A low-carbohydrate diet can help you lose weight, but only if you also keep your calories in check. In addition to restricting high-carbohydrate choices, such as bread, sweets and pasta, your low-carbohydrate diet should emphasize moderation and nutritious choices. Limit butter, bacon and other foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and choose more filling foods.
Eggs
Eggs are carbohydrate-free and versatile options for helping you stick to your low-carbohydrate weight loss diet throughout the day. Try omelets with asparagus and feta cheese or scrambled eggs with lean ham and salsa for breakfast. Add cooked eggs to salads or low-carbohydrate wraps for lunch. Make hard-boiled eggs for snacks to have along with raw, cut vegetables. Eating the egg whites or liquid egg substitutes instead of the whole egg including the yolk reduces the fat you get from eating eggs, but the yolk provides certain nutrients, such as the antioxidant lutein, which is not in the white.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
A serving of non-starchy vegetables contains about 5 grams of carbohydrates. A serving is a cup of raw vegetables or a half-cup of cooked vegetables. Use lettuce, spinach or mixed greens as a foundation for a low-carbohydrate, filling salad, and add vegetables, nuts and a source of lean protein, such as turkey breast. Have cooked broccoli, string beans or asparagus as side dishes, and add eggplant, spinach, tomatoes and onions to soups and casseroles to make them more filling, but not much higher in calories. The starchy vegetables include potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and winter squash. They are nutrient-dense, but higher in carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables.
Lean Meat and Poultry
Lean beef, skinless white meat chicken, turkey and lean pork are carbohydrate-free options. They are high in protein, which is a filling nutrient because it slows the emptying of food from your stomach so that you stay full longer after a meal. These foods can also help you lose weight because they are relatively low in calories compared to fatty meats, such as regular ground beef, fatty steak and chicken and turkey with the skin. Make turkey burgers on lettuce leaves for dinner or add diced turkey breast to eggs at breakfast.
Nuts and Peanuts
Nuts and peanuts may be surprising choices for weight loss because of their high calorie content, but people who eat them regularly tend to have lower weights, according to an article published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in June of 2011. An ounce of nuts or peanuts has less than five grams of carbohydrates. Nuts and peanuts are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats and sources of vitamin E, magnesium and dietary fiber, which helps lower cholesterol. Since nuts and peanuts are high-calorie, monitor your portion sizes to avoid consuming more calories than you intend and interfering your weight loss.
Reduced-Fat Dairy Products
A half-cup of cottage cheese or an ounce of cheese has less than 5 grams of carbohydrates, and a cup of skim milk or three-quarters of a cup of plain, non-fat yogurt has 15 grams of carbohydrates, according to Indiana University. Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than regular yogurt, making it easier to fit into a low-carbohydrate diet. Dairy products provide calcium, which helps maintain bone mineral density, and vitamin B-12. Have cottage cheese with cinnamon and pecans, add cheese to your vegetables or choose yogurt for a quick snack option.
www.livestrong.com
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