Low Carb Diet Guidelines, Tips and Recipes

By Andrea Cohen
Published 10/21/2024
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
In This Article
Low Carb Diet Guidelines, Tips and Recipes

Low carb diets can be a good option for people looking to lose weight, manage blood sugar, reduce inflammation, minimize bloating, and lower the risk of other health conditions. But before you commit to limiting carbohydrates in your diet, it’s helpful to know the benefits and drawbacks of low carb diets, which foods are best to eat and avoid, and how to avoid the pitfalls of diets that reduce carbs too much. 

Low Carb Diet Basics

There is no exact number of carbs you should eat on a low carb diet because different people tolerate carbs differently and what is low enough for one person may not be low enough for another. As a general rule of thumb, a low carb diet is typically not more than 150 grams of carbs, which equates to 600 daily calories (carbs have 4 calories per gram). Some people prefer to reduce carbs more, topping out at approximately 100 to 120 grams of carbs (400 to 480 daily calories). Others may eat even fewer carbs, although it is not recommended that you eat less than 60 to 70 grams of carbs per day (240 to 280 daily calories). Ketogenic diets often limit carbs drastically, to approximately 20 to 50 grams per day (80 to 200 daily calories), with a focus on getting the majority of daily calories from fat. Our discussion about low carb diets does not include the principles of keto diets.

It’s important to keep in mind that just lowering the carbs in your diet isn’t a guaranteed way to lose weight or be healthier. You still need to eat healthy, balanced meals to get the nutrients your body needs. Make your carbs count by having them come from whole food sources and not processed foods like low carb bars, breads, cookies, or chips. Be sure to also balance carb consumption with enough quality protein and healthy fat to keep you satiated and provide essential nutrients.

Benefits of Low Carb Diets

Low carb diets have grown in popularity as a way to lose weight. This is because cutting carbs can reduce your appetite and limit cravings, lowering your overall calorie intake. Diets that get a lower percentage of calories from carbs, with more protein and fat in their place, may help you feel more satiated so you’re less likely to overeat. Low carb diets may cause more rapid weight loss than other types of diets in the short term, although they may lose their advantage over longer periods of time. They may also lead to more abdominal fat loss.

Another benefit of low carb diets is that they can help you maintain steadier blood sugar and insulin levels. This is not only important for people who have diabetes, but for everyone. Many people have prediabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome and don’t even know it. Even if your blood sugar levels are not too high, carbs can send blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride, spiking and then dropping precipitously. This can leave you feeling hungry, tired, and irritable.

Reducing carbs is also good for your heart. Low carb diets may help lower triglycerides, which are fat molecules in your bloodstream that contribute to heart disease. They may also increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, as long as you’re replacing some of your carbohydrate intake with healthy fats. Lowering carbs may also reduce blood pressure.

Low Carb Guidelines

If you’re thinking about following a low carb diet, you may need some trial and error to determine a carb level that’s right for you. Start with limiting daily carbohydrates to 150 grams. If you want to lower carbs more, consider dropping carb intake to 100 to 120 grams per day. You may still choose to lower carbs even more but it is not recommended that you consume fewer than 60 to 70 grams per day. 

Break up your carb intake among your daily meals and snacks and eat carbs alongside protein and healthy fat whenever possible. Focus on getting your carbs primarily from non-starchy vegetables, as well as from fruits, beans, root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and winter squash, peas, and whole grains like quinoa, wild rice, and sprouted grain bread. 

Here’s an idea of how carbs can be spread among meals and snacks based on different total daily carb levels, assuming you eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day:

Approx. 150 carbs per day:

  • 35 grams of carbs per meal (3 x 35 = 105 grams)
  • 22 ½ grams of carbs per snack (2 x 22 ½ = 45 grams)
  • Total: 105 + 45 = 150 grams

Approx. 120 carbs per day:

  • 30 grams of carbs per meal (3 x 30 = 90 grams)
  • 15 grams of carbs per snack (2 x 15 = 30 grams)
  • Total: 90 + 30 = 120 grams

Approx. 100 carbs per day:

  • 25 grams of carbs per meal (3 x 25 = 75 grams)
  • 12 ½ grams of carbs per snack (2 x 12 ½ = 25 grams)
  • Total: 75 + 25 = 100 grams

Approx. 70 carbs per day:

  • 20 grams of carbs per meal (3 x 20 = 60 grams)
  • 5 grams of carbs per snack (2 x 5 = 10 grams)
  • Total: 60 + 10 = 70 grams

Carb Reduction Tips

Wondering how you can reduce carbs in your diet? Lowering carb levels can take some getting used to, but here are 8 tips to make it easier:

  1. Eat more protein - Protein contains important nutrients and can fill you up and keep you keep you feeling full longer. Aim to eat protein at every meal and incorporate protein into your snacks, too.
  2. Don’t be afraid of fat – Like protein, fat is satiating, helping you feel full so you’re less likely to overeat carbs. Not all fat is created equal, however, so focus primarily on eating unsaturated fat, such as from avocado, olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel.
  3. Get your carbs from whole foods – Eating complex carbs, like those from vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, can keep you feeling satisfied so you eat less. Foods with more fiber are digested more slowly, which helps fill you up and prevents blood sugar spikes. Non-starchy vegetables are relatively low in carbs so you can eat a large portion without consuming too many carbs.
  4. Limit processed low carb foods – Processed foods, even if they are low in carbs, typically don’t provide many nutrients and often leave you wanting to eat more. It’s best to limit foods like low carb bars, cookies, snacks, and breads, while getting most of your carbs from whole foods.
  5. Avoid refined carbs – Foods that contain added sugar or white flour spike blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry. Skip foods like cookies, candy, ice cream, baked goods, chips, pretzels, and breads and pasta made from refined grains, as much as possible. If you want an occasional treat, consume a small portion and enjoy each bite.
  6. Snack on low carb foods – What many people think of as snack foods, such as chips and cookies, are loaded with refined carbs that spike blood sugar, leaving you feeling hungry, tired, and irritable (and having no nutritional value). Instead, snack on foods that are low in carbs and contain some protein, fat, and/or fiber. Good options are eggs, cheese, nuts, and turkey roll-ups.
  7. Watch what you drink – Many Americans consume a lot of sugar in drinks like soda and juice, as well as coffee and alcoholic drinks. Curb sugar-sweetened drinks and opt for no carb drinks like water, seltzer, and unsweetened tea.

Pay attention to food labels – Check the amount of carbohydrates and sugars in your favorite foods. Also, be aware of serving sizes because they may be smaller than you think and you may be consuming more carbs than expected if you’re eating larger portions.

Low Carb Recipes

Here are some delicious ways to enjoy meals and snacks that are low in carbs and easy to make. We’ve calculated carb levels for each recipe and consider low carb meals under 35 grams of carbs and low carb snacks under 20 grams.

Low Carb Diet FAQs

  • A low carb diet is one in which you limit carbs. There is no exact number of carbs to shoot for when following a low carb diet, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for 150 grams or less per day. Some people prefer to eat fewer carbs, but it is not recommended that you limit carbs to less than 60 grams. If you follow a keto diet, your carb intake will be lower than that, however (more like 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates).

  • There is no exact carb level that constitutes a low carb food. You should count your carb content over the course of a day and spread it out among your meals and snacks. Some people like to eat a similar number of carbs at each meal. Others may prefer to eat more carbs at one meal, while lowering carbs during the rest of the day. On our site, we consider meals low carb if they have less than 35g of carbs. Low carb snacks on our site clock in at 20g of carbs or less.

  • The best low carb foods are whole foods such as non-starchy vegetables, as well as fruits, beans, root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and winter squash, peas, and whole grains like quinoa, wild rice, and sprouted grain bread. There are also processed foods that may be marketed as being low-carb, but it is recommended that you get most of your carbs from whole foods rather than processed low carb foods like bars, cookies, breads, or chips. Foods that contain primarily protein or fat do not typically have many carbs, if any.

  • Low carb meals are those that feature quality protein, such as poultry, seafood, eggs, or lean meat, along with a moderate serving of healthy fat, such as avocado, olive oil, or nuts. Carbs can be eaten, but it is best if they are from whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, or whole grains, and portion sizes are kept in check. An example of a healthy low carb meal is a piece of grilled salmon with a small serving of quinoa and some spinach sautéed with olive oil and garlic.

  • Snacks are an important part of any diet. If you’re limiting carbs, try some of these low carb snack options: hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, string cheese, Greek yogurt, nuts or seeds, olives, turkey in lettuce wraps, and vegetables with hummus.

  • Many people follow low carb diets to lose weight although there’s no guarantee you’ll lose weight simply by reducing the amount of carbs in your diet. Others do it to better control their blood sugar. By eating fewer carbs, it may help reduce cravings and keep blood sugar steadier because your body has less food to easily convert to sugar. There are also other health benefits of consuming fewer carbs.

  • Diets that are high in carbs, especially refined carbs such as sugar and white flour, can spike blood sugar levels, which can leave you feeling tired and may contribute to insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. High carb diets may also make you feel hungry and cause cravings, resulting in you consuming more calories, which can lead to weight gain. Additionally, diets high in refined carbs can make you feel bloated and may contribute to a variety of health conditions.

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