- All meats are naturally low-carb foods. This includes chicken, turkey, beef, pork and fish, which can all be enjoyed on a low-carb diet. The exception to this rule is breaded meats. The breading used on meats is usually made from bread or crackers and contains high amounts of carbs. This breading is often found in fried foods, which should be avoided in low-carb diets for this reason.
- Low-carb vegetables include spinach, broccoli, celery, asparagus, lettuce, summer squash, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, cabbage, and cucumbers. Vegetables that are high in starches such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and winter squash should be avoided as they contain high amounts of carbs. Fruits are usually considered to be high in carbs as they contain natural sugars, which are carbohydrates.
- Sandwiches are a common lunchtime food, but the bread required for a sandwich is a high-carb food. Instead of using bread, load sandwich fillings onto slices of cucumber or tomato. There are also several varieties of low-carb tortillas available that can be used to create low-carb wraps. If these tortillas are not readily available, a low-carb flax seed version can be made at home by combining 2 tbsp. of milled flax seeds, 1 egg, and 1 tbsp. of water. Beat everything together and then pour the mixture into a hot skillet and tilt the skillet so that the batter completely covers the cooking surface. Cook over medium heat until the top begins to look dry and then gently flip the wrap and cook for an additional minute. Once this wrap is cooled it can be filled with meats and low-carb vegetables.
A stir-fry made with lean meats and low-carb vegetables is a good example of a low-carb dinner. The only problem is that stir fry is generally served over rice or noodles which are both high-carb foods. An alternative is to shred a head of cabbage and steam the cabbage until it is tender. This can be used in place of the rice or noodles as the base for the stir-fry and will keep the dish low in carbs.
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