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.

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.