Low-carbohydrate diets aim to stabilize your blood glucose and insulin levels by limiting simple carbohydrates and sugar intake. Diabetics have to monitor their carb consumption as well because too many carbs can raise their blood sugar to harmful levels. You can still have satisfying, tasty meals without high carbohydrate content. Low-carb diets often recommend receiving the majority of your complex carbohydrates from non-starchy vegetables, particularly in the first few weeks.
Low-Carb Breakfasts
If you are on a carb-counting diet plan, eggs are a healthy, diet-friendly breakfast option because they are free of carbs and provide complete protein. Scrambled eggs are an option--cook them in extra-virgin olive oil for added healthy fats and flavor and add reduced-fat Swiss cheese, mushrooms and onion for extra flavor. Another option is an asparagus omelet with goat cheese, which only contains 6g of carbohydrates. This recipe contains liquid egg substitute, eggs, fat-free milk, chopped scallions, chopped fresh thyme leaves, chopped parsley, ground black pepper, salt, asparagus, crumbled reduced-fat goat cheese and chives for garnish.
Low-Carb Lunches
Ditch the high-carb bread on sandwiches and make roll-ups for lunch. Make a quick turkey roll-up with turkey slices, reduced-fat American cheese slices, kale, honey mustard and avocado. Salads are also low-carb lunch options, just make sure to load them with protein and non-starchy vegetables for satiety and nutrients. Prepare a warm beef salad with flank steak slices, fresh lemon juice, grated lemon zest, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive or canola oil, mesclun greens, wedged plum tomatoes, diced red onion and crumbled, reduced-fat feta cheese. This yummy lunch will fill you up and only contains 7g of carbohydrates.
Low-Carb Dinners
Lean meats and seafood are often recommended on low-carbohydrate diets for main courses at dinner because they are excellent sources of complete protein and are virtually carb-free. Seafood such as salmon, tuna, halibut and herring are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which support your heart health. Make shrimp for dinner with turkey bacon or Canadian bacon, chopped onion, chopped bell peppers, a celery stalk, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, hot-pepper sauce and medium peeled shrimp. This meal only contains 12g of carbohydrates and provides 26g of protein.
Warning
You may notice a loss of energy if you are just starting a low-carbohydrate diet because carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy. Carbs are also the most significant source of dietary fiber. MayoClinic.com warns that you may be at risk for fiber deficiency on low-carb diets. Talk with your doctor before starting a low-carb diet to make sure that it is right for your personal needs. Low carbohydrate intake may also result in ketosis, which is a state your body reaches when it does not receive sufficient amounts of glucose for energy and begins to partially break down fat stores for energy. This leaves unhealthy levels of acid and ketones in your body.
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