A Complete Low-Carb Diet Guide for Beginners

From Atkins and paleo to keto and beyond, maintaining a diet that’s low in carbohydrates is a popular feature of many eating plans. Curious about how this eating approach may aid diabetes management, weight loss, and other purported health benefits? Check out this guide to the low-carb diet, including risks to consider, foods it includes and limits, and more.

Despite it being a household name, there’s actually no official low-carb diet plan. Rather, it’s a concept that simply involves consuming fewer carbs than your baseline norm. Making the definition even murkier is that what’s low carbohydrate for one person may not be for another. “There’s no medical definition of what low-carb is,” says Columbus, Ohio–based functional nutritionist Kelly Schmidt, RD.

This benefit may be particularly pronounced for people with diabetes. As low-carb dietitian Franziska Spritzler, RD, who’s based in Orange County, California, points out, when you cut back on carbs, blood sugar and insulin levels generally go down, which can be a good thing for A1C levels, or the two- to three-month average of blood sugar levels. This may also help with weight loss, another common goal for people with type 2 diabetes.

In addition to being inconclusive for long-term benefits, a low-carb diet may be risky for certain groups.

If you’re pregnant or nursing, following a low-carb diet isn’t recommended (barring gestational diabetes, in which case, consult your healthcare team as to how you should most safely proceed). “Many women who are pregnant find that the thought of eating protein and fat makes them sick,” says Spritzler. This can be especially common in the first trimester. “They naturally want more carbs. You should always listen to your body,” she says.

Separate from pregnancy, consider your lifestyle. If you’re someone who does intense CrossFit-style workouts, a low-carb diet may not fuel you properly, says Schmidt.

If you’re dealing with a specific health condition (including the aforementioned gestational diabetes), consult with your doctor about the best and safest diet plan for you. For instance, if you have kidney disease, you also want to talk to your doctor about appropriate protein intake. If you have heart disease, you can still go low carb, but you’re best off opting for monounsaturated fats (avocados, nuts, and olive oil) over saturated fats (butter and red meat). (Indeed, this holds true for everyone, regardless of heart disease status, but it’s of particular importance for those who have cardiovascular issues.)

Last, if you have a history of eating disorders, a low-carb diet (or any eating plan that is restrictive) can be risky, nutrition and mental health experts agree.

“In general, this is a diet most people can do,” says Spritzler. “If you have a chronic condition, work with a doctor who understands low-carbohydrate diets and can monitor you.”

Going low-carb looks different depending on which approach you take. Here are a handful of options you may consider.

Keto Diet

This is the strictest plan, requiring you to eat less than 50 g of carbs per day and up your fat intake significantly. You’ll eat a moderate amount of protein. This is a popular weight loss diet.

Traditional Low Carb

This approach includes 50 to 100 g of carbs per day; this is where many people start because it’s less restrictive than a keto diet meal plan but can still deliver results like weight loss.

Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet takes you through four phases, starting with very-low-carb consumption and then gradually introducing more carbohydrate-rich foods throughout. It’s good for people who like a more structured plan.

Dukan Diet

This option also includes four phases: two weight loss and two maintenance. For instance, the first phase of the Dukan diet focuses on high-protein foods, the second adds vegetables back in, the third allows two “celebration” meals per week, and the fourth is about keeping your weight stable. Because you can follow the diet from the book, it also appeals to people who thrive with a planned approach.

Paleo Diet

Just because the paleo diet eliminates grains doesn’t mean it’s low in carbs, especially if you eat root veggies (like sweet potatoes) and fruit. But it is possible to follow a low-carb paleo diet.

The food list for a low-carb diet varies based on the specific plan you’re following. However, here’s a look at the foods you’d generally eat and avoid when following a traditional low-carb diet.

Foods to Eat

• Nonstarchy vegetables: zucchini (4 g carbs per cup),

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   cabbage (5 g carbs per cup),

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   broccoli (6 g carbs per cup),

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   Brussels sprouts (8 g carbs per cup),

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   leafy greens (like spinach, for example, at 1 g carbs per cup),

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   and tomatoes (7 g carbs per cup)

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• Meat, such as chicken, beef, pork, and lamb (0 g carbs per 3 ounces [oz])
• Fish and seafood, like shrimp (0 g carbs per 3 oz)

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• Eggs (0 g carbs per egg)

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• Cheese, like cheddar (less than 1 g carbs per 1/2 oz)

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• Olives (2 g carbs for 10 small olives)

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• Oil, such as canola oil, olive oil, and coconut oil (0 g carbs per tablespoon [tbsp])
• Butter (0 g carbs per tbsp)

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• Cream (0.4 g carbs per tbsp)

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• Greek yogurt (7 g carbs per 6 oz, low fat)

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• Cottage cheese (10 g carbs per 1 cup, low fat)

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• Nuts, like almonds (6 g carbs per 1 oz)

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• Berries, like raspberries (15 g carbs per 1 cup)

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• Melon, like cantaloupe (13 g carbs per 1 cup)

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• Avocado (9 g carbs per half)

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• Dark chocolate (13 g carbs per 1 oz)

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Foods to Limit or Avoid

• Processed snack products, like crackers, chips, and cookies
• Rice
• Bread
• Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Grains, such as farro, bulgur, and quinoa
• Milk
• Higher-carb fruits, like grapes and bananas
• Beans and lentils
• Starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes and potatoes, though these may be okay in moderation depending on your carb goal — but watch the portions.
• High-sugar foods, such as cake, ice cream, candy, and soda

Your choices and portion sizes will depend on your individual carbohydrate goal and calorie needs, but here’s a mock meal plan for a low-carb diet to give you an idea of how it looks to eat this way:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Veggie omelet topped with avocado
• Lunch: Burrito bowl (no rice or beans) with extra fajita veggies, extra meat (of choice), cheese, guacamole, and salsa
• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with mixed roasted vegetables (broccoli or cauliflower) and a half of a sweet potato with butter
• Snack Option: Mixed berries with a dollop of almond butter

Day 2

• Breakfast: Chia seed pudding topped with nuts and melon
• Lunch: Arugula salad with grilled salmon
• Dinner: Chicken or steak tacos in lettuce wraps; side salad with tomatoes and vinaigrette
• Snack Option: Pack of olives, plus raw veggies

Day 3

• Breakfast: Eggs with sautéed greens (spinach or kale); strawberries or blueberries topped with Greek yogurt and chopped nuts
• Lunch: Chicken and vegetable soup (without rice or noodles)
• Dinner: Shrimp and vegetable stir-fry over cauliflower rice
• Snack Option: Meat-based protein bar with strips of cucumber and red pepper

That said, you don’t have to jump in with both feet — particularly without first consulting your doctor who can advise you on safety based on any health conditions you have.

Schmidt recommends trying to eat under 200 g of carbs a day initially (a moderate-carb diet) and then adjust lower based on how you feel. “If you start paying attention to the carbs in your diet, you’ll eat fewer processed foods,” she says. And it’s those whole foods that are the basis of good health.

• A low-carb diet typically involves eating fewer carbohydrates than usual, reducing your intake to between 50 and 100 g per day. Crucially no single “low-carb” diet exists. Instead, eating plans like the keto, Atkins, or paleo set different restrictions on carbs.
• Research on the low-carb diet is mixed, especially around its long-term efficacy. However, a low-carb diet might provide short-term benefits such as improved blood sugar control and hormonal balance, especially in individuals with obesity or metabolic health challenges.
• To start, aim for less than 200 g of carbs daily and adjust your intake gradually based on how you feel. Focus on consuming meat, fish, eggs, dairy, fats, and nonstarchy vegetables, and avoid refined grains, processed snacks, sugary foods, and starchy vegetables.
• Consult your doctor before starting the low-carb diet, particularly if you have any health conditions.