Keto

Can you imagine that there is a zero carb world where nervous counting doesn’t exist? If you’re starting with low carb, speeding up ketosis or in Atkins Induction, no carb foods will help you and set you free.

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There is a HUGE list of low carb foods. Zero carb foods are more limited. That’s especially the case with fruits and vegetables, but there are still over 100 choices for rich satisfying meals.

Using the No Carb Foods List

Technically, fats are the only foods that are completely zero carb. Meats and seafood also contain trace amounts. The foods on this list have very minor amounts of net carbs – fractions of a gram. These foods are so close to zero that most low carbers consider them ‘no carb foods.’

The “almost” zero carb foods are a bit higher, but a single serving from the list is still under 1 net carb.

The only warning is that you should track your servings. Trace amounts of carbs add up.

Tips for Going Zero Carb

You’ve decided to go low. These three easy tips simplify starting a zero carb diet.

1. Give yourself a few days to prepare.

Check your fridge and cabinets. Move any higher carb foods to the side and fill the space with your favorite no carb foods.

Plan a zero carb grocery trip and stock up!

2. Focus on what you ARE allowed to eat.

Zero carb foods are savory and delicious. You won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself.

3. Have fun. Try new things.

If you are eating foods with no carbs, you are cooking more often. Have some fun with your food. It is a good way to build positive associations.

No Carb Food Labels

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Many food labels list foods as having zero carbs. Labeling laws allow food companies to print “zero grams” on the label if the food has less than one gram of carbs.

Sugar substitutes, cheeses, eggs and spices are common examples of this situation. If you’re being extra cautious, count them as .5 net carbs per serving.

List of No Carb Foods

Here, we are presenting you foods that have zero carbs based on the National Nutrient Database published by the US Department of Agriculture.

Zero Carb Meat

Most natural meats have zero carbs and are high in protein and vitamins. Packaged, cured and processed meats (sausage, hot dogs, deli meat, bacon, etc.) have some carbs because of added flavoring, preservatives or starchy binders. Always check the labels.

These natural meats have no carbs:

• Beef
• Veal
• Lamb
• Pork
• Fowl (turkey, chicken, duck, goose, hen, quail)
• Organ Meats (brains, tongue, liver, heart, kidneys)
• Game Meats (venison, bison, ostrich, caribou, elk)
• Exotic Meats (such as ostrich and emu)

Zero Carb Seafood

Fresh (unprocessed) seafood is zero carb:

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• Cod
• Flounder
• Sole
• Haddock
• Halibut
• Sardine
• Swordfish
• Tuna
• Trout
• Salmon
• Catfish
• Bass
• Crab
• Shrimp
• Lobster
• Squid
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Clams

Zero Carb Dairy

• Butter
• Whipped Cream (check each label)
• Heavy Cream (check each label)

It’s possible to find zero carb cheese, particularly hard cheese. Most cheese is low carb, ranging from 0 to .5 net carbs per ounce (complete list below).

Zero Carb Seasoning

Flavoring zero carb foods makes them much more palatable. There are over 60 low carb spices to choose from – and eight of them speed up fat loss.

• Salt and Pepper
• Vinegar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Most Hot Sauces
• Pre-mixed Seasonings (check the label)
• Yellow Mustard
• Dill weed
• Chives
• Zero Carb Oils and Fats
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• MCT oil
• Avocado oil
• Fish oil
• Animal Fats (including lard)
• Butter (particularly grass-fed)

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Less healthy, yet zero carb oils:

• Mayonnaise (check each label)
• Vegetable Shortening
• Canola oil
• Peanut oil
• Sesame oil

Zero Carb Beverages

• Water
• Sparkling Water
• Club Soda
• Coffee
• Tea
• Diet Soda (watch the artificial sweetener)

Zero Carb Sweeteners

Aspartame, sucralose, saccharine and stevia are advertised as no carb sugar substitutes. However, the powder and granular ones usually contain trace amounts of carbohydrate fillers.

It only takes a little to go a long way. Use a sprinkle.

Note: Artificial sweeteners can affect insulin the same way sugar does, so watch your progress, use sparingly and with caution.

Zero Carb Alcohol

Always use alcohol with caution. Your body burns alcohol before it burns fat for fuel. When you have metabolized all the alcohol, your body will return to burning fat. Alcohol knocks some low carbers out of ketosis for several days after drinking alcohol. Everyone is different, so watch your progress and adjust if necessary.

• Gin
• Rum (unflavored)
• Vodka (unflavored)
• Whiskey
• Tequila
• Scotch

(Almost) Zero Carb Foods

This list of almost zero carb foods expands your options without compromising your plan. A single serving of these foods contains less than 1 net carb. Try to measure carefully and spread your extra carbs throughout the day.

Almost Zero Carb Fruits and Veggies

Many of the leafy green vegetables (spinach, lettuce, celery, kale, turnip greens) are great choices for going zero carb. Although commonly thought of as vegetables, avocados are fruit, almost zero carb and a source of healthy fat. Raspberries are high in fiber and are great to sprinkle over a salad or top with whipped cream.

Serving size: 1/2 cup

• Spinach .2
• Parsley .4
• Avocado .5
• Radish .5
• Lettuce .25
• Bok Choy .7
• Celery .8

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Serving size: 1/4 cup

• Mushrooms .5
• Garlic (1/2 clove) .5
• Pokeberry Shoots .5
• Cabbage .5
• Asparagus (3 pieces) .6
• Coconut .5
• Yellow Squash .7
• Raspberries .7
• Cauliflower .7
• Broccoli .8
• Cucumber .9

Almost Zero Carb Dairy

Eggs are so versatile: fried, scrambled, omelets, quiche, boiled, deviled and of course – egg salad.

• Eggs .2 to .7 (check the carton)

Eggs are almost zero carb, ranging from .2 to 1 net carb per egg. Organic, free-range, cage-free, etc. eggs have larger yolks, making them lower in carbs. Be sure to check each carton.

Almost Zero Carb Cheese

Most natural, unprocessed cheeses are with no added flavors or ingredients. They include 0 to 1 net carb per serving. Hard cheeses will be the lowest; softer, creamy cheeses will be the highest.

The following cheeses and net carb amounts are from FatSecret, Popular Cheeses. Check each label.

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Serving size: 1 oz = 1″ cube = ¼ cup grated (approx..)

• Asiago .9
• Blue .6
• Brie .1
• Camembert .1
• Cheddar .3
• Colby .7
• Edam .4
• Fontina .4
• Goats .6
• Gouda .6
• Gruyère .1
• Havarti .7
• Mexican Blend Cheese .5
• Monterey .1
• Mozzarella .6
• Muenster .3
• Neufchatel .1 to .8
• Parmesan .9
• Provolone .6
• Ricotta .8

 

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Just like adults, all children will reap the rewards from eating real, unprocessed food and cutting down on sugar, wheat and carbs in general.

However, the importance of basing meals around starchy food is deeply ingrained in modern culture – and just mentioning low-carb eating in relation to growing kids can send some people into a panic.

Surely it means they’ll be missing out on something essential? Here, we take a closer look at the top ten myths, and uncover the truth behind kids and low carb.

1. EATING LOW CARB WILL STUNT CHILDREN’S GROWTH

There are no vitamins, minerals and micronutrients in starchy carbs that your kids can’t get elsewhere to feed their growing bodies – and other sources are usually far better quality. Remember, beige food is nutritionally empty, whereas real food (vegetables, meat, fish, butter, nuts, eggs, some fruit) is packed with what your kids’ bodies need to help them grow.

In fact, studies have shown that chronic elevated blood glucose caused by high-carb diets can be far more dangerous for children’s growth.

2. KIDS WILL FEEL HUNGRY IF THEIR MEALS AREN’T BULKED UP WITH STARCHY CARBS

The “bulking up” theory is one of the favourite arguments against cutting down on carbs, especially for children. But starchy, beige food – the bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc that are staple ingredients in many households – is devoid of nutrients.

It’s one of the reasons we are the most overfed but undernourished generation in history. And they may well be bulky, but they don’t keep children full for long.

While kids can often tolerate more carbohydrates than adults, feeding them high-carb food won’t sustain them throughout the day – they’ll experience sugar spikes and sugar crashes, which make them feel much hungrier than they would have done eating real food.

“Two slices of wholewheat bread will raise your blood sugar higher and quicker than 6 teaspoons of sugar” (see video below).

3. EATING LOW CARB WILL MEAN KIDS CAN’T THINK PROPERLY

Much has been written about the brain needing glucose to function – a particular concern when you know your children need to concentrate at school. However, this is only a half-truth: while certain parts of the brain do only use glucose as fuel, others function very well on ketones, which are produced on a low-carb diet.

Remember, this is low carb, not “no carb” – and kids get all the carbs they need from vegetables, fruit and dairy. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some recent studies indicate that sugar may actually compromise learning and memory as well as the ability to cope with stress.

4. KIDS NEED CARBS FOR ENERGY

This is a particularly strange myth, because all food gives us energy (er, that’s what a calorie is!).

So high-carb foods do indeed give your kids energy, but it’s short-lived and swiftly followed by a slump and – you’ve guessed it – sugar cravings.

Picky eaters are particularly prone to this, as they often snack and graze on processed foods that are nutritionally lacking, such as flavoured yogurts, crisps, muesli bars and crackers, and end up skipping proper meals made up of real food.

When you lower the carbs on your kids’ plates, they avoid the high/low blood-sugar rollercoaster – and those energy slumps.

5. CHILDREN HAVE DIFFERENT NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Kids’ bodies are growing, so of course they have different nutritional needs from adults.

Children need real food.

They need good fats – they keep you full for longer, contain essential fatty acids and supply the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

They need protein – which helps build their growing muscles.

And yes, children need carbohydrates – but nowhere near as much as people think. All the carbs and fibre they need can be found in vegetables, fruit and dairy.

Stuffing kids with starchy, stodgy, processed, sugary foods does their bodies no favours at all. The phytic acid in grains have even been shown to hinder the absorption of iron, zinc and calcium, and wheat can reduce blood levels of vitamin D.

There is no deprivation for low-carb kids, just take a look at the wide variety of low-carb family friendly recipes here.

6. YOU MUSTN’T CUT OUT A WHOLE FOOD GROUP

We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: we are advocating low carb, not “no carb”. No food group is being eliminated.

The biggest sources of carbs should be vegetables, nuts, dairy and berries, rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.

Children can receive all the nutrients required for their growing bodies without the sugars and carbs of the modern diet.

By crowding out the junk and removing processed food from their diet, and focusing on real, whole food (healthy fats, fresh vegetables and good quality proteins), children become low-carb eaters almost by default.

7. EATING FAT MAKES KIDS FAT

Quite the opposite.

Encouraging overweight children to eat a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet is a big mistake – especially as low-fat products are usually packed with added sugar.

Healthy fats are essential for hormone production, healthy brain function, tissue development, appetite control and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). Children especially need Omega-3 fatty acids for eye and brain development.

Choose olive oil, butter, coconut oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds, eggs and meat, and encourage your children to eat their vegetables by putting butter, grated/shredded cheese, salad dressings and healthy oils on the table. Avoid seed oils, which are inflammatory and incredibly processed.

8. LOW-CARB LUNCH-BOXES ARE IMPOSSIBLE

Low-carb lunch boxes are surprisingly easy – and fun.

We have all grown up with the traditional sandwich, but is it really a good lunch? The wheat is 80% carbs, which means the kids will be hungry again within an hour, and wheat can cause leaky gut and malabsorption of vitamins.

So forget the bread, which is just a bulky filler, and focus on what you’d usually put inside it. Buy lunch boxes with little compartments, and fill them with real food: cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, ham, carrots, hard-boiled eggs. Use cold meat, such as roast beef, as a “wrap” and put a cheese and vegetables inside.

You can find plenty more ideas here.

9. LOW-CARB KIDS DON’T EAT FRUIT

Children need vegetables – they are packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, antioxidants and phytochemicals. But many parents complain their kids won’t touch them, preferring fruit every time.

The problem is, fruit and vegetables should not be seen as equal: fruit is incredibly high in carbs, especially fructose, so it should be limited to only one or two pieces per day (and they should only eat whole fruits, never fruit juice or dried fruits).

Go for lower-sugar fruit such as berries, and cut back on high-sugar tropical fruits such as pineapple and melon.

To encourage kids to eat more veggies instead, there are a few tricks you can try here, including disguising them in food they do enjoy, flavouring the vegetables with delicious low-carb sauces, and adding butter and cream.

10. CHILDREN SHOULDN’T BE ON A DIET

Guiding your children towards low-carb eating isn’t about putting your kids on a diet – it’s about eating real food that is natural, delicious and rich in nutrients for their growing bodies. And no one should argue there’s anything unhealthy about that.

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Source:  https://www.ditchthecarbs.com/

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Many people consider dieting for various reasons. The most common type of diet is the low carb diet. This type of diet is based on the idea that eating low carb foods leads to a reduction in insulin levels and so forcing the body to use protein and fat stores as the main sources of energy.

There are different low carb diet plans you hear about and they can be quite confusing.

Popular Low Carb Diets

The following is a general overview of the popular low carb diets. Since the pros and cons of each diet are subjective, we advise you to do your own research and get more information.

For the most popular low carb diet plans, there are books that provide detailed information and a complete set of guidelines. It is definitely a good idea to discuss your plans with your physician and to read the book of your selected diet before starting the diet.

1. Atkins Diet

Also known as the Atkins Nutritional Approach, this diet was made popular by Dr. Atkins in his book Dr Atkins’ Diet Revolution. 

The diet focuses on limiting the consumption of net carbs in order to force the body to switch from metabolizing glucose for energy to converting the body’s fat stores to a source of energy.

It consists of four phases, with phase 1 starting at 20 grams of carbs a day or less and then gradually increasing the low-carb intake until phase 4 where you can eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.

Pros: quick weight loss; cons: constant counting of net carbs.

2. Low GI Diet

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The glycemic index (GI) was designed for people with diabetes to help control their blood sugar levels.

The GI ranks carbs based on how fast they’re metabolized into glucose. High levels of glucose in the blood increases insulin production, which we want to avoid.

The GI diet focuses on complex carbs that produce a gradual rise in blood sugar, and fiber that helps you feel full longer. The theory is that what works to control blood sugar, should help you drop extra weight because you’re not as hungry, and you feel more satisfied.

You can get tips on how to choose low-GI carbs, and food and menu ideas in books like The New Glucose Revolution: Low GI Eating Made Easy by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell.

Pros: no calorie counting or portion control; cons: constant checking of glycemic index value.

3. Paleo Diet

The premise behind the Paleo diet is that we should eat like our ancestors did in the Paleolithic era – which ended about 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture – as the human body has not yet had the time to evolve to properly digest foods made available by agriculture, such as grains, legumes and diary.

The diet is considered one of the healthiest and most popular low-carb diets for its nutritional approach of putting the focus on health and well-being rather than just weight loss.

Though no single author created this type of diet – the term “paleo” describes the approach in general – the most well-known book is probably The Paleo Diet, by Dr. Loren Cordain.

Pros: rules are very simple and easy to understand; cons: permitted foods can be expensive and difficult to source.

4. South Beach Diet

A weight loss plan that was created by cardiologist Dr. Agatston and dietician Marie Almon as a way to prevent heart disease.

The basic principle behind South Beach diet is ensuring you get your fat and carbs from the right type of foods. Simple carbs are replaced with complex carbs, and trans-fats and saturated fats are replaced with unsaturated fats.

The diet is considered to be higher in healthy fats and protein, and lower in carbohydrates. It adheres to the low glycemic principles, and glycemic index is used as a guide to separate good carbs from bad carbs.

The creator of the diet, Dr Arthur Agatston, wrote a book, The South Beach Diet Supercharged, with the main goal of changing the entire balance of those foods that a person eats, in order to encourage weight loss as well as a healthy lifestyle.

Pros: less restrictive than other low-carb diets, so easier to adjust to; cons: weight loss not guaranteed.

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5. Sugar Busters! Diet

A low carb diet that was developed by a group of professionals – Dr. Samuel S. Andrews, Dr. Morrison C. Bethea, Dr. Luis A Balart, and H. Leighton Steward – the Sugar Busters Diet theorizes that “sugar is toxic to our bodies and can cause an increase in insulin”.

Like the Zone Diet, this plan recommends the daily caloric intake to be split into a 40/30/30 ratio, but with 40% made up of fat, 30% protein, and 30% carbs.

The Sugar Busters Diet emphasizes foods with a low glycemic index (GI), which maintain your blood sugar levels at a steady state. This includes a high-fiber diet made up of the right kinds of fruits, veggies, and proteins.

But not all carbs are bad – whole grains are acceptable, though you have to give up refined sugar and flour and make other tweaks to the way you eat.

The book that details the diet, The New Sugar Busters! Cut Sugar to Trim Fat, teaches users how to eat the “right” carbs, especially whole grains.

Pros: no counting calories or weighing of food, just watch portion sizes; cons: list of acceptable foods may be confusing.

6. Zone Diet

A low carb diet that advocates the hormonal balance you achieve while consuming calories from a skillfully prepared meal with a balanced ratio of carbohydrates (40%), “good” fats (30%) and low-fat proteins (30%).

Followers eat foods which control the body’s insulin production. No food is completely banned and yet you can lose weight and/or fat while on the diet.

The Zone Diet, unlike other diets, insists dieters to keep a close watch on their caloric consumption while eating – women get about 1,200 calories daily while men get 1,500 calories. To stay in the Zone, the ideal number of calories shouldn’t exceed 500 calories for a meal and 100 calories for a snack.

The book that details the diet, The Zone Diet, by Barry Sears, PhD, provides more information on recipes, along with grocery lists, a Zone food journal, and dining-out tips.

Pros: no meal or snack is forbidden; cons: you need to stick to the 40/30/30 formula at every meal and snack.

Recap

These are the most popular low carb diets that are healthy ways to lose weight, burn fat and live a healthier life.

Low-carb diets are used to prevent and treat some chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome.

Although there are several low carb diets mentioned above, Atkins, South Beach and Zone are considered to be the most popular low carb diets.

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Source: www.aboutlowcarbfoods.org