Low Carb Food List

Whether you're trying to lose weight by following a low carb diet or just monitoring your carb intake because of diabetes or hypoglycemia, a low carb food list is invaluable. Remember, though, that not all carbs are created equal.

Simple Versus Complex Carbohydrates

When you're looking at the carb content of foods, it's easy to lump all carbs together, but resist the temptation. There are actually good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs do not cause dramatic changes in blood sugar level, while bad carbs cause a quick spike in blood sugar followed by a rapid drop. These fluctuations cause the dieter to feel dizzy, irritable, and unsteady.

The good carbs are the unrefined, complex carbohydrates that are close to their natural state. Bad carbs are the simple, processed carbohydrates that are virtually unrecognizable from their origin. And then you have the carbohydrates that fall in between.

Low Carb Food List: Vegetables

When you are trying to lose weight on a low carb diet, the bulk of your carbs should be in the form of nonstarchy vegetables, especially salad greens. The following veggies are considered great low carb choices:

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Bamboo shoots
• Banana peppers
• Bean sprouts
• Bell peppers
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Collard greens
• Cucumber
• Endive
• Eggplant
• Fennel
• Green beans
• Jicama
• Kale
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Mustard greens
• Nori
• Onions
• Radicchio
• Radishes
• Scallions
• Snow peas
• Spinach
• Summer squash
• Tomato
• Wax beans
• Zucchini

Low Carb Fruits

Although fruits get a bad rap by some low carb followers and some diabetics do need to limit fruit consumption, fresh fruit are actually quite healthy. Here are the fruits with the lowest carb count:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberries
• Grapefruits
• Guava
• Honeydew melon
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb
• Strawberries

Please note that these foods must be avoided on the Induction phase of the Atkins diet, as well as the early stages of some other diets. Check your specific diet for fruit recommendations.

Low Carb Protein

No low carb food list would be complete without an extensive protein list. All meat (aside from organ meats), eggs, seafood, and poultry is low carb in its natural state. It is only through cooking and processing that these foods become carb-heavy. Assuming you do not cook it in a way that adds carbs, the following are all low in carbs:

• Eggs
• Beef
• Catfish
• Chicken, white and dark meat
• Clams
• Cornish hen
• Crabs
• Duck
• Flounder
• Goose
• Herring
• Lamb
• Lobster
• Pheasant
• Pork
• Quail
• Roast
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Sole
• Squid
• Steak
• Tuna
• Turkey, white and dark meat
• Veal
• Venison

Low Carb Dairy

Due to lactose (milk sugar) content, many people need to limit milk on a low carb diet. Cheese and some other dairy products, however, are allowed. Check the specifics of your chosen diet, but the following are generally considered to be low carb:

• Butter
• Blue cheese
• Brie cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Colby cheese
• Cream
• Cream cheese
• Edam cheese
• Feta cheese
• Gouda cheese
• Monterey Jack cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Provolone cheese
• Ricotta cheese
• Romano cheese
• Roquefort cheese
• Sour cream
• Swiss cheese

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