Not only does following a low-carb diet help you lose weight, it also helps control conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.

Carb-rich foods, such as sugar-sweetened cake and beverages, need to be avoided on a low-carb diet.

Some foods high in carbs are relatively healthy, making it more challenging to figure out which staple foods to limit.

You can choose to consume some foods that contain carbs, so long as you don’t go beyond the recommended total daily carb intake.

Here are 15 foods to dodge or cut on a low-carb diet.

1. Pasta

Although inexpensive and versatile, pasta is a very high-carb staple.

In fact, a 250-gram cooked pasta holds 43 grams of carbs, including 3 grams of fiber. Meanwhile, the same amount of whole-wheat pasta contains slightly lower carbs of 37 grams, and 6 of which are fiber.

Therefore, consuming spaghetti or any other types of pasta while on a low-carb diet is not a good idea. Should you really be craving for it, you can try making shirataki noodles or spiralized vegetables instead.

2. Cereal

Sugary breakfast cereals typically carry a higher number of carbs. However, carb counts of some healthy cereals are quite surprising. For example, a 90-gram cooked regular or instant oatmeal holds 34-gram carbs and only 4 are fiber.

Steel-cut oats are generally considered healthier, as they are less processed as compared with other types of oatmeal. However, a mere 45-gram cooked steel-cut oats contains 29 grams of carbs, and only 5 of which are fiber.

Whole-grain cereals tend to contain higher amounts of carbs, i.e., a 61-gram granola carries 37 grams of carbs, including 7 grams of fiber, while the same amount of grape nuts harbors a whopping 46-gram carbs, and 5 grams of which are fiber.

It is noteworthy that a single bowl of cereal can easily put you over the recommended total daily carb intake, all the more when added with milk.

3. Some fruit

A high consumption of fruits and vegetables has always been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. However, the majority of the fruits are high-carbs, making them inappropriate for low-carb diets. For example, a small apple harbors 21-gram carbs, including 4 grams of fiber.

When following a low-carb diet, avoiding some high-carb fruits, especially dried and sweet fruits, is a great idea:

• 1 medium banana contains 27 grams of carbs, including 3 grams of fiber
• 1-ounce raisins holds 22 grams of carbs, including 1 grams of fiber
• 2 large dates harbor 36 grams of carbs, including 4 grams of fiber
• 165-gram sliced mango provides 28 grams of carbs, including 3 grams of fiber

But don’t worry because there also exist a few tasty, low-carb fruits.

Compared to other fruits, berries hold a lower amount of sugar and high fiber. So consuming berries in small amounts—around 50 grams—is perfectly fine on a low-carb diet.

4. Beans and legumes

Known as one of the many nutritious foods on earth, beans and legumes provide many health benefits, including reduced heart disease and inflammation risks.

However, these nutritious foods contain a fair amount of carbs.

The following are the carb counts for 160- to 200-gram cooked beans and legumes:

• Kidney beans carry 40 grams of carbs, including 13 grams of fiber
• Black beans contain 41 grams of carbs, including 15 grams of fiber
• Pinto beans hold 45 grams of carbs, including 15 grams of fiber
• Chickpeas harbor 45 grams of carbs, including 12 grams of fiber
• Lentils contain 40 grams of carbs, including 16 grams of fiber
• Peas hold 25 grams of carbs, including 9 grams of fiber

5. Honey or sugar

Obviously, foods packed with honey or sugar, such as candy, cake, and cookies, are high in sugar, making them absolutely inappropriate on a low-carb diet.

Providing little to no nutritional value, natural forms of sugar can hold as many carbs as refined sugar, so here are the carb counts of several types of sugar:

• 1 tbsp of maple syrup holds 13 grams of carbs
• 1 tbsp of white sugar provides 12.6 grams of carbs
• 1 tbsp of agave nectar harbors 16 grams of carbs
• 1 tbsp of honey contains 17 grams of carbs

When following a low-carb diet, it’s highly essential to opt for nutritious, high-fiber carb sources. You can add healthy sweeteners, like stevia, to sweeten your foods or beverages.

6. Gluten-free baked goods

A protein found in most grains, including rye, barley, and wheat, gluten acts as a glue that holds food together. In other words, it helps foods maintain their shape.

However, people with celiac disease should avoid this type of protein, as their gut becomes inflamed in response to gluten. This has increased the popularity of gluten-free diets.

Gluten-free muffins, breads, and other baked goods often boast even more carbs than their glutenous counterparts.

In addition, these foods contain flour that is typically made from grains and starches, which may raise your blood sugar levels rapidly.

If you want to make your own low-carb baked goods, you can use whole foods, coconut or almond flour. It is way better than consuming processed gluten-free foods.

7. Chips and crackers

Chips and crackers are also high-carb.

A 28-gram tortilla chip, which is about 10–15 average-sized chips, harbors 18 grams of carbs, including 1 gram of fiber.

Depending on processing, crackers can vary in carb content. Even a 28-gram whole-wheat cracker holds about 19 grams of carbs, and 3 of which are fiber.

It’s best to avoid processed snack foods because even though they are consumed within a short period of time, they are also typically consumed in large quantities.

8. Bread and grains

A staple food in many cultures, bread comes in a variety of forms, including bagels, rolls, loaves, and flatbreads, such as tortillas.

However, considering that these are whole-grain varieties and made from refined flour, their carbs can quickly add up.

Listed below are the average carb counts for popular breads. However, take note that their counts vary depending on the ingredients and portion sizes.

• 1 slice of whole-wheat bread holds 17 grams of carbs, including 2 grams of fiber
• 10-inch flour tortilla harbors 36 grams of carbs, including 2 grams of fiber
• 1 slice of white bread carries 14 grams of carbs, including 1 gram of fiber
• 3-inch bagel holds 29 grams of carbs, including 1 gram of fiber

Thus, consuming these foods could put you over your daily carb limit. You can make your own low-carb loaves at home if you really want to enjoy bread.

Most grains, such as oats and wheats, are also high-carbs that need to be limited or even avoided when following a low-carb diet.

9. Starchy vegetables

Low-starch vegetables are absolutely perfect for most diets. Many high-fiber vegetables can aid blood sugar control and weight loss.

However, some starchy vegetables, such as the following, should be limited on a low-carb diet, as they contain more digestible carbs than fiber.

• 175 grams of corn hold 41 grams of carbs, including 5 grams of fiber
• 1 medium potato carries 37 grams of carbs, including 4 grams of fiber
• 1 medium sweet potato harbors 24 grams of carbs, including 4 grams of fiber
• 150 grams of cooked beets provide 16 grams of carbs, including 4 grams of fiber

But don’t worry. There are still a number of low-carb or even no carb vegetables which you can enjoy on a low-carb diet.

10. Beer

A low-carb diet does not completely prohibit alcohol; you can still enjoy them in moderation. In fact, hard liquor contains no carbs at all, and dry wine has very few.

However, beer contains a fairly high amount of carbs. In fact, a 12-oz can of beer provides 13 grams of carbs, and even a can of light beer harbors 6 grams of carbs.

In addition, liquid carbs have been found to promote weight gain more than carbs found in solid foods. This is because, unlike solid foods, liquid carbs are not so filling and they don’t seem to reduce your appetite nearly as much.

11. Sweetened yogurt

A tasty and versatile food, sweetened yogurt typically is packed with carbs. Plain yogurt is low-carb, but many people prefer consuming sweetened, fruit-flavored low-fat or nonfat yogurt.

A 123-gram plain Greek yogurt topped with 50 grams of berries, such as raspberries and blackberries, keeps digestible carbs to no more than 10 grams, while a 245-gram nonfat sweetened fruit yogurt can provide a whopping 47 grams of carbs.

12. Juice

Juice is absolutely inappropriate on a low-carb diet. It is, in fact, one of the worst beverages you can drink.

Although quite nutritious, fruit juice provides a very high fast-digesting carbs that may up your blood sugar levels.

For example, a 12-oz apple juice holds 48 grams of carbs, which is even more than the 39 grams from soda. Meanwhile, a 12-oz grape juice also harbors a whopping 60 grams of carbs.

Vegetable juice, on the other hand, does not hold nearly as many carbs as the fruit juice. However, a 12-oz vegetable juice still provides 16 grams of carbs, including only 2 grams of fiber.

What’s more, drinking juice may increase hunger, thereby also increasing your food intake later in the day.

13. Fat-free and low-fat salad dressings

A low-carb diet allows you to enjoy a wide variety of salads. However, commercial dressings, such as fat-free and low-fat varieties, are often high-carbs.

In fact, a 30-ml fat-free ranch dressing provides 11 grams of carbs, and an equal portion of fat-free French dressing carries 10 grams.

Many people tend to use > 30 ml especially on large entrée salads. Therefore, using a creamy, full-fat dressing is ideal for you to minimize carbs.

Or you can use vinegar and olive oil instead; they may aid weight loss and are associated with improved heart health.

14. Milk

Although milk is packed with several nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, and several B vitamins, it’s also high in carbs. An 8-oz whole milk provides 12–13 grams of carbs.

Depending on your daily carb limit, you may include small amounts of milk in your coffee in the morning. But it’s better to opt for cream or half-and-half for your coffee, since they contain minimal carbs.

But don’t worry, there are some healthy, low-carb alternatives as well—unsweetened almond or coconut milk.

15. Energy bars

Providing energy, energy bars are particularly loaded with carbs, making them inappropriate on a low-carb diet. Some may even provide up to 45 grams of carbs per bar.

What’s more, being packed with sugar and scary chemicals, they may be a threat to your health.

How many carbs in a low-carb diet?

Low-carb diets typically limit 20 to 57 grams of carbohydrates daily, providing 80 to 240 calories. Some low-carb diets even completely restrict carb intake on the onset of the diet.

Conclusion

Choosing highly nutritious and low-carb foods and beverages is the best thing to do on a low-carb diet. Depending on your personal carb tolerance, you may also want to limit or even avoid those that harbor higher amounts of carbs.