According to the official Atkins Diet website, to determine which foods are low-carb you need to subtract the amount of fiber from the total carb count in a product. That gives you the net carb count. For example, if a product contains 35 grams of carbs and 7 grams of fiber, you only need to account for 28 grams of carbs. According to Atkins' official website, low-carb products are those that contain 5 g or less of net carbs. However, other sites estimate low-carb as anything containing 20 g or less of carbs, according to the University of Arizona. Your numbers will vary depending on what type of low-carb diet you're following.
Step 1
Make a trip to your local supermarket. Many of the products you consume every day are low-carb. Stock up on them as basic staples to save money and provide variety and nutrition. Most cheeses are low in carbs, but milk and yogurt are higher in carbs and best avoided. Eggs, nuts, lean proteins and tofu are all low-carb.
Step 2
Buy lots of vegetables, but skip potatoes and corn, which are high in carbs. All other vegetables are acceptable. Fruit is high in carbs, especially dry and canned fruits. Berries have the lowest content of net carbs, according to Atkins.
Step 3
Check your local health food store for low-carb products. Check nutrition labels to see what products offer the most nutritional value for the carbs provided. Look for added vitamins or calcium and compare calorie and fat content. Buy a variety of products, such as low-carb pastas, bread mixes and dressings or sauces.
Step 4
Buy a few low-carb treats. Atkins and the South Beach Diet both make and sell their own products, which include cookies, shakes, snack bars and even cake mixes. This will give you snack options for when you're on the go, as well as provide variety when you're craving sugars.
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