Low carbohydrate diets are based on the premise that carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels which leads to weight gain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Therefore, on a low carbohydrate diet, carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and fruits are limited in order to promote weight loss. While many foods are limited or avoided completely on a low carbohydrate diet, there are some healthy low carbohydrate foods that are recommended for the diet.
Beef
Beef is recommended on the low carbohydrate because it naturally has no carbohydrates whatsoever. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, all cuts of beef, whether chuck, sirloin, tenderloin or even ground beef have 0g of carbohydrates and are rich in protein. Beef can be eaten as often as you like on most low carbohydrate diets, though beef that has been fried or breaded may have carbohydrates and therefore should be limited.
Broccoli
Though most low carbohydrate diets encourage dieters to eat meat and other animal products often, vegetables are an important part of the diet as well. Vegetables like broccoli are recommended on low carbohydrate diets because they contain fiber, which is sometimes hard to get on the diet. Fiber prevents and decreases constipation. The USDA states that one cup of raw broccoli has only 5.84g of carbs.
Chicken
Chicken is another meat encouraged on low carbohydrate diets because it is free of carbohydrates and full of muscle-nourishing protein. The United States Department of Agriculture states that whether dark meat or white meat, drumstick or breast, plain cooked chicken has no carbohydrates. If breaded and fried, chicken would contain carbohydrates so chicken is eaten only plain, or with butter or olive oil on the low carbohydrate diet.
Cheese
While most diets limit cheese or encourage only low fat or fat free cheese, low carbohydrate diets recommend eating full-fat, regular cheeses. The USDA's nutrient database says that an ounce of muenster cheese has only 0.32g of carbs while an ounce of Swiss cheese has 1.53g of carbohydrates. There is only 0.2g of carbohydrates in a tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Cheddar and jack cheese are also low in carbohydrates.
Spinach
Spinach is a vegetable that can be enjoyed in many ways while on a low carbohydrate diet. Since a cup of cooked spinach only contains 6.75 grams of carbohydrates, according to the USDA, cooked spinach can be used as a side dish or made into a crustless quiche with other low carbohydrate foods like eggs and bacon. The USDA says that a cup of raw spinach has only 1.09g of carbs.
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