We are all trying to find that combination of foods that can help us not only lose weight but also help us to maintain our bodies as we push ourselves to be healthy. We all know that lean protein helps us to build muscles, but who wants to live on a diet of fish and protein shakes?
While the National Institute of Medicine says you should eat 130 grams of carbs per day, most adults eat upwards of 200 grams. One of biggest hang-ups, especially for the baby boomers who grew up in a family environment that stressed cleaning your plate at every meal. And back then, the portion sizes were huge. Just go ahead and walk through a store that caters to fine china or dinnerware and notice the size of the dinner plates. Yes, we have grown up in an age where Super-Sizing our food has become our regular lifestyle. It is only now, after about 20 years of eating more than we need to that the medical profession has finally screamed enough that we are finally taking notice of what we have been ingesting into our bodies.
Now even the fast food industries are catering to leaner substitutes on their menus and are putting the caloric amounts alongside what they are selling, along with offering low-carb options to their menus as well. Now don’t get me wrong, from time to time, I just go ahead and order a burger and fries or who can go without a slice or two of pizza every now and then. But the key is portion control. You don’t need to eat two or three burgers, the same with the pizza one or two slices should be the limit, but if you were like me, there was a time when I could do a lot of damage to a whole pizza pie
So besides eating healthier and being aware of “Portion Size” at each meal we are making progress in the battle of the bulge. And thankfully, eating low-carb foods doesn't mean committing to a life of meat and protein shakes. These foods below are shockingly low in carbs and generously high in flavor, so you can stick to your low-carb diet without feeling deprived. The key to everything healthy is to also READ THE LABLES!
Greek Yogurt
Benefits: Greek yogurt is high in protein.
Carbs per serving: 6 grams per container
Cottage Cheese
Benefits: A cup of cottage cheese has 25 grams of protein.
Carbs per serving: 4 grams per 1/2 cup
Try it in... Cottage Cheese Veggie Dip
Eggs
Benefits: Eggs are high in protein with limitless options for cooking.
Carbs per serving: 0.6 grams per egg
Try them in... Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Crustless Quiche
Gruyère Cheese
Benefits: Gruyère is extremely low in carbs and calories with 8 grams of protein.
Carbs per serving: 0.1 gram per ounce
Salmon
Benefits: Salmon has heart-healthy omega-3s.
Carbs per serving: 0
Try it in... Pan-Seared Salmon
Cauliflower
Benefits: Cauliflower can be used as a replacement for rice, bread, and potatoes.
In fact, there are a lot of stores now selling “Riced Cauliflower” which simply means that they grated this healthy vegetable for you, and are getting more money than if you simply bought a head of it and grated it yourself. But you can see that the stores are getting in on the healthy kick as well.
Carbs per serving: 5 grams per cup
Mushrooms
Benefits: Mushrooms are heart-healthy and may help lower cholesterol.
Carbs per serving: 3 grams per cup
Try them in... Seared Pork Chops with Shiitake Mushrooms
Zucchini
Benefits: Zucchini is a great substitute for pasta when cut or spiralized into "zoodles." For use instead of pasta.
Carbs per serving: 3.5 grams per cup
Spaghetti Squash
Benefits: Spaghetti squash contributes to healthy vision and eye health. Same function as above, great for making into a noodle dish.
Carbs per serving: 7 grams per cup
So you can see, besides the lean protein you’re going to be consuming on your way to a healthier lifestyle, you can create all sorts of delicious meals using these low-carb replacements to denser carbs that can not only increase the sugar your putting into your body, but remember, that sugar and carb intake eventually turns into, hard to get rid of body fat.
So, go ahead, get out that salad plate and lean up on some delicious low-carb wonders!