure, unsweetened butter is also carbohydrate free.
Beverages
Water and pure tea do not contain carbohydrates. You may drink pure carbonated water (club soda), as the carbonation does not add carbohydrates.
Any beverage, including water or tea, that has added sweeteners or flavoring will usually have added carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates varies, depending on the kind of sweetener used. Common examples of sweeteners are corn syrup, sugar, honey and agave nectar.
Diet drinks can be misleading when it comes to whether or not they contain carbohydrates. Regular soda contains about 36 carbohydrates per 12-oz. can. Diet versions of the same drink usually contain no carbohydrates when sweetened with aspartame or Splenda. However, some diet drinks have added flavorings that can add carbohydrates. Even with a nutritional value of zero carbohydrates listed, products may contain up to 0.6 g of carbohydrates before the amount must be reported within the nutritional information. Always assume a diet beverage has 0.6 grams of carbohydrates, unless the nutritional facts state it has even more.
Member Comments