You will find no carbs or fat in any of the recipes that I have listed in my blog. You’ll find recipes that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, as well as several choices for those on a diet. I hope my blog helps you lead a healthier lifestyle!
Food With No Carbs And High Fat
Low-carb diets limit the number of carbohydrates a person eats. Instead of carbs, people focus on eating proteins, healthful fats, and vegetables.
Carbohydrates or carbs are one of three main food types that the body needs to work properly. The other two are protein and fat. Carbs give the body energy. The body breaks carbs down to use immediately or later.
If the body does not need to use the carbs for energy as soon as a person eats them, it stores them in the muscles and liver to use later. However, if the body does not use these stored carbs, the body converts them to fat.
Ten low-carb diet tips
Many people find following a low-carb diet challenging, particularly at the beginning of the diet. The following low-carb diet tips might help people stick to their diet and may help them lose weight successfully.
1. Knowing what foods are low-carb
Low-carb foods include:
- lean meats, such as sirloin, chicken breast, or pork
- fish
- eggs
- leafy green vegetables
- cauliflower and broccoli
- nuts and seeds, including nut butter
- oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, and rapeseed oil
- some fruit, such as apples, blueberries, and strawberries
- unsweetened dairy products including plain whole milk and plain Greek yogurt
2. Know the carb counts and serving sizes of foods
Most low carb diets only allow for 20 to 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day. Because of this, it is essential that people following low-carb diets choose foods that have a lower carb count but a high nutritional value per serving.
The foods in the quantities listed below all contain approximately 15 g of carbs:
- 1 tennis ball sized apple or orange
- 1 cup of berries
- 1 cup of melon cubes
- ½ medium banana
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- 8 ounces of milk
- 6 ounces of plain yogurt
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup peas
- ½ cup beans or legumes
- 1 small baked potato
- 1 slice of bread
- 1/3 cup of cooked rice
While the foods listed above all contain roughly equal amounts of carbohydrates, they are not all nutritionally equivalent. The dairy products on the list contain protein and vital nutrients, such as Vitamin D and calcium in addition to the carbohydrate content.
The fruit and vegetables also contain essential vitamins and minerals. Choosing whole-grain varieties of bread and rice will provide more nutrients than white varieties, even though the carb content is similar.
3. Make a meal plan
A meal plan can help make things easier.
Anyone trying to follow a low-carb diet could try mapping out their week and plan all meals before heading to the grocery store.
Planning meals in advance can help people stick to the diet.
Knowing what they are going to eat for lunch and dinner can help a person avoid making unhealthful food choices, such as stopping at a fast food restaurant.
Meal planners are available for purchase online.
4. Meal prep
Planning is one thing, but preparing meals ahead of time can also help. Meal prep can help a person:
- avoid making unhealthful food choices
- save time during busier times of the week
- save money
Some people like to prepare a week’s worth of breakfasts and lunches ahead of time and store the meals in containers, so they are convenient and ready to go. It is possible to freeze some meals too, meaning people can prepare even more food in advance.
Having lots of pre-prepared meals on hand can help people avoid choosing less healthful options.
Popular low-carb meals to prepare in advance include:
- egg muffins
- Greek yogurt bowls
- protein pancakes
- chicken lettuce wraps
- protein and vegetable stir fry with no rice
5. Carry low-carb snacks
Low-carb snack options for between meals include:
- hard boiled eggs
- unsweetened yogurt
- baby or regular carrots
- handful of nuts
- cheese
It is essential to regulate portion size of any snacks to avoid overeating.
6. Consider carb cycling
Carb cycling involves eating very low-carb foods for a set amount of days, followed by one day of eating higher carb meals. This helps the body avoid fat-burning plateaus that can develop after weeks of low-carb dieting.
Carb cycling is not for everyone, and anyone considering it should talk to their doctor or nutritionist first.
7. Not all carbs are created equal
Carbs come in different forms.
Simple carbs consist of easy to digest sugars. Refined and processed carbs, such as white sugar and white flour, are simple carbs.
People who are starting on a low-carb diet need to think about reducing their intake of refined and processed carbs. Avoiding these carbs will be beneficial for reaching an ideal weight and for health in general.
However, not all simple carbs are created equal. Fruits include fructose, which is a simple carb, but eating fruit is recommended in a low-carb diet, as it is loaded with nutrients and is a whole-food source of carbs.
Complex carbs take longer to digest than simple carbs, as they need to be broken down into a simpler form. Complex carbs are found in more nutrient-rich foods, such as beans, whole-grains, and fiber-rich fruits, such as bananas.
Complex carbs also have the added benefit of making a person feel full faster, which might prevent them from overeating. Complex carbs also make people feel full for longer, which might help them avoid snacking between meals.
8. Be aware of alternatives
Substituting low-carb or no-carb foods for high-carb foods can help reduce carb intake.
Some low-carb substitutions include:
- lettuce leaves instead of taco shells
- portobello mushroom caps instead of buns
- baked butternut squash fries
- eggplant lasagna
- cauliflower pizza crust
- spaghetti squash instead of noodles
- zucchini ribbons instead of pasta
9. Exercise appropriately
Exercise is an important part of overall health. People should avoid a sedentary lifestyle but refrain from excessive exercising.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source recommend that adults do moderate exercise for 150 minutes a week for a minimum 10 minutes at a time for moderate health benefits. For optimal health benefits, the CDC recommend 300 minutes of exercise. The CDC also suggest that people lift weights or do other strength training exercises to improve overall health.
Those on low-carb diets may want to avoid long periods of intense activity such as distance running. This is because people who are doing a form of exercise that requires extra endurance, such as marathon training, will need extra carbohydrates to fuel their bodies.
10. Use common sense
People should know about potential health risks before starting a low-carb diet.
Short-term health risks caused by a low-carb diet may include:
- cramping
- constipation
- palpitations
- high cholesterol
- headaches
- brain fog
- lack of energy
- nausea
- bad breath
- rash
- reduced athletic performance
Long-term health risks caused by a low-carb diet may include:
- nutritional deficiencies
- loss of bone density
- gastrointestinal problems
Some people should not follow a low-carb diet unless instructed to do so by a doctor. These groups of people include those with kidney disease and teenagers.
Not everyone will benefit from, or should even consider, a low-carb diet. Anyone thinking about doing a low-carb diet should speak with a doctor before starting.
Zero Carb Food List
Keeping carbs low is the key to keto diet success. When carb intake is too high, we simply cannot enter ketosis and experience the unique benefits of keto.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to rigidly track your carb intake at all times. In fact, many keto dieters are able to stay in ketosis by using one simple strategy: Eating mostly keto-friendly foods that have little to no net carbs (i.e., digestible carbs that reduce ketone production).
Although it may seem like carbs are hiding around every corner when you first start your keto weight loss journey, there are hundreds of delicious options that have zero or almost zero net carbs as well. To help you figure what these foods are and make keto as easy as possible, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of zero carb and almost zero carb foods for your convenience.
Food With Only Fat
Fats are often seen as being dangerous or unhealthy, but that’s not entirely accurate. Your body needs fats to function. Getting healthy fats in your diet is critical to keeping your skin, organs, and endocrine system (responsible for making and regulating hormones) functioning properly. However, not all fats are created equal.
There are four different types of fats:
- Monounsaturated fats
- Polyunsaturated fats
- Saturated fats
- Trans fats
Each type of fat is structured slightly differently. Saturated fats have a chemical composition that allows them to solidify more easily, while unsaturated fats are structured in a way that keeps them liquid at room temperature. Butter and bacon grease are generally saturated fats, while olive oil is an unsaturated fat.
These differences in the chemical composition of fats are the basis for their varying health effects. While small quantities of fats typically aren’t a problem, consuming large amounts of saturated or trans fats is generally considered to be bad for your health.
Why You Should Avoid Fats
Saturated fats appear to raise LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, in most people. These fats encourage the creation of more LDL cholesterol and reduce the receptors that remove this type of cholesterol from your body.
High LDL cholesterol levels can seriously and negatively affect your body. LDL cholesterol is one of the biggest causes of and risk factors for heart disease. This is the type of cholesterol that causes plaque buildup in your arteries, which is a primary cause of heart attacks. Plaque in your arteries can also break off and travel to your brain, leading to strokes.
Similarly, trans fats, or partially hydrogenated fats, not only raise your LDL cholesterol but also lower your “good” HDL cholesterol level. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to completely remove artificial trans fats from processed foods because they are deemed unsafe.
On the other hand, mono- and polyunsaturated fats decrease the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. Because of this, it’s recommended that you keep saturated fats to less than 10% of your daily caloric intake and replace as many saturated fats with unsaturated fats as possible.
Healthy High Fat Foods
#1: Avocados
| Fat per Avocado | Fat per 100g | Fat per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 29g (38% DV) | 15g (19% DV) | 18g (23% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Avocados.(Source)
More Fruits High in Healthy Fats
- 13g (20% DV) per cup of durian
- 2.3g (3% DV) in 5 medium olives
See the ranking of fruits high in fat.
#2: Tofu
| Fat per Cup | Fat per 100g | Fat per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 22g (28% DV) | 9g (11% DV) | 12g (16% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu.(Source)
- 18g (23% DV) in 1 cup of tempeh
#3: Macadamia Nuts
| Fat per 1 Oz Handful | Fat per 100g | Fat per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 22g (28% DV) | 76g (97% DV) | 21g (27% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Macadamia Nuts.(Source)
More Nuts High in Healthy Fats
- 20g (26% DV) in 1 oz of pecans
- 19g (25% DV) in 1 oz of pine nuts
- 19g (24% DV) in 1 oz of walnuts
See the complete list of nuts and seeds high in fat.
#4: Fish (Salmon)
| Fat per 6oz Fillet | Fat per 100g | Fat per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 21g (27% DV) | 12g (16% DV) | 12g (15% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Farmed Atlantic Salmon.(Source)
More Fish High in Healthy Fats
- 30g (39% DV) in a 6oz mackerel fillet
- 26g (33% DV) in a 5oz herring fillet
- 11g (14% DV) in a 6oz tuna steak
See the list of fish high in fat.
#5: Peanut Butter
| Fat per 2 Tblsp | Fat per 100g | Fat per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 16g (21% DV) | 51g (66% DV) | 17g (22% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Unsalted Peanut Butter (Smooth).(Source)
More Nut Butters High in Healthy Fats
- 18g (23% DV) in 2 tblsp of almond butter
- 16g (20% DV) in 2 tblsp on cashew butter
- 16g (20% DV) in 2 tblsp of tahini (sesame seed butter)