You can find my best low carb recipes here, but not everything you eat has to be a recipe. Whether you’re following a keto diet or simply wanting to eat more healthy high protein low carb foods, having a list of foods low in carbs is so convenient. The list is divided into categories for convenience, and you can see the serving size and grams of net carbs for each food (straight from the USDA Food Composition Database). The servings are listed by both weight and unit, so you can decide what is easier for you to use. However, keep in mind that volumes can vary, so go by weight if you want exact measurement. If you’re just getting started, make sure to also check my full guide about how to start a low carb or keto diet and calculate your macros using the macro calculator to determine your optimal carb intake. (Also, read up on keto flu symptoms and remedies so that you can avoid that hurdle.) The best low carb foods include leafy greens, low carb vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, full-fat dairy, nuts and seeds, herbs, and spices. All of these are low in carbohydrates and won’t spike blood sugar levels. There are also low carb ingredients you can use for baking, such as almond flour, coconut flour, and natural sugar substitutes. Avoid sugary and starchy foods, like grains (including bread and pasta, even if they are made with whole grains), beans, rice, and sugar.
And if you want everything done for you, check out the Wholesome Yum app — it’s free to try and includes custom meal plans, so you can eat exactly what you like and still have your meal planning and grocery list done for you.
Printable List Of Low Carb Foods
A lot of people have requested a low carb food list printable, and I have you covered! I offer my keto food list PDF (all low carb foods) for free to my email subscribers — and I promise no spam or strings attached. If you want the keto food list PDF, just fill out the form below and I’ll email it to you right away: Otherwise, you can come back to this page anytime to see the low carb food chart collection for each category below. The nice thing about this website version is that it’s searchable and sortable. If you want a shorter list of what to buy the first time you’re at the store shopping for low carb foods, check out this keto grocery list.
Low Carb Vegetables
Most vegetables make excellent high fiber low carb foods, with a few exceptions. The list below includes a range from moderate to very low carb vegetables. These are a a great source of vitamins and minerals. Learn more about low carb vegetables here, including the best ones to eat, recipes, and which ones to avoid. Some examples to avoid include starchier veggies like carrots, white or sweet potatoes, and most types of beans.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens make excellent low carb foods, because they are filling, packed with fiber and nutrients, and very low in both carbs and calories.
Low Carb Fruits
You can enjoy fruit in moderation on a low carb diet. The following low carb fruits list includes the best ones to choose, which are primarily berries, avocados, and citrus that isn’t sweet. You can learn more about keto fruit here. Avoid high-sugar or tropical fruits, such as pineapple, bananas, apples, pears, and grapes.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are crucial when cooking high fat low carb foods! They keep you full and satisfied. If you are keto, they also help you stay in ketosis. All pure fats/oils are zero carb, but it’s recommended to avoid soy, corn, canola, “vegetable”, and cottonseed oils. These seed oils are usually GMO and highly processed. When choosing fats for cooking, consider the smoke point to avoid exposure to carcinogens. Avocado oil, olive oil, and refined coconut oil work best for high-heat cooking. Any extra virgin oil, like extra virgin olive oil, will have a lower smoke point than a regular version.
Meat & Poultry
Meat and poultry options make great high protein low carb foods, because they have zero carbs (provided that there is no sugar added in the preparation). For keto, choose fattier cuts of meat when you can, or add fat when cooking. Grass fed, pasture raised meat and poultry is the healthiest choice if possible, but it’s not absolutely necessary.
Seafood
Fish and other seafood are great options for low carb high protein foods. Fish also provides an excellent source of healthy omega-3 fatty acid. Watch for carbs in shellfish, which can be a little higher than other protein types.
Eggs & Full-Fat Dairy
Milk is not keto (or low carb), but many other types of dairy products are. For those that can tolerate dairy, it makes a great addition to a low carb food list. Choose full-fat dairy over fat-free or low-fat, which is higher in carbs. For cheese in particular, check the keto cheese list. Coconut cream is not dairy, but makes a great substitute and is included here. It’s thick and creamy, and often works instead of heavy cream, yogurt or even sour cream in recipes. Eggs are also not dairy, but are listed in this section for convenience. They are found in the dairy section of the grocery store, but you can still enjoy them if you are dairy-free.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are low carb foods to enjoy in moderation. They can be easy to overendulge on, so portion control is important. Still, they make great snacks or additions to keto recipes.
Low Carb Beverages
Whenever possible, drink water! It is by far the best beverage. You can change it up by adding lemons or cucumber slices. That being said, there are other options that should be included in any complete low carb food list. Almond and coconut milk make great low carb alternatives to dairy milk that is high in carbs. Coffee and tea are perfectly fine, too. Drinking alcohol can stall weight loss, but is okay to enjoy in moderation. Skip the fruity, sugar-laden drinks and beer; stick to either hard alcohol and dry wines. (Learn more about low carb alcohol options here.)
Low Carb Sweeteners
Here at Wholesome Yum, we recommend only natural low carb sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are more likely to spike insulin and have less known long-term effects. For a more detailed look, read the keto sugar substitute guide here. All the sweeteners in this list have 0 net carbs, because they either do not get absorbed or do not metabolize well. Serving sizes can vary by brand, depending on blend/concentration, so check the sweetener conversion chart if substituting sweeteners.
Low Carb Flours & Baking
Who says you can’t enjoy baked goods on a low carb diet? You can! Of course, they are still best in moderation, but it’s definitely doable to make keto baking recipes — and they can help you stay on track. Below is a list of common low carb flours and baking staples, such as thickeners and extracts. Always check labels to make sure no sugar or artificial additives are included. Learning to bake with low carb flours takes time, because they behave differently from traditional wheat flour. Get started by following tried and true almond flour recipes, simple coconut flour recipes, or browse all my low carb dessert recipes!
Herbs
Herbs make great additions to give your low carb foods flavor, with very little carb impact. Carbs listed below are based on chopped fresh herbs. If using dried herbs, the conversion is 3:1. That is, 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs. (This conversion applies for carb counts, as well as the recommended amount for recipes, because dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor.)
Spices & Seasonings
Including spices and seasonings in your food makes it a lot more interesting. Most spices and seasonings are suitable for low carb diet foods, but watch for added ingredients. Some spices or mixes add cornstarch or sugar, so you will want to avoid those. Most seasoning mixes can be made at home without the weird ingredients — try homemade Italian seasoning, simple taco seasoning, spicy Cajun seasoning, 5 minute pork chop seasoning, or aromatic pumpkin pie spice.
Low Carb Condiments
There are plenty of condiments that you can enjoy in foods with low carbs. Just watch for added sugar where you might not expect it, and skip high-sugar ones like pre-made ketchup or sweet dressings. For any store bought items below, the numbers are based on those without added sugar. If possible, it’s better to make your own, using low carb ingredients and sugar-free or no sweetener. Soy sauce is not on this list because it’s estrogenic and not recommended for clean keto, but coconut aminos makes a great substitute for cooking low carb foods. If you’re okay with “dirty keto” foods or not concerned about soy, carbs in soy sauce are still very low.
