Eat up that meat, cheese, savory salmon, and bed of greens like there's no tomorrow!
What to Eat In Moderation
If you’re trying to shed some serious pounds, you might want to stick to the lowest carb options available. However, if you’re trying to trim up a little, but have a very active lifestyle, then there’s a bit of wiggle room. If that’s the case, here are some things you can eat in moderation:
- Tubers: like potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Non-gluten grains: such as rice, oats, and quinoa
- Legumes: including lentils, black beans, and pinto beans
Need a treat? Have the following in moderation as well:
- Dark Chocolate: Be sure to choose one with a high cocoa content (70-85%), to avoid consuming too much sugar.
- Wine: Nearly all wine is naturally low in carbs, and red wine, in particular, has incredible health benefits. Just be sure to avoid the sweeter, low-alcohol wines if you’re looking for low-carb options.
What to Drink
It goes without saying that water should be your go-to drink throughout the day, every single day. But what else is on the list?
- Sparkling water: Just be sure to get an option that has no added sugars or sodium. La Croix has zero carbs, zero sodium, zero calories, zero fat, etc. You can also purchase your own soda stream!
- Coffee: Keep it black or allow yourself a small amount of milk or cream.
- Tea: Unsweetened is best, but if you need it sweet then honey is the best option.
What Not to Drink
While you know water is your friend, you should also know soda is the enemy, no matter if you’re sticking to a low-carb diet or not. Here’s a better look at what to avoid and why:
- Soda: A can of Coca Cola has 35 grams of carbs, which is more than what you could eat and feel full off of on a low-carb diet in one day!
- Milk: For an 8-ounce cup, you can expect 13 grams of carbs, so beware.
- Sports drinks: These are typically full of artificial ingredients, and in 12 ounces there are approximately 30 grams of carbs.
- Juice: While a freshly squeezed glass of OJ, or a rich cup of carrot juice, can be packed with nutrition, many of the store bought kinds are laden with sugars. For an 8-ounce cup of orange juice, for example, you can expect about 30 grams of carbs.
- Caffeinated energy drink: In a 12-ounce can, there’s about 40-60 grams of carbs.
- Latte: Whether it’s a café latte, chai latte, or mocha, a standard cup has 15-20 carbs.
