New Health Guide

How Many Carbs Should You Eat on a Low-carb Diet?

Dec 09, 2013

As the term suggests, a low-carb diet particularly controls the amount of carbohydrates being ingested in the body. Limiting the carbohydrates in a low-carbohydrate diet has many useful purposes. One of them would be to lower the amount of glucose intake so that the insulin level in the body remains controlled. A low-carb diet also reduces risk of developing severe ailments such as cancer, metabolic syndrome and other heart diseases such as atherosclerosis etc. Read on to learn how many carbs you should eat on a low-carb diet and what to eat on a low carb diet.

How Many Carbs Should You Eat on a Low-carb Diet?

A low-carb diet will typically peruse you to control your daily carbohydrate diet and would in turn help you to treat yourself with starchy products wisely. In this plan, a carb diet of about <144 grams per day is highly recommended. In other terms, all of the people on a low-carb diet may pursue an intake of carbohydrates anywhere between 20-150 grams per day to control the release and the level of dietary insulin in the body.

Atkins Program

Atkins program would be considered as a perfect dietary pact for people who have associated themselves with the poor phenomenon of binge eating and perhaps, have been motivated to reduce weight. The Atkins program suggests an idyllic plan for people who wish to pursue a low-carb diet.

Watch a video to learn what Atkins Program entails:

What Carbohydrates to Eat on a Low Carb Diet?

What Foods to Eat

Carbohydrates mainly consist of grains, cereals and all those vegetables and fruits which contain starch in them.

For a low-carb diet, proteins are highly recommended to maintain weight. Meat, eggs, fish, poultry, bread and non-starchy vegetables would be placed atop the list that one would need to follow for an ideal low-carb diet. You should avoid or limit intake of beans, grains, nuts, sweets, pastas, fruits and starchy vegetables.

Sample Low Carb Menu

1. Sample One

Breakfast

  • Hot peanut Butter Flax Cereal
  • ¼ cup thawed frozen or fresh blueberries put on cereal

Lunch

  • Salad prepared from 4 cups of chopped romaine or other lettuce (dark green)
  • ½ avocado
  • 4 oz of chicken meat (cooked)

Snack

¼ cup of whole almonds

Dinner

  • Pan-fried or grilled steak
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 1 cup peppers and mushrooms prepared with herbs and wine

Nutritional Analysis

This menu includes 26 g of effective carbs and 32 g fiber, 95 g protein and 1500 calories.

2. Sample Two

Breakfast

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 slice of Canadian bacon
  • 6 asparagus spears, medium sized
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

Lunch

  • 1 cup chicken (cooked)
  • 1/3 cup apple, chopped
  • ¼ cup pecans (chopped)

Snack

  • ½ cup yoghurt with cultures (plain), flavored with sugar-free syrup
  • 1-1/2 tbsp flax seed meal

Dinner

  • 4 oz lean beef
  • 1 cup mushrooms sautéed with olive oil
  • Spinach salad prepared with 3 cups spinach and dressing of olive oil

Nutritional Analysis

This menu contains 40 g carb, 20 g fiber, 127 g protein and 1700 calories. To reduce carb contents, limit on fruits.