25 Low-Carb Foods to Include in Your Meals
Healthy Low-Carb Food Options
Trying to lose weight but not finding gainful results with your low-fat diet?
Are you too suddenly encountering the buzzword 'low carbs food'? And, ever since, are you trying to decipher what low-carb foods are all about, their benefits, and which foods fall under them?
If yes, this is the right place. Read on to understand how and why some of the lowest-carb foods are replacing low-fat ones. These will help achieve a perfect waistline, if not an hourglass figure!
What does 'low-carb' mean?
A low-carb diet essentially means consuming food that is low in carbohydrates. These include starchy grains, fruits, and veggies. Dieticians and experts would always suggest foods with low-carb rather than low-fat foods if you are looking to lose weight without losing muscles.
Years of research have proven that the intake of natural fats is not as harmful to the body as consuming higher amounts of carbs. This is especially true for obese people and those trying to lose weight. Besides, you can opt for healthy weight-loss meals for an eventful journey!
Benefits of going on low or no-carb foods
When considering meal subscriptions in Dubai, it's worth looking for options that include low-carb foods to support a healthy lifestyle. Including these foods in your meal plans can help control carbohydrate intake and promote overall well-being.
- It helps reduce risks associated with Type 2 Diabetes and some cardiovascular diseases. Consuming low-carb foods lead to the creation of lesser blood sugar in the blood, which helps deal with blood sugar.
- Low-carb food minimizes serum triglycerides and C-reactive protein in the blood. This, in turn, reduces risks associated with cardiovascular, coronary, and insulin-related diseases.
- These foods are great for losing weight. The entire biological process is based on the fact that carbohydrates are converted to glucose and used as energy by the body. The excess glucose accumulates in the liver and muscles as fats. Shifting to foods that are low carb cuts the supply of energy, breaking the accumulated fats and resulting in weight loss.
Check out some excellent recipes for a healthy dinner for weight loss.
List of 25 low-carb foods
Vegetables
What foods have the least carbs? Here's a list of the veggies that should be a part of your low-carb diet.
Cauliflower
This vegetable contains about 3.5 ounces of carbs. It is a typical low-calorie, low-carb food rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium and potassium.
Recipes to try: Mashed cauliflower is a wonderful way to replace mashed potatoes. You can try cauliflower rice, butter-roasted cauliflower, marinated baked, and cauliflower hash browns.
Avocado
This is one of the superstars amongst low-carb foods containing about 2g of carbs per 100g. Even though many consider avocado fruit, it can be used in fruit and veggie salads. Best of all, it is a high-calorie, low-fat, low-carb food.
Recipes to try: Avocado pie, Avocado hummus, green beans and avocado, avocado seafood salad, etc.
Zucchini
The carb content in Zucchini is 3g per 100g. This vegetable is an excellent addition to portions of pasta, salads, and loaves of bread.
Recipes to try: Zucchini fries and noodles, Zucchini Lasagna, Zucchini nacho chips, etc.
Green leafy veggies like cabbage and spinach
These are two wonder-food counted among the top 10 low-carbohydrate foods. A green diet, of which these two are a part, brings with itself a bunch of benefits that will serve you lifelong. Spinach has about 1g, and cabbage, a low-carb, low-calorie food, contains about 3g of carbs per 100g.
Recipes to try: Cabbage stir fry, cabbage casserole, Chicken cabbage rolls, spinach dip, fresh cream spinach, kale, spinach soup, etc.
Asparagus
With 2g carbohydrates per 100g, this is one of the best low-carb foods. There is no reason why you should not get this in your grocery the next time you go shopping.
Recipes to try: Seared salmon with asparagus, tuna salad, and so on.
Kale
Nutrient-rich kale is a fantastic food option to add to your daily meals. With only 3g carbs per 100g, this is not just nutritious but tasty too.
Recipes to try: Kale chips, cranberry kale salad, fried kale, broccoli salad, turkey apple patties with kale, etc.
Broccoli
A common green vegetable, broccoli is another less-carb food with about 4g carbs per 100g. Contrary to popular belief, you can churn out many great tasty dishes out of broccoli.
Recipes to try: Broccoli cheddar soup, broccoli mash, chicken with broccoli salad, broccoli, cheese, etc.
Green Beans
Green beans serve as a great accompaniment in salads whether you choose to dice, toss or fricassee them. The carb value is about 4g per 100g.
Recipes to try: Chicken and green beans, green beans and avocado, walnut crumb green beans, fried salmon green beans, and many more.
Cucumber
This is another excellent low-calorie, low-carb food with notably high water content. Filled with nutrients like potassium, Vitamins A and C, this is a must-include food in your daily diet regime.
Recipes to try: Cucumber peanut salad, cucumber soup, Japanese Kapa Maki, cucumber and prawn soup, and more.
Celery
Containing about 3g carbs per 100g, this is another low-calorie and low-carb food. This fibrous veggie is a storehouse of potassium and essential vitamins.
Recipes to try: Celery soup, celery salad, celery smoothie, and juices.
White Mushroom
Containing high amounts of Vitamin B and potassium, this is another top food with little carbs. These include 3g carbs per 100g.
Recipes to try: Mushroom galette, lentil soup with mushrooms, sauteed mushrooms, and more.
Fruits
Fruits do contain considerably high sugar levels, but eating natural sugar does not do much harm. While fruits have higher carbs than veggies, these are still a better option than low cal, high-carb foods like root vegetables, brown rice, bread, and pasta.
Oranges
Filled with water and fiber content, this fruit is a low-calorie carb food. It ticks all the right boxes as a filling food with low carbs.
Tip - Rich in potassium and Vitamin C, remember to have the whole fruit instead of orange juice.
Peaches
Peaches are sweet, yes, but they are also one of the low-calorie, low-carb foods. Extremely tasty, peaches contain nutrients like beta-carotene, Vitamins A and C. This fruit has about 8g of carbs per 100g.
Tip - Pair up peaches with cottage cheese for a low-carb snack lip-smacking.
Watermelon
It is an amazing tonic for your body during summer. The water-rich fruit has about 7.5g of carbs per 100g.
Tip - Have a cup full of watermelon for best results.
Strawberries
Strawberries are not only low in carbs, but also rich in nutrients and is an antioxidant. In addition, it has potent amount of manganese and vitamin C.
Tip – Scoop up some unsweetened yogurt with your strawberries to increase its efficacy.
Meats, Fishes & Eggs
People often ask, 'What food has zero carbs?' The answer is seafood and fish. Similar is the case with meats and eggs - these are the best zero carb high protein foods. Here's a list of all the good non-vegetarian food options for your daily meals.
Salmon
This is one of the top zero-carbs, zero-carb foods. Not just that, it contains beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and proteins and is high in calories. It's the perfect low-carb meal.
Recipes to try: Honey garlic glazed salmon, coconut curry salmon, lemon seared salmon, etc.
Beef
Rich in essential vitamins like B12 and iron, beef is one of the ideal zero-carb foods.
Recipes to try: Ribeye steak, hamburgers, jerky packs, and more.
Chicken
Looking for a low-carb, no-carb food? This is it. The most loved food by non-vegetarians that has zero carbs but a storehouse of proteins is undoubtedly chicken.
Recipes to try: Want to reduce weight? Go in for recipes with thighs and wings to keep it entirely off carbs.
Lamb
Another storehouse of iron, lamb also contains reasonable amounts of vitamin B12 and conjugated linoleic acid. It is one of the most sought-after zero-carb food.
Recipes to try: Roasted lamb legs, roasted lamb breast, lamb haleem, slow-cooked lamb gyros, and more.
Trout
Trout is another globally loved zero-carbs, high-fat food, and a favorite among those who prefer a pescatarian diet. Go for it for its omega-3 fatty acids.
Recipes to try: Steamed and pan-fried trout, trout in garlic lemon butter sauce, smoked trout, etc.
Eggs
This list of low-carb foods to eat is incomplete without including the universally loved eggs. Do eggs have carbs? No. These are healthy everyday low-carb, high-calorie inclusions containing almost zero carbs.
Recipes to try: Scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, egg toasts, sunny-side up, egg wraps, and so on.
Oils
Rich in polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and saturated fats, some of the oils are extremely low-carb foods.
Butter
Contrary to what you think, butter is a high-calorie, low-carb food. It's best to choose grass-fed butter high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
It is another best zero-carb food. You are already feeding on the most healthy oil option known for its rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties if you love Mediterranean cuisine.
Nuts
Did you know that C-shaped nuts are advised as the lowest carb foods for Keto? Including nuts in your daily diet is a must.
Walnut
with 14g carbs per 100g, walnut is good low-carb food. It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid.
Peanuts
Rich in Vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium, peanuts are a great option as a food for a low-carb diet. Every 100g contains 16g of carbs.
Bottom Line
Not all carbs are bad. There are simple and complex carbs. Know which is good for your body and which to avoid in complex carbs vs. simple carbs. Eggs, lamb, beef, chicken, trout, salmon, butter, extra virgin olive oil, water, etc., are zero carbs, low-calorie foods.
Low-calorie carb foods are veggies growing above the ground, including cauliflower, asparagus, cucumber, celery, green beans, broccoli, avocado, zucchini, etc. Those growing below have high carb content, like potatoes, carrots, beetroot, onion, parsnip, and celeriac.
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