Low- and no-carbohydrate foods come in a variety of forms. Some foods, like meat and vegetables, naturally contain little to no carbohydrates. On the other hand, with an increase in the popularity of low-carb diets, there are more artificially produced low-carb and no-carb products available than ever before. It can be difficult to identify which products are healthy additions to a diet.
Identification
Carbohydrates are one class of macronutrients comprised of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Along with protein and fat, carbohydrates provide energy to the body (4 calories per gram). A common misconception about low-carbohydrate foods is that they are also low in calories. While some low-carb foods, like vegetables and lean meats, are low in calories, fat and protein content also determine the total amount of calories in any food. Fatty cuts of red meat and olive oil are both no-carb foods that contain significant amounts of calories. When shopping for low- or no-carb foods, consider calories from other sources as well.
Significance
Many people adopt a low-carbohydrate diet to lose weight. Decreasing carbohydrate intake causes an initial loss in water weight in addition to helping to reduce total calorie intake, which is the main factor in weight loss. In addition to dieters, diabetics are strongly encouraged to stabilize blood sugar by monitoring carbohydrate intake. When you consume carbohydrates, your blood sugar rises. A hormone called insulin is produced and released by your pancreas to move that sugar into cells. People with diabetes either don't produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or don't have the proper response in the body for the release of insulin (type 2 diabetes). Either way, eating high carbohydrate foods consistently can be disastrous for diabetics.
Dietary Fiber
One type of carbohydrate is dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is indigestible by the body and does not have a caloric effect. However, on nutrition labels dietary fiber is listed as contributing to the overall total of carbohydrates in each serving of a given food. To determine actual carbohydrate total, subtract grams of fiber in a food from the total carbohydrate. The bean is an example of a food that is high in total carbohydrates but contains a large amount of dietary fiber and may be an acceptable food in low-carbohydrate diets.
Natural Low-Carb Foods
Some foods are naturally low or no carb. High-protein foods, like eggs or meat contain no carbs. In addition, most vegetables are low in carbohydrates, high in fiber and also nutrient dense. High fat foods, like oils, nuts, and avocados are also low carb or carb-free.
Sugar Substitutes
Many food manufacturers use artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols as a way to reduce the amount of carbohydrates and calories in foods. The four main types of artificial sweeteners are aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, and sucralose. Some believe that some of these sweeteners may cause cancer in humans. According to the Mayo Clinic, though, there are no studies that support this controversial opinion. Artificial sweeteners are safe to use by healthy individuals--in moderation--as a way to reduce carbohydrate intake. In addition to artificial sweeteners, food manufacturers also use sugar alcohols as a lower carbohydrate choice that doesn't negatively affect blood sugar levels. According to Yale-New Haven Hospital, sugar alcohols contain fewer calories per gram compared to sugar. However, excessive consumption of sugar alcohols can lead to bloating and a "laxative effect" in the body, so monitor consumption.
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