A low-carb diet involves restricting intake of high-carb foods, such as bread, pasta, and other sugary foods. It advocates eating healthy vegetables, fats, and proteins.

There are several forms of low-carb diets, which have been shown to cause weight loss and improve health.

Here we provide a 7-day low-carb eating sample meal plan, as well as explain what to eat and avoid while on a low-carb diet.

The Basics of Low-Carb Eating

Your food choices are dependent on several factors, including your weight loss goals, physical activity, and health.

Consider this meal plan as not something written in stone, but rather a general guideline.

Eat: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, fats, healthy oils, seeds, nuts, high-fat dairy, and maybe even non-gluten grains and some tubers

Don’t eat: Wheat, HFCS, sugar, trans fats, seed oils, highly processed foods, and low-fat and “diet” products.

Foods to Avoid

These six food groups should be avoided when following a low-carb diet:

Sugar: Products that contain added sugar like fruit juices, soft drinks, candy, agave, and ice cream

Refined grains: Rice, wheat, rye, and barley, as well as pasta, cereal, and bread

Trans fats: Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils

Diet and low-fat products: Although fat-reduced, many crackers, cereals, and dairy products contain added sugar

Highly processed foods: Avoid products that are made in a factory

Starchy vegetables: Starchy vegetables, including potatoes, beans, butternut squash, and corn, are rich in carbohydrates.

If you happen to spot health foods while shopping for food, make sure to read the ingredient lists.

Low-Carb Food List

Low-carb diets revolve around real, unprocessed, low-carb foods, such as the following:

Meat: Pork, chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and others (choose grass-fed)

Fish: Tuna, salmon, sardines, lake trout, haddock, and other fatty fish (opt for wild-caught fish)

Eggs: Choose pastured or omega-3-enriched eggs

Vegetables: Bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots, mushrooms, and several other low-carb veggies

Low-sugar fruits: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, apples, oranges, kiwi, peach, and pears

Nuts and seeds: Pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds

High-fat dairy: Butter, cheese, yogurt, and heavy cream

Fats and oils: Butter, lard, coconut oil, fish oil, and olive oil

If you’re aiming to lose weight, don’t overeat nuts and cheese. Try to also limit no more than one piece of fruit per day.

Foods to Maybe Include

If you are healthy and not into losing weight, you can eat a few of the following carbs food sources:

Tubers: Kūmara, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, taro, ulluco, and Jerusalem artichoke

Unrefined grains: Whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, oats, bran cereal, barley, and many others

Legumes: Green pea, pigeon pea, lentils, soybean, common bean, pinto beans, black beans, and many others

If you want, you can also consume the following in moderation:

• Dark chocolate with at least 70% of cocoa
• Dry wines with no added sugar or carbs

Containing high antioxidants, dark chocolate may provide health benefits if eaten moderately. However, if consumed in large amounts, both alcohol and dark chocolate can be a hindrance to your progress.

Beverages

Stick to low-carb beverages and avoid the sugary ones.

• Water
• Tea
• Black coffee
• Sugar-free carbonated beverages, such as sparkling water

A 7-Day Low-Carb Menu Sample

Here is a 7-day low-carb menu sample that provides < 50 grams of carbs per day. You can consume slightly more carbs if you’re healthy and active though.

Day 1

Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil or butter

Lunch: Shrimp salad with some olive oil

Dinner: Grilled chicken with vegetables

Day 2

Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in coconut oil or butter

Lunch: Smoothie with berries, almonds, coconut milk, and protein powder

Dinner: Steak and veggies

Day 3

Breakfast: Omelet with a variety of vegetables, fried in coconut oil or butter

Lunch: Grass-fed yogurt with blueberries and a handful of almonds

Dinner: Bunless cheeseburger, served with vegetables and salsa sauce

Day 4

Breakfast: Bacon and eggs

Lunch: Leftover burgers and veggies from the previous night

Dinner: Salmon with butter and vegetables

Day 5

Breakfast: Omelet with a variety of veggies

Lunch: Grass-fed yogurt with coconut flakes, berries, and a handful of nuts

Dinner: Meatballs with veggies

Day 6

Breakfast: Bacon and eggs

Lunch: Chicken salad with some olive oil

Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables

Day 7

Breakfast: Bacon and eggs

Lunch: Smoothie with berries, chocolate-flavored protein powder, a dash of heavy cream, and coconut milk

Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with some raw spinach on the side

If you aim to consume < 50 grams of carbs per day, you can still incorporate plenty of low-carb veggies and a piece of fruit in your diet every day.

You can also add potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other tubers, as well as oats and other healthy grains, in your diet if you’re active, lean, and healthy.

Nutritious Low-Carb Snacks

Here are some nutritious, easy-to-prepare, low-carb snacks you can have if you get hungry between meals:

• Leftovers from the previous night
• Low-carb strawberry smoothie
• One or two hard-boiled eggs
• Berries and whipped cream
• Tuna salad lettuce wraps
• Some cheese and meat
• Cheddar cheese crisps
• Homemade trail mix
• Steamed edamame
• A handful of nuts
• Stuffed avocado
• A piece of fruit
• Full-fat yogurt
• Caprese salad
• String cheese
• Baby carrots
• Kale chips

Low-Carb Eating at Restaurants

Eating low-carb at restaurants is fairly easy; you can simply do any of the following:

• Order a fish-, chicken, or meat-based main dish.
• Instead of having fruit juice or sugary soda, opt for plain water.
• Get rid of potatoes, bread, or rice and order extra veggies instead.

A Simple Low-Carb Shopping List

Shopping at the perimeter of the store is a good idea, as it is where the whole foods are typically located.

A diet that’s focused on whole foods is a lot better than any other diets. You tend to emphasize the importance of eating natural and unprocessed foods.

Organic and grass-fed foods are healthier, but they can be more expensive. So try to buy those that are least processed that fit within your budget.

• Fish (fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and anchovies)
• Eggs (choose pastured eggs or omega-3 enriched if possible)
• Meat (e.g., chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, and bacon)
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Cheese
• Lard
• Full-fat, unsweetened yogurt
• Heavy cream
• Sour cream
• Fresh or frozen berries (e.g., blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries)
• Nuts
• Olives
• Frozen vegetables (e.g., carrots, broccoli, asparagus, various mixes)
• Fresh vegetables (e.g., greens, spinach, peppers, and onions)
• Condiments (e.g., pepper, garlic, sea salt, and mustard)

As much as possible, get rid of all unhealthy temptations in your pantry, such as candy, ice cream, juices, sodas, chips, cereals, breads, and baking ingredients like sugar and refined flour.

Conclusion

Low-carb diets have been shown in studies to cause weight loss and improve health.

They involve limiting consumption of high carb foods, such as starchy vegetables, breads, pastas, grains, fruits, legumes, and sometimes seeds and nuts. They advocate eating more healthy vegetables, protein, and fat.

However, some low-carb diets allow consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in small amounts, especially if you are healthy and not into losing weight.

This article is particularly helpful if you are planning to transition into a low-carb diet.