As exciting as it is to prep your meals ahead of time, purchase new workout clothes, and work towards a healthier life, it’s difficult to sift through all the information online or in books. There are hundreds of different blog posts and articles floating around online that offer different tips on how to eat healthily and exercise. So, how are you supposed to know which pieces of advice to follow?
The two biggest things you can do for yourself are picking out plans you know work best for you and your lifestyles and doing proper research. But we know in your busy lives it can be a bit tricky to find the time to do all that research. That’s why we’re here. We’re here to teach you all you need to know about the classic high protein, low carb diet and what foods are best for you.
What Is A Low Carb Diet?
The first thing to know is that there isn’t just one solid low carb diet. Lowering your carbs is a key component in many diets and healthier food plans. Pastas, bread, and sugary foods are often nixed from food plans and replaced with healthier, high protein foods like meats, vegetables, fruits, and seafood.
As mentioned, it can be hard to figure out which diets to follow, but a low carb diet has been proven to reduce weight and lower cardiovascular risk more effectively than a low-fat diet would. A low carb diet also has additional health benefits such as improved glycemic control.
However, it’s important to note that you should control how much protein you have in your diet. Additional studies have shown that depending on the food sources you get your protein from, you are more susceptible to a higher risk of overall mortality. If you tend to focus more so on a veggie based low-carb diet, you’d be lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease and overall mortality.
That being said, here are the best high protein, low carb foods that you can indulge in when working toward a new food plan.
Meats
Chicken – 0 Carbs Per 100g
Chicken is a good source of protein and carries serious nutritional benefits like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A. 100 grams of chicken has about 30-50 grams of protein without any carbs. Grilled chicken is the way to go when looking to make healthier meals.
Beef – 0 Carbs Per 100g
One of the best meats you can have as part of a low carb diet is beef. 100 grams of beef has no carbohydrates present but it’s still loaded with other great benefits like 26 grams of protein, iron, and vitamins B-12 and B6. There are also lots of ways you can make beef and marinate it to your tastes for a hearty meal.
Pork – 0 Carbs Per 100g
Pork is another versatile meat you can get on board with as it has no carbs present and approximately 21 grams of protein per 100 g serving. It’s also a good source of iron and potassium. You won’t run out of dinner options either given all the different cuts of pork out there and all the meals you can make with this one simple ingredient.
Salmon – 0 Carbs Per 100g
Salmon is a zero-carb meat that’s packed with nutrition like omega-3 fatty acids, and multiple vitamins like B-12 and B6, vitamin C, and vitamin A. It also has 20 grams of protein. It’s actually considered a superfood because of all the health benefits. This is why you should work it into your diet somehow with simple recipes and easy to follow marinades that spice things up a bit.
Lamb – 0 Carbs Per 100g
Lamb is our final meat to suggest if you’re looking to start a low carb diet. It’s packed with iron, vitamin B-12, potassium, and a whopping 25 grams of protein. It’s definitely a heavier meat, so you should mix in some veggies or healthy sides if you’re looking to indulge in a lamb dinner.
Vegetables
Broccoli – 7 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Broccoli is one of those vegetables you need to get into your system. It’s jammed with vitamin C, vitamin B, iron, fiber, and potassium. It only contains about 2-3 grams of protein per serving, but given that 100 grams isn’t a lot of broccoli, that number adds up when combining it with other high protein foods.
Mushrooms – 3-4 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Mushrooms clock in with a higher amount of protein per serving, containing about 3 grams. They’re also lower in carbohydrates and have vitamins D and C along with magnesium, fiber, and iron. They make for great additions in side plates or alongside a low carb meat.
Avocados – 9 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
We’ve all heard by now that avocados are a superfood loaded with fiber, calcium, and vitamins B-6 and C. They also have about 2 grams of protein per serving and have been linked to feeling fuller for longer according to various studies. Since they’re high in fat, though, you should reduce the amount you have during the week.
Spinach – 1-2 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Yet another superfood makes the vegetable list with this one having tons of vitamin K and calcium. Spinach also has about 3 grams of protein per 100-gram serving and is low in fat and calories. There are lots of ways you can use spinach in your meals so it’s recommended that you get this little guy in your diet.
Cauliflower – 5 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Cauliflower has many similarities to broccoli, including the number of nutrients you’ll be getting per serving. It’s packed with vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, and 2 grams of protein per serving. Cauliflower doesn’t need to be ingested on its own either and you can make several yummy recipes with this seemingly bland veggie.
Fruits
Strawberries – 8 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Strawberries come with tons of health benefits like being loaded with vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants that actually help prevent cancer. The nutrients in strawberries have been said to help flush out the toxins that create cancer in the body. They also have about 1 gram of protein per serving.
Peaches – 10 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Well, once you figure out how to peel the thing, peaches actually do have a lot of great benefits. It’s packed with vitamin C, potassium, iron, and vitamin A. It also has about 1 gram of protein per serving and can be used in a variety of recipes.
Watermelon – 8 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Picking out a ripe watermelon is only half the fun because this big guy has quite a few things to offer you. Not only is it a versatile fruit but it contains quite a bit of vitamins C and A, potassium, and iron. It also has just shy of one gram of protein per serving, which might not seem like a lot, but given all the ways you can use it, the protein will really tally up.
Tomatoes – 4 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Alright, there might be a lot of tomatoes to pick from out there but the good news is they all offer nearly the same amount of benefits to your health. They’re high in fiber, vitamin K1, and potassium. They also have about one gram of protein per serving. Tomatoes also don’t have the same level of carbs as some of the other fruits out there.
Apricots – 11 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
Apricots are a delicious fruit ready to offer you lots of healthy perks such as vitamins A, B6, and C, fiber, magnesium, and calcium. Their carb amount is a bit higher, but so is their protein value. A serving of apricots will yield about 1.5-2 grams of protein. Apricots don’t need to just be eaten raw either. Try grilling them for a nice treat.
Miscellaneous
Eggs – 1 Gram Of Carbs Per 100g
Speaking of versatile foods, eggs are one of those low carb diet foods you can indulge in whenever you like. There are so many different ways to make them and given all their protein (13 grams per serving), vitamins, iron, and calcium, there’s no reason you really shouldn’t be indulging in these every so often. The only thing to look out for is the cholesterol.
Almonds – 22 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
It’s easy to get thrown off by that carb number up top, but almonds are a superfood with tons of things to offer. They have 21 grams of protein per serving, tons of iron and magnesium, and have been linked to lower risk of coronary disease.
Greek Yogurt – 3-4 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
If you’ve been looking into healthier eating then you’ve no doubt heard of all the things Greek yogurt can offer you. It has about 10 grams of protein per serving, tons of calcium, and a good amount of potassium. It’s one of those bitter foods you should definitely be working into your meal plan as a healthy snack.
Cheese – 1.5 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
I know that “cheese” sounds really vague so we’re going to focus mainly on the classic cheddar cheese. If you were to indulge in 100 grams of cheddar cheese you would be getting 25 grams of protein, tons of calcium, a healthy serving of vitamin A, and magnesium. You shouldn’t be eating it all the time given the high fat, but it’s definitely a low carb, high protein food.
Sunflower Seeds – 20 Grams Of Carbs Per 100g
This is another one of those snacks that comes with a high carb content, but it pays off with the high level of protein. A serving of sunflower seeds comes with 21 grams of protein, a good serving of magnesium, vitamin B-6, and potassium. It’s not something to be eating on a daily basis, but don’t feel bad for sneaking a handful here and there.
