Best Things To Eat On Low-carb Diet

If you are following a low-carb diet, you probably eliminated a lot of foods you used to eat on a regular basis because of their high carb content, including starchy vegetables, grains and sugar-rich foods such as soft drinks, jams, syrups, baked goods and desserts. A low-carb diet limits your daily carb intake between 50 g and 150 g a day, while some plans even suggest keeping your carbs lower than 20 g a day at the beginning to get faster results. To be successful with your low-carb diet, focus on the low-carb foods you can eat.

Nonstarchy Vegetables

Avoid starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, peas and corn because of their high-carb content. Instead, choose nonstarchy vegetables. Not only do they contain less than 5 g of carbs per serving on average, but they also are rich in satiating fiber and health-protective nutrients. Include a generous serving of leafy greens, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and asparagus at most of your meals.

Eggs

Eggs are free of carbs, but rich in protein, making them a perfect food for your low-carb diet. Have eggs any way you like -- at breakfast or snack on eggs whenever you get hungry between meals. Scrambled eggs, fried eggs, frittatas, omelets, deviled eggs, hard-boiled eggs -- use your imagination.

Cheese

Cheese does not contain carbs, with the exception of cottage cheese and ricotta cheese, which contain less than 5 g of carbs per 1/2 cup serving. Add cheese to any of your meals, whether you melt it in your scrambled eggs at breakfast, grate it over your salad at lunch or use it to stuff your chicken breast at dinner; 1 to 2 oz. of cheese also makes a satisfying snack.

Red Meat, Poultry and Fish

Protein is the most satiating nutrient, and to prevent you from feeling hungry on your low-carb diet, include a 4 to 6 oz. serving of protein at most of your meals. Alternate between chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, pork, beef and game meats to increase variety.

Fat

When following a low-carb diet, fat becomes your body's main source of energy. Include a small amount, or about 1 to 2 tbsp., at each of your meals. You can choose between butter, cream, olive oil or coconut oil. Bacon and avocado also constitute good options to increase your fat intake.

Nuts and Nut Butter

Nuts and nut butter provide a small amount of carbs, so portion control is important, especially if your carb target is very low. Avoid sugar-coated nuts and choose natural nut butter over the varieties that contain added sugar. Add a handful of oven-roasted almonds to your salad or snack on celery sticks spread with natural peanut butter.

Dark Chocolate

If you wish to satisfy your sweet tooth without exceeding your carb budget, you can try dark chocolate. The higher the cocoa content, the lower the sugar and carbs. Choose chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa to keep your carb intake as low as possible. Don't exceed 1 oz. per dessert serving.