Identifying foods high in carbs is relatively easy. Anything that contains sugar or flour is usually high in carbs. Fruits, which contain natural sugars, are also high in carbs, as are many highly processed foods. Items of animal origin are more likely to be low-carb. Atkins.com recommends counting net carbs, rather than carbs, when choosing vegetables. Net carbs are the carbs a product has less the amount of fiber. For example, if a product label indicates 30 g of carbs and 18 g of fiber, the product contains only 12 g of net carbs.
Meats
All meats are carb-free except for processed meats. Ham, hot dogs, smoked sausages and even Spam all contain carbohydrates. Always read labels before eating these meats to make sure you're not exceeding your daily carb intake. Imitation meats can also contain carbohydrates, so vegetarians should be particularly careful when choosing their protein. Fish, poultry, red meats and shellfish are all carb-free.
Other Animal Products
Dairy contains lactose, a form of sugar. If you're trying to limit your carbohydrate intake, be particularly mindful of yogurt, milk and creams, as they can contain a high amount of carbs. Cheese, on the other hand, is lower in carbs. According to Atkins.com, cheddar cheese has zero carbs, but a number of other cheeses have less than 1 g of carbs per serving. Parmesan and goat cheese have less than 0.5 g of carbs per 1 oz serving. Mozzarella, Gouda, blue cheese, cream cheese and Swiss cheese all contain 1 g or less of carbs per serving. Eggs are low-carb.
Vegetables
Aside from starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, most vegetables are low in carbs. The more fiber a vegetable contains, the lower the amount of net carbs it has. Good choices are chives, arugula, lettuce, escarole, alfalfa sprouts, celery, bok choy and endive, all of which contain less than 1 g of carbs per serving. Slightly higher but still low in carbs are most other vegetables, including asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, kale, summer squash and spinach, all of which contain 3 g or less of carbs.
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