Foods You Can Eat on a Low Carb Diet

Knowing what foods you can eat on a low carb diet makes it much easier to stick to your plan and make it successful. Some of the allowed foods may vary depending on which diet you are on. Atkins, South Beach or Protein Power, for example, all have distinct rules and restrictions. There are also differences in what you may eat depending on where you are in your low carb diet plan. However, having a general idea of the carb count in different foods will go a long way toward helping you whichever eating plan you choose to follow when you are trying to lose weight.

Carbs

What exactly are carbs, anyhow? Carbs, or carbohydrates, are food compounds that are broken down into simple sugars by the body. While carbohydrates are important for giving your body energy, not all carbs are created equal. In fact, most carbs that people consume today are far from being good, especially in the quantities some people eat. There are actually two types of carbohydrates:

Simple Carbs

Simple carbs are found in foods that have been refined or processed. Examples of foods containing simple carbs are:

• Sugar
• White flour
• White rice

Simple carbs have been so "simplified" that much of their nutritional value has been stripped away. They provide empty calories, too many of which can make you fat and unhealthy. Any time you purchase "instant" types of foods or convenience foods, you are buying foods with predominantly simple carbohydrates. These are the carbs that are better to avoid.

Complex Carbs

Complex carbs are the "good" carbs. Because they are unrefined they still have the qualities that make them more useful to your body. Fiber, which is refined away in white rice and flour, is present in brown rice and whole grains. Your body needs fiber to keep your digestive system working optimally. In addition, complex carbs contain vitamins and minerals that keep all of your body's systems running smoothly.

Complex carbs are still broken down into sugars, but the breakdown process takes place more slowly. This is extremely important in order to keep your blood sugar levels at an even keel. If you are having a difficult time figuring out whether a food is a simple or a complex carbohydrate, think of it this way: Is this food as close as possible to the way it was first produced naturally?

A fresh, whole apple is as close to its natural state as it can get; apple sauce, on the other hand, does not look much like an apple because it has been processed. This is not to say that apple sauce is bad, this simply serves as an example of how to look at foods. Whole foods are always the most healthful and are usually an important part of the foods you can eat on a low carb diet. The more a food is processed, the less value it has for your body. Processed foods are the ones that should be be eliminated from your low carb diet plan.

Examples of Foods You Can Eat on a Low Carb Diet

Indulge and still lose weight.

Refer to the charts below for some examples of foods that are recommended on most low carb diets. Remember, though, it is best to read your diet plan book to be sure that you aren't deviating from the plan and inadvertently sabotaging yourself.

Vegetables

Other vegetables, like salad greens, spinach and green onions, also are very low in carbohydrates. You can eat a huge salad without worrying about consuming too many carbs.

Fruit

Some fruits, while low in carbs, are often restricted on low carb eating plans because they are high in sugar. These include things like pineapple (4.8 carbs) and grapes (7.9 carbs). Other fruits that you may love are very high in carbohydrates, such as mangos (35.2 carbs) or dried fruit (63.6 carbs). Be sure you follow your plan carefully with respect to these items.

Meat and Cheese

Overall, you should consume protein from lean sources. In addition, avoid breaded meats, processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meats) or meats that are sugar cured like bacon or ham. Also, limit your consumption of mussels, oysters and organ meats to four ounces per day because they are higher in carbs that other meats.

For more information on carbohydrate contents in foods for your low carb diet, check out the Atkins Carb Counter.