Grass-fed and wild animal sources
- grass-fed meat (beef, lamb, goat, venison), wild-caught fish & seafood, pastured pork and poultry, pastured eggs, gelatin, ghee, butter – these are high in healthy omega 3 fatty acids (avoid sausages and meat covered in breadcrumbs, hot dogs, meat that comes with sugary or starchy sauces)
- offal, grass-fed (liver, heart, kidneys and other organ meats)
- dairy products (plain full-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, cream, sour cream, cheese) – avoid products labeled “low-fat”, most of them are packed with sugar and starch and have little sating effect
- bacon – beware of preservatives and added starches
Healthy fats
- saturated (lard, tallow, chicken fat, duck fat, goose fat, clarified butter / ghee, butter, coconut oil)
- monounsaturated (avocado, macadamia and olive oil)
- polyunsaturated omega 3s, especially from animal sources (fatty fish and seafood)
- You can find a complete guide to fats & oils in my post here. (which to use for cold use, which for high-heat cooking and which to avoid)
Nuts and seeds
- macadamia nuts (very low in carbs, high in omega 3s)
- pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds
- brazil nuts (
Vegetables
- leafy greens (Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, lettuce, chard, chives, endive, radicchio, etc.)
- some cruciferous vegetables like kale (dark leaf), kohlrabi, radishes
- celery stalk, asparagus, cucumber, summer squash (zucchini, spaghetti squash), bamboo shoots
Vegetables, Mushrooms and Fruits (watch the carb count)
- some cruciferous vegetables (white and green cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, fennel, turnips, rutabaga / swede)
- nightshades (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers)
- some root vegetables (parsley root), spring onion, leek, onion, garlic, mushrooms, winter squash (pumpkin)
- sea vegetables (nori, kombu), okra, bean sprouts, sugar snap peas, wax beans, globe or French artichokes, water chestnuts
- berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, mulberries, etc.)
- coconut, rhubarb, olives
Fruits
- avocado
Beverages and Condiments
- water , coffee, tea
- pork rinds (cracklings) for “breading”
- mayonnaise, mustard, pesto, bone broth, pickles, fermented foods (kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut)
- all spices and herbs, lemon or lime juice and zest
- ranch, blue cheese, vinaigrette dressing (watch for the carb count some dressings have sugars)
- vinegar
- whey protein (beware of additives, artificial sweeteners, hormones and soy lecithin), egg white protein and gelatin
- healthy “zero-carb” sweeteners (Stevia, Swerve, Erythritol, etc.)
- thickeners: arrowroot powder, xanthan gum (keep in mind xanthan gum is not paleo-friendly – some people following the paleo diet use it, as you only need a very little amount)
- sugar-free tomato products (puree, ketchup)
- cocoa and carob powder, extra dark chocolate (more than 70%, better 90% and beware of soy lecithin), cocoa powder
- beware of sugar-free chewing gums and mints – some of them have carbs
Alcohol
- dry red wine, dry white wine, spirits (unsweetened) – avoid for weight loss, only for weight maintenance
Net Carbs in commonly used recommended foods
Animal products
| Source | Net Carbs (grams) | Serving size |
| meat and fish | 0 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| organ meats, liver (average) | 3 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| prawns (cooked) | 1.4 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| eggs | 0.7 | piece, large |
| cream (full-fat) | 1.6 | ¼ cup, 60 ml / 2 fl oz |
| butter | 0 | 1 tbsp |
| cheese (hard) | 0.4 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| cream cheese (full-fat) | 1.6 | ¼ cup, 50 g / 1.75 oz |
Vegetables
| Source | Net Carbs (grams) | Serving size |
| lettuce (sliced, average) | 0.5 | 1 cup, 50 g / 1.75 oz |
| swiss chard, sliced | 0.8 | 1 cup, 35 g / 1.25 oz |
| collard greens, sliced | 0.8 | 1 cup, 35 g / 1.25 oz |
| bok choy, sliced | 0.8 | 1 cup, 70 g / 2.4 oz |
| asparagus | 2.7 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| green beans | 6.4 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| summer squash (zucchini / courgette) | 3.2 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| winter squash (pumpkin) | 9 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| cucumber | 2.2 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| spinach, cooked | 1.2 | ½ cup, 90 g / 3.2 oz |
| kale (Italian dark-leaf) | 2.1 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| kale (curly) | 5.4 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| savoy cabbage | 4.5 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| cabbage (white) | 5 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| cabbage (red) | 7.9 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| celery stalk | 1.6 | 3 medium, 120 g / 4.2 oz |
| peppers (green) | 3.5 | piece, 120 g / 4.2 oz |
| peppers (red) | 4.7 | piece, 120 g / 4.2 oz |
| tomatoes, chopped | 4.8 | 1 cup, 180 g / 6.3 oz |
| eggplant (aubergine) | 3.5 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| broccoli, chopped | 6.1 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| cauliflower | 4.5 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| mushrooms, white | 3.4 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| mushrooms, brown | 5.6 | 150 g / 5.3 oz |
| onion, white (sliced) | 2.2 | ¼ cup, 40 g / 1.4 oz |
| garlic | 0.9 | 1 clove |
Fruit
| Source | Net Carbs (grams) | Serving size |
| strawberries, sliced | 4.7 | ½ cup, 85 g / 2.9 oz |
| raspberries | 3.3 | ½ cup, 62 g / 2.2 oz |
| blackberries | 3.1 | ½ cup, 72 g / 2.5 oz |
| blueberries | 8.9 | ½ cup, 74 g / 2.6 oz |
| avocado | 3.7 | piece, average (200 g / 7 oz) |
Nuts & Seeds
| Source | Net Carbs (grams) | Serving size |
| macadamia nuts | 1.5 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| almonds | 2.7 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| pecans | 1.2 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| hazelnuts | 2 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| walnuts | 2 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| cashew nuts | 7.6 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| pumpkin seeds | 1.3 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| sunflower seeds | 3.2 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| tahini (unsweetened sesame paste) | 1.8 | 1 tbsp |
| chia seeds | 0.4 | 1 tbsp |
| pistachio nuts | 4.9 | 30 g / 1 oz |
Condiments & Other
| Source | Net Carbs (grams) | Serving size |
| almond milk (unsweetened) | 0.3 | ¼ cup, 60 ml / 2 fl oz |
| coconut milk | 1.6 | ¼ cup, 60 ml / 2 fl oz |
| coconut milk (creamed) | 2.7 | ¼ cup, 60 ml / 2 fl oz |
| olives | 0.2 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| sauerkraut (solids only) | 0.5 | ¼ cup, 35 g / 1.25 oz |
| mustard | 0.7 | 1 tbsp |
| tomato puree | 5.7 | 1 tbsp |
| apple cider vinegar | 0.1 | 1 tbsp |
| coconut aminos | 1 | 1 tbsp |
| dark chocolate (85%) | 5.7 | 30 g / 1 oz |
| coconut flour | 3.2 | ¼ cup, 30 g / 1 oz |
| almond flour | 2.2 | ¼ cup, 25 g / 0.9 oz |
| flax meal | 0.6 | ¼ cup, 38 g / 1.3 oz |
| psillium hush powder | 1.4 | ¼ cup, 16 g / 0.6 oz |
| Erythritol | 0.5 | 1 tbsp |
| stevia (drops) | < 0.1 | ¼ tsp |
| wine (red, dry) | 6 | 1 glass / 5 fl oz |
| wine (white, dry) | 6 | 1 glass / 5 fl oz |
| spirits (sugar-free, ~ 40% vol) | 0 | 1 jigger / 1.5 fl oz |
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