If you are new to a low-carb diet, you might still be trying to memorize what you can and cannot eat. A reference food list will help you out in a pinch. Take it to the grocery store or keep it in your kitchen to remind yourself of the types of foods you should be eating. Not all low-carb or carb-counting diets are alike, but most of them have the same basic foods at their core. Add or subtract foods from this list to make it work for your personal eating plan.
Meat
Most low-carb programs feature meat products because they're very low in carbohydrates. Some programs don't put any restriction on the types and cuts of meat you can eat, while others emphasize lean meats in three-ounce portions. As a general reference, beef, poultry, seafood and pork products that have been minimally processed have no carbohydrates. Meats that have been processed, like deli meats, hot dogs, brats and corned beef are usually prepared with added sugars and can contain 1 gram (g) of carbohydrates or more per serving. Read the label carefully before consuming these products.
Dairy
According to the Atkins website, cheese is a low-carbohydrate food. Count 1 g per ounce for most cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, feta or cream cheese. Foods like cottage cheese and yogurt contain natural milk sugars and are permitted on some plans but not on others. Regular milk, no matter what percentage of fat it has, is not considered a low-carb food. Heavy cream is often used in place of milk in sauces and recipes. It has 1 g per tablespoon, and eggs as having 1 g each.
Vegetables
Vegetables are allowed in generous quantities when on a carb-counting diet. The type of vegetable you choose is most important. Eat leafy green vegetables like cabbage, kale and lettuce for the lowest carb count, at about 1 g or less per half cup. Foods with high water content, like radishes, celery, daikon and cucumber also come in at about 2 g carbs per half cup. Other vegetables at less than 3 g carbs per serving include peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, summer squash, turnips, Brussels sprouts and eggplant. Tomatoes have between 3 and 5 g carbs each, depending on size.
Fruit
Fruit is not allowed in the induction phase of most carb-counting plans, but many carb counters enjoy fruits that feature lower on the glycemic index. Examples of such fruits are strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and melon. These foods have between 2 and 5 g carbs for a quarter cup and are high in natural fruit sugars called fructose. Add them to your plan slowly and monitor your results.
Grains and Legumes
Grains and legumes are not typically part of a low carbohydrate diet, however, some people do eat them in limited moderation. A quarter cup serving of most types of beans is between 12 and 18 g. Oatmeal, brown rice and have about 10 g per half cup.
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