Low Carb Monster - Low Carbohydrates

Low Carbohydrates

It may sound like splitting hairs, but when you're counting carbs, every little bit counts. Why? Because at the beginning of a low carb diet, you are only allowed to have 20 grams of carbs a day.

Low Carbohydrates on Food Labels

After the first two weeks on a low carb diet, you're allowed to have more carbs--some diets allow up to 60 grams a day! That means you can once again have milk and vegetables. All you need is a carb counter. But you'll notice that foods that are lower in fat aren't necessarily foods with low carbohydrates. Here's an example:

One cup of whole milk has 11.3 grams of carbs. 2% milk has 11.7 grams, and skim milk has 11.9.
One cup of plain low fat yogurt has 16 grams of carbs, while non-fat yogurt has 17.4 and whole milk yogurt has 10.6.
A less extreme, but still relevant, example is cream. Two tablespoons of heavy cream has 0.8 grams of carbs, two tablespoons of Half-n-Half has 1.3 grams and two tablespoons of light cream has 1.1 grams.

After so many years of hearing how light foods are better for us than their full-fat counterparts, switching your mindset to low carbohydrates can be weird. And since most of us eat a lot more carbs in a day than we should, switching to only foods with low carbohydrates can just plain be hard. Just remember that when you're on a low carb diet, eating foods with low carbohydrates often means you'll be eating more fat, which could put you at risk for heart disease if done long term. And lowering your calorie intake is just as important as lowering your intake of fat or carbs when it comes to dieting.

That's not to say that lowering your intake of carbs is a bad thing. Most of us only need 130 grams of carbs a day, so eating some foods with low carbohydrates (like lean meats, for example) is not a bad idea. A better idea is to cut as much white flour and refined sugar from your diet as possible, and adding more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. How can you go wrong doing that? Will the weight come off as fast as it would on a strict low carb diet? No. But it will likely stay off longer. But there's no need to worry about the carb count in foods like low fat sour cream, 1% milk, etc.