All Low Carb

The hardest part of a low carb diet is trying to figure out what you can eat and what is forbidden. There are tons of foods that are high in carbs that you would be shocked to learn about. You are raised to assume that any fruit or vegetable is good to eat but this is not the case at all if you are on a low carb diet. Many of your favorite fruits and veggies will have to be cut down drastically if not out completely. Having a good low carb food list can make figuring out what is allowed much simpler for the whole family.

Processed meat is always a no-no. It is filled with gross fillers that are unhealthy for one and full of carbs for another. These kinds meats are actually cured with carbohydrates and sugars.

Here are some unprocessed meats that you should be incorporating into your low carb diet:

· Fowl:
§ chicken
§ turkey
§ duck
§ goose
§ Cornish hen
§ quail
§ pheasant

· Shellfish and seafood:
§ oysters
§ mussels
§ lobster
§ clams
§ squid
§ shrimp
§ crabmeat

· Other meat:
§ beef
§ bacon
§ veal
§ pork
§ ham
§ lamb
§ venison

· Fish:
§ Salmon
· trout
· flounder
· sardines
· herring

Dairy products need to be watched because they have carbs but you can eat about 3-4 ounces each day without ruining your diet completely.

Here are some acceptable cheeses:

· Cheddar
· Cow, sheep and goat cheese
· Cream cheese
· Gouda
· Mozzarella
· Roquefort and other Blue cheeses
· Swiss

You can eat the following veggies if you keep it at 2-3 cups each day. They have phytonutrients in them, which are very good for your body.

· Alfalfa sprouts
· Daikon
· Mushrooms
· Arugula
· Endive
· Parsley
· Bok Choy
· Escarole
· Peppers
· Celery
· Fennel
· Radicchio
· Chicory
· Jicama
· Radishes
· Chives
· Iceberg Lettuce
· Romaine Lettuce
· Green Leaf Lettuce
· Boston Lettuce
· Bibb Lettuce
· Cucumber
· Mâche
· Sorrel

And if your salad is less than 2 cups you can have another 1 cup per day of:

· Artichoke
· Celery Root
· Pumpkin
· Artichoke Hearts
· Rhubarb
· Asparagus
· Chard
· Sauerkraut
· Bamboo Shoots
· Collard Greens
· Scallions
· Dandelion
· Snow Peas
· Bean Sprouts
· Dandelion Greens
· Spaghetti Squash
· Summer Squash
· Beet Greens
· Eggplant
· Spinach
· Broccoli
· Hearts of Palm
· String or Wax Beans
· Broccoli Rabe
· Kale
· Brussell Sprouts
· Kohlrabi
· Tomato
· Leeks
· Turnips
· Cabbage
· Okra
· Water Chestnuts
· Cauliflower
· Onion
· Zucchini

When it comes to cooking with oil you should be using only cold pressed olive oil. And while butter is allowed margarine is not. Margarine is loaded with trans fats which are so bad for you it is scary.

Remember that when you are on a low card diet you need to eat fats to make up for the energy balance.