The Ultimate List of Low Carb Foods for Weight Loss

The holidays have just begun, but you have already put on some flab around your stomach. Now all you want is to lose those love handles before it gets too late.

You can do it by either working out even harder with the same old crap diet or you can turn around the game for your good by making minor adjustments in your diet. And the only change you need is – Replacing all high carb foods with protein and vitamin packed substitute foods.

Take a pen and start preparing your next grocery list from this list of low carb foods for weight loss –

List of Low Carb Foods for Weight Loss with their Nutritional Facts:

Vegetables –

1. Cabbage – Cabbage is the part of the cruciferous vegetable family which is very rich in Vitamin C and manganese. With no more than 20 calories per ½ cup cooked, cabbage provides with various other benefits like prevention of constipation and a healthy immune system.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams; Total carbs – 6 grams; Calories – 25

2. Spinach – Next vegetable on this list of low carb foods for weight loss is Popeye’s very own Spinach. Spinach is a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and dietary potassium, iron and magnesium which is responsible for maintaining muscles and energy metabolism.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams; Total Carbs – 3.6 grams; Calories – 23

3. Celery – A vegetable which is popular for its crunchy stalks and even consumed as last minute snack, Celery is one great food that surely deserves to be in your diet. Apart from being an excellent source of antioxidants like phenolic acids and flavonols, celery is also well-off in Vitamins K, A, and C.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams; Total Carbs – 6 grams; Calories – 16

4. Broccoli – Broccoli is that one vegetable that you will see present in almost every athlete’s diet. To fitness enthusiast, Broccoli is the undisputed king of veggies for its amazing benefits for muscle gain and weight loss. Broccoli is considered as one of the best low carb that is extremely beneficial for weight loss.  And the reason being – One cup of raw chopped broccoli provides over 90 micrograms of Vitamin K which subsequently improves calcium absorption and thus bone health. Moreover, broccoli is wealthy with vitamin C and vitamin A.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams of raw or boiled broccoli; Total Carbs – 7 grams; Calories – 35

5. Brussels sprouts – Right from the beginning, Brussels sprouts aren’t loved as much as other members of the cruciferous vegetable family. But they are certainly worthy of their place in your diet.
   A cup serving of Brussels sprouts provides you with over 90 milligrams of Vitamin C, which is well over 100% of daily requirement. Apart from this, Brussels sprouts are loaded with Vitamin K, Folate, Manganese, and Omerga-3 fats which boost overall health.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams; Total Carbs – 9 grams; Calories – 43

Other Vegetables in this List of Low Carb Foods for Weight Loss includes:

6. Tomatoes    (100 grams) – Calories – 18 and total carbs – 4 grams
7. Cauliflower (100 grams) – Calories – 25 and total carbs – 5 grams
8. Cucumber (100 grams) – Calories – 16 and total carbs – 4 grams
9. Mushrooms, white, boiled   (100 grams) – Calories – 28 and total carbs – 5 grams
10. Green Beans, cooked (100 grams) – Calories – 35 and total carbs – 8 grams

Related Article: Weight loss myths & facts you may not know

Fruits:

1. Oranges – A 100 gram serving of orange provides you with whopping 130% of daily Vitamin C requirement. Oranges also help in fighting against free radicals which cause cancer.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 1 piece or 96 grams; Total carbs – 11 grams; Calories – 42

2. Kiwi – Kiwis are an exceptional fruit. They are rich in nutrients and low in calories. Several studies have proved that consuming Kiwi fruit smoothens overall skin texture and improves sleep quality in adults.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 1 piece or 70 grams; Total carbs – 10 grams; Calories – 40

3. Avocado – Avocados are known for their fiber and healthy fat content. In fact, 70-80 percent of their total calories come from monounsaturated fats. They are also rich in potassium and contain a fair amount of other nutrients.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 100 grams; Total carbs – 8 grams; Calories – 160

4. Strawberries – Loaded with Vitamin C, Potassium, Fibre, Magnesium and several other nutrients, Strawberries are one of the healthiest fruit you can eat. Mix them with oatmeal to get a perfect morning breakfast.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 4 medium size pieces or 50 grams; Total carbs – 4 grams; Calories – 16

5. Apricots – Apricots are a great source of antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which are very beneficial for skin health. High fiber content in Apricots can also help you to lose some weight.
   Carb content – Serving Size – 3 apricots or 100 grams; Total carbs – 11 grams; Calories – 48

Other Fruits in this List of Low Carb Foods for Weight Loss include:

6. Raspberries (100 grams) – Calories – 53 and total carbs – 12 grams
7. Grapefruit (100 grams) – Calories – 40 and total carbs – 10 grams
8. Olives, small (100 grams) – Calories – 115 and total carbs – 6 grams
9. Blackberries (100 grams) – Calories – 43 and total carbs – 10 grams
10. Peaches (100 grams) – Calories – 39 and total carbs – 10 grams 

Meat and Seafood:

1. Chicken (100 grams) – The one food on this low carb foods list to lose weight that needs no introduction is none other than Chicken. An excellent source of protein along with several other nutrients as well makes chicken a staple food for every athlete.
   Calories – 240 Protein – 27  and Carbs – Zero

2. Lamb (100 grams, ¼” fat, cooked) – Lamb is rightfully one of the healthiest diets because of its high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals like iron and zinc. They also contain a good amount of CLA, which is important to burn fat bass and increase lean body mass.
   Calories – 295 Protein – 25 gram and Carbs – Zero 

Other ‘Zero-Carb’ Meats include:

3. Beef (100 grams, ground, 85% lean meat, broiled) – Calories 250 – Protein – 26 gram and Carbs – Zero
4. Pork – (100 grams, loin, whole, grilled) – Calories – 242 Protein – 27 gram and Carbs – Zero
5. Turkey – (100 grams, roasted breast, without skin) – Calories – 140 Protein – 28 and Carbs – Zero 

Seafood:

1. Sardine – (100 grams, canned in oil) – Right from high energy to quality protein and several essential minerals and vitamins, Sardine has got it all. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and iron making them a superfood you should surely be eating.
   Calories – 208 Protein – 25 and Carbs – Zero

2. Swordfish – (100 grams, cooked) – Swordfish are very beneficial specifically for people who are on a low-carb diet for weight loss. They are low in calories and rich in protein and healthy fats.
   Calories – 170 Protein – 23 gram and Carbs – Zero

3. Tuna – (100 grams, bluefin, cooked) – One of the significant advantages of eating tuna is the ability to reduce blood pressure and risk of heart diseases. They are full of EPA and DHA, which are crucial omega-3 fatty acids that reduce levels of omega six fatty acids and cholesterol in the body.
   Calories – 180 Protein – 30 grams and Carbs – Zero

4. Crabs – (100 grams, blue, cooked) – Crabs are more beneficial than other seafood like swordfish regarding their low amounts of mercury. Crabs are a good source of Vitamin A, B, and C along with minerals like copper, zinc and selenium.
   Calories – 83 Protein – 18 grams and Carbs – Zero

5. Shrimp – (100 grams, cooked) – A 3 ounce serving of shrimp provides you with 20 grams of protein for just 90 calories. Consuming shrimps will boost you daily intake of zinc and selenium, minerals which are essential for healthy immune system.
   Calories – 99 Protein – 24 gram and Carbs – Zero

Other ‘Zero-Carb’ Seafood include:

6. Lobster -(100 grams, cooked) – Calories – 89 Protein – 19 gram and Carbs – Zero

7. Catfish – (100 grams, cooked) – Calories – 105 Protein – 18 gram and Carbs – Zero

8. Salmon – (100 grams, raw) – Calories – 208 Protein – 20 gram and Carbs – Zero

9. Squid – (100 grams, fried) – Calories – 175 Protein – 18 gram and Carbs – Zero

10. Cod – (100 grams, pacific) – Calories – 70 Protein – 16 and Carbs – Zero 

Dairy:

1. Eggs – With almost zero carbs and plenty of high-quality protein, Eggs are considered to be one of the healthiest and best food for the weight loss on the planet. They are rich in several vital nutrients including lutein, a type of carotenoid that helps fight in muscular degeneration. A part of it, egg yolk also contains choline, a substance that improves brain development and function.
   Total Carbs – Almost zero

2. Butter – Butter has been in the kitchen since the very beginning and is not going away any soon. Not only do they add taste to your dish but also give you a better and healthy alternative to margarine and vegetable shortenings.
   Total Carbs – Zero

3. Plain Greek Yogurt – Packed with 23 grams of protein per cup and very few carbs, Greek yogurt is certainly a perfect last minute snack before you head off to the work. Go for plain version unless you want those unwanted sugar from flavored variety.
   Total Carbs – 4 grams/ 100 gram serving

Other Low Carb Dairy Foods include:

4. Cottage cheese – Total carbs – 4 grams/ 100 gram serving
5. Cream cheese – Total carbs – 5 grams/ 100 gram serving
6. Goat Milk – Total carbs – 12 grams/ 100 gram serving 

Nuts and Seeds:

1. Almonds (100 grams) – According to a recent study, a balanced hypocaloric almond-enriched diet have shown better weight loss results and overall better improvements in heart disease risk factors. Almonds are full of energy, healthy fat and essential minerals like magnesium which is crucial in the prevention of heart attacks and hypertension.
   Total carbs – 22 grams per 100 gram serving

2. Pistachios (100 grams) – Native to Iran and Iraq, Pistachios are well-off in protein, monounsaturated fats, dietary fiber and minerals like copper and manganese. A 100 gram serving of Pistachios provides 40% percent of daily protein intake (based on 2000 calorie diet).
   Total Carbs – 30 grams per 100 gram serving

3. Flax seeds (100 grams) – One ounce of flaxseeds contains about 6 gram of protein, 8 grams of fiber and trace of minerals like manganese, magnesium, selenium and phosphorus. A study by Nutrition and Metabolism showed that dietary fibers present in flax seed help in reducing the levels cholesterol and increase in fecal fat excretion.
   Total carbs – 29 grams per 100 gram serving

Other Low Carb Nuts you can include in your Weight Loss Diet include:

4. Peanuts (100 grams) – Total carbs – 16 gram per 100 gram serving
5. Walnuts (100 grams) – Total carbs – 14 gram per 100 gram serving
6. Cashews (100 grams) – Total carbs – 30 gram per 100 gram serving
7. Chia seeds (100 grams) – Total carbs – 40 gram per 100 gram serving

Now, you know that what are the foods that are low in carbs and are beneficial for weight loss. Feel free to ask your queries in the comment box below.

Also published on Medium.