Just because the Atkins diet is low in carbs does not mean all carbs are banned. In fact, while Atkins does campaign against sweets, flour and other starches, it does allow more healthy carbohydrates, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Not all carbs are allowed in all phases of the diet, so what you can eat depends partly on where you are in your weight loss journey.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the best sources of carbs in the Atkins diet. They are also the only carbs allowed during the Induction Phase of Atkins, which covers your first two weeks on the diet. Atkins recommends focusing on vegetables that contain little to no starches but do contain a lot of fiber. This means eliminating potatoes, corn and beans for the first few weeks on the diet and instead concentrating on leafy green vegetables, sprouts, mushrooms and other low-carb vegetables like celery, asparagus, cauliflower, peppers and cabbage.
Fruits
The Atkins diet shies away from fruit juices, canned fruits and anything that contains added sugars. Once you reach the maintenance diet, almost all fruits are allowed. However, during phases 1 and 2, where most of your weight loss occurs, your best choices are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cantaloupe, all which contain 5 g or less of net carbs.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are also good sources of carbs. They provide energy, fiber and a good amount of healthy fats. They're also filling, so even though they're high in calories, you're likely to feel full after eating just a handful of them.
Whole Grains
Grains are not acceptable in Atkins until you reach phase 3. This is the phase you enter when you only have 10 lbs. left to lose to reach your goal weight. At this point, you can introduce whole wheat pasta, brown rice and oatmeal back into your diet. You can also start adding some starchy vegetables like white potatoes and carrots, as well as beans, lentils and other legumes.
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