6 Foods That Will Spoil Your Low Carb Diet

These 6 Foods Will Spoil Your Low Carb Diet

Are you starting a low carb diet? One of the things you should know is how to avoid foods that will spoil your low carb diet. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid can be tricky because while some of these foods are apparent red flags, others look like healthy choices.

Typically, you are only allowed to consume 20-100 grams of carb daily with a low carb diet. This means you have to limit or completely eliminate foods that exceed this count. So, some of your “healthy” choices will end up ruining your diet if you are not careful.

Here are 10 foods to avoid so they don’t spoil your low carb diet.

Fruits

Fruits are an example of those “healthy” choices that could ruin your diet. They boost your immunity and lower the risks of some diseases, making them a must-have in meals. However, many fruits are packed with carbs that will ruin your diet. A typical serving of fruits contains 120 grams of carbs, which already exceeds your daily carb intake. It might be in your best interest to avoid some fruits, especially sweet or dried fruits.

Some examples of fruits that you can eat because of their low carb content include watermelon, berries, avocados, and peaches.

READ ALSO: Some Healthy Fruits for Weight Loss in Nigeria

Bread, cereal, pasta, and grains

Although bread and grains are the staple food of many places, they will ruin your diet for obvious reasons. Bread, both the ones made from refined and whole grains, are very high in carbs. One slice of white bread contains about 14 grams of carbs, and one slice of whole-wheat bread has 17. Eating even a sandwich can put you near or over your daily carbs limit.

The same thing applies to grains. Most grains, including rice, oats, and wheat, are packed with carbs. You should limit how much you eat or avoid them. Below is the carb count for one cup of different cereals and pasta.

1. Cooked pasta – 43 grams.
2. Instant/regular oats (cooked) – 32 grams.
3. Cooked steel cut oats – 58 grams.
4. Plain cornflakes – 35 grams.
5. Granola cereal – 74 grams.

Starchy vegetables

Vegetables are an excellent addition to your low carb diet. They are rich in fiber that aid in digestion, weight loss, and blood sugar control. However, some vegetables contain more digestible carbs than fiber and should be limited or avoided on a low carb diet.

Some of these starchy vegetables to avoid or limit include potato, yam, beets, and corn.

Beans and legumes

This part will come as a shocker to many people. After all, beans and legumes are rich in protein and fiber and give so many benefits to the body.

Although beans and legumes are rich in protein and fiber, they also contain a high amount of carbs that can ruin your diet. Below is the carb count of one cup of different cooked beans and legumes.

1. Peas – 25 grams.
2. Pinto beans – 45 grams.
3. Lentils – 40 grams.
4. Black beans – 41 grams.
5. Chickpeas – 45 grams.
6. Kidney beans – 40 grams.
7. Cowpeas – 35 grams.
8. Baked beans – 55 grams.

Sugar in any form

Sugar is an enemy of any low carb diet. Even the natural forms of sugar have as many, if not more, carbs as the white processed form. The worst part is that none of these sweeteners add any nutritional value to your food. Below is the amount of carbs found in one tablespoon of different sugars.

1. White sugar – 12.6 grams.
2. Maple syrup: 13 grams.
3. Agave nectar: 16 grams.
4. Honey: 17 grams.

Also, avoid foods rich in sugar like candy, cookies, cakes, juice, etc. For example, 12 ounces of apple juice contains about 48 grams of carbs, even more than a soda that has 39 grams. While grape juice has a whopping 60 grams of carbs per 12 ounces.

Milk

Like beans, milk is known more as a source of protein and other nutrients like calcium, potassium, and some B vitamins. However, milk has a high carb content. 8 ounces of milk contains 12-13 grams of carbs, irrespective of whether it is whole, low-fat, or fat-free milk.

If you don’t take milk regularly, you can probably get away with using 1-2 tablespoons of milk in your food. But if you consume foods that require milk frequently, you might want to consider substituting it for cream, half-and-half, unsweetened almond or coconut milk instead.

Along the same vein, you should also avoid sweetened yogurt, nonfat, or low-fat. Instead, take plain yogurt to keep your carb intake in check.

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