Foods with No Carbs

Below I've posted lists of foods with no carbs. These are helpful for anyone on a low carbohydrate diet or anyone who wants to decrease the amount of carbs they are eating.

You do need carbs for energy. And, though someone on the Atkin's or Keto diet can get around this by placing their body into ketosis (consuming very few carbs always), for most people a reasonable amount of carbs are needed for health.

Keep in mind that not all carbs are created equal.

Simple carbohydrates such as those found in white breads and pastas tend to elevate blood sugar more significantly.

This, through the action of insulin, leads to increased fat storage in the body, something we are trying to avoid.

Including foods with no carbs in your diet can decrease
your overall carb consumption and help you lose weight.

So, without further delay, here are common types of foods that you may want to include in your diet that contain exactly zero carbohydrates:

Meat such as beef, fish, chicken, seafood, and eggs is carbohydrate free. So the following are foods with no carbs:

• Cow beef and veal
• Pork
• Lamb
• Fowl - turkey, chicken, duck, goose, cornish hen, quail, etc.
• Seafood - mollusks such as clams and oysters
• Seafood - shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, squid, and crab
• Seafood - all other types of freshwater and saltwater fish, such as catfish, bass, salmon, tuna, trout, flounder, halibut
• Game meats such as deer (venison), bison, ostrich, caribou, etc.
• Organs of animals, such as heart, tongue, kidneys, brain, liver. Be sure to read the label to verify. For example, beef liver has a few carbs per serving, while chicken liver has no carbs.
• Eggs

Be aware that processed, packaged meats such as hot dogs, sausage, etc. can have some carbs due to added flavoring and preservatives.

In addition to meats, some condiments and seasonings also have no carbs:

• Various oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil
• Vinegar
• Whole olives
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Many hot sauces
• Mixed seasonings, such as Mrs. Dash
• Yellow mustard
• Animal fats including lard and fish oil
• Vegetable shortening
• Butter substitutes like margarine

Other foods with no carbs:

• Cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, meunster cheese, camembert cheese
• Heavy whipping cream
• Regular mayonnaise
• Zero-carb beverages such as sodas
• Butterhead lettuce
• Artificial sweeteners
• Dry gelatin
• Gin, rum, vodka, whiskey
• Water, coffee, and tea if nothing is added

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

At this point, you may be wondering if there are any other types of foods with no carbs. The answer is, not really. All plants, fruits, and vegetables contain some amount of carbohydrates, some more, some less.

Most dairy foods other than butter and a few cheeses (listed above) contain a significant amount of carbs. Sugar contains carbs.

And, of course, all foods made from vegetables and grains have carbs including bread, pasta, and so on.

Unless you are on the Atkins Diet or another zero-carb diet, carbohydrates are not really your "enemy". However, consuming an excessive amount of carbs, whether simple carbs or complex carbs, will certainly make you fat.

I hope the lists above help you when planning your meals, by giving you the option to balance out any carbs you may be planning to eat with another food type that contains none.

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