A person starting a low carbohydrate diet needs to know which
types of food he or she should consume and which ones to shun.
Getting a list of low carb foods sometimes fools people into
thinking that the diet is a hard thing to do. Instead of
thinking "What can't I eat?" you would be better off with a
mindset that asks "What CAN I eat?" You will then discover that
natural, low carb foods are in abundance everywhere! And you
might just discover that you're not missing the food that you
were regretting giving up a short time ago.
Once you start your low carb diet, you will be pleased to
discover the many things that you can keep on (and add to!) your
shopping list. As a general rule, most high protein foods are
allowable on your diet. So push your grocery cart to the meat
section and feel free to plan meals that feature pork, beef,
lamb, venison, and veal dishes. But be careful when it comes to
processed meat; many of them are cured with chemicals or sugar,
which can pack on the carbs.
Mosey along over to the poultry section and think about recipes
for chicken, turkey, duck, and pheasant. These are rich in
protein and other nutrients (but not carbs) and can be cooked
and served in many attractive and great-tasting ways. Want to
take advantage of the bounties of the ocean and lakes? Choose
from among fish and other seafood, which are also high in
protein and fatty acids that are good for your heart.
Feel like serving a salad as a side dish? You'll be pleased to
know that most salad vegetables are allowed on low carb diets.
And this is a good thing because you should be getting your
carbohydrate quota from vegetables, not from junk food, not from
starchy goodies. Although the intake of a number of fruits
should be kept to a minimum, fruits like berries can be enjoyed
without guilt. What about snack food? Snacks exist in a
reduced-carbohydrate diet, too, but not the processed kind. Go
au naturel - nuts are perfect for something to munch on in
between meals. They're high in protein and contain the
much-praised good oils and fats.
But what if you're the type of person who's all thumbs in the
kitchen and can't even scramble some eggs? You'll be glad to
know that there exist a wide variety of low carb convenience
foods that will make your dieting life much easier. You can
choose from juices, shakes, protein bars, morning cereals,
pancakes and pancake syrup, baking mixes, cookie mixes, low carb
bread and related products, even low carb chocolate cake and
cheesecake!
Dairy products are encouraged in low carb diets. Most cheeses
can be enjoyed either by themselves as a snack or as an
ingredient in dishes. But keep in mind that cheese contains
carbohydrates, so you should limit your portions. Eggs are
perhaps one of the main staples of the controlled-carb dieter;
they are high in protein, have no carbs, and are very versatile.
Plus, they're inexpensive, too! Drinking milk is also a good
idea; it's a good source of calcium. But if you are
lactose-intolerant, it would be a good idea to drink milk in
small quantities periodically until you find that you no longer
have any adverse reactions to it.
Eating out also used to be a problem for low carb dieters.
Restaurant staff didn't have a clue about the carb content of
food. Today however, many dining establishments have taken
measures to accommodate carb-counting consumers. A number of
them even list what type of low carb foods they offer and the
nutritional information of each dish. Do you want a hamburger
without the buns? A salad with low carb dressing? All of these
and more are possible today.
As you have perhaps realized, finding low carb foods is not at
all that hard, especially the natural ones. In fact, it's
entirely likely that you have been consuming these foods all
your life without realizing that they are suitable for weight
loss or weight maintenance. And if you concentrate on these
foods, you'll probably find that you won't have time anymore to
bemoan and worry about carbohydrate-rich foods that you have had
to give up.
About the author:
Carb-club.com provides you with information on all kinds of
issues like
low carb foods and diets like the Atkins
diet, the South Beach diet, the Zone diet, and more. Come take a
look at
http://www.carb-club.com/
