Low Carb - confused

Hanni · September 2009

Hi everyone,

this is one for the low carb gurus amongst you.

I have PCOS and was told to reduce my carb intake.
By now I dont eat bread (only Ryvita every now and then) and no pasta or rice.

I am concentrating on eating mainly salad, veg and fish.

I have read an article recently where people improved their symptoms and weight loss by eating only 5% carbs in their diet. I am on 40% and I am struggling. Mainly because I eat alot of veg.

So my question is, should I count veg as Carb? if I eat a portion of carrots I will already be over 5% so that cant be healthy.
I guess I am a little confused now :huh:

How much g of carbs / day are you low carbers on and what do you count as carbs?

Even milk has carbs... :ohwell:

Thanks!
H :flowerforyou:

linzismith · September 2009

I'm not an expert and I don't know what PCOS is, but I did lose 17 lbs on a low carb diet a couple years ago. Whenever I've been on a low carb diet, I've "been told" that I still couldn't eat carrots, potatoes, corn, cauliflower or bananas. Even though their natural, they're naturaly high in carbs.

As for other vegies, like spinach or bell peppers, you can eat those. They do have carbs, but some of those carbs are fiber carbs, and those do not count because you don't actually digest them, they pass through you (maybe you already know this).

so make sure if a vegetable says it has 7 carbs, but 4 of them are from fiber, then there's really only 3 carbs you need to worry about. Hopefully that will give you a little wiggle room in your eating habits. And again, you still have to avoid starchy vegies like potatoes, corn, carrots, cauliflower and bananas (and fruit juice, don't drink fruit juice!).

Good luck!

teetsel4 · September 2009

In my humble oppinion

.... I've done a lot of research on carbs, my body LOVES them and loves to keep them stored on my thighs, lol! I lost over 75 lbs, and put back on a few now, because of carbs.. ugh!

But my advice is simple.. Keep it simple. Don't get caught up in the numbers. Log your calories, keep your fat in check and the pounds will come off. When I lost the weight, I kept carbs in check, I only ate one meal a day with a starch. I ate fruit, and drank, but again kept it in check. The more I got caught up in a magical percentage or number of something, the harder it was to stick to it.

So keep it simple. And have fun!!!:drinker: Hope it was helpful, sorry if it wasn't, lol

July24Lioness · September 2009

Here is a list of GREAT low carb veggies that pack a punch nutrient wise.............

I have also enclosed a list of meats, fats and other stuff that will help keep you full and satisfied.

Most fish, poultry and meat don't contain carbs so you can feel free to enjoy them, but be sure you're also getting your 12 to 15 grams of net carbs in vegetables as well.

All fish including:

Flounder
Herring
Salmon
Sardines
Sole
Tuna
Trout
All fowl including:

Cornish hen
Chicken
Duck
Goose
Pheasant
Quail
Turkey
All shellfish including:

Clams
Crabmeat
Mussels*
Oysters*
Shrimp
Squid
*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

All meat including:

Bacon*
Beef
Ham*
Lamb
Pork
Veal
Venison
Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Also steer clear of cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates.

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious creations. That’s why eggs are a staple breakfast in the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

Feel free to get creative with your eggs: Add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top the dish off with feta cheese or add basil, oregano and other herbs.

Eggs in any style, including:

Deviled
Fried
Hard-boiled
Omelets
Poached
Scrambled
Soft-boiled
Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube.

Cheese including:

Type Serving Size Grams of net carbs
Blue cheeses 1 oz 0.7
Cheddar ½ cup 0.0
Cow, sheep and goat 1 oz 0.3
Cream cheese 1 oz 0.8
Feta 1 oz 1.2
Gouda 1 oz 0.6
Mozzarella 1 oz 0.6
Parmesan 1 tbs 0.2
Swiss 1 oz 1.0

Vegetables:

You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 grams of net carbs per day in the form of vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the actual carb content of the veggies you select.

1 cup is roughly the size of a baseball. Measure the following salad vegetables raw.

Vegetable Serving Size/Prep grams of net carbs
Alfalfa sprouts 1 cup/raw 0.4
Argula ½ cup/raw 0.2
Bok choy 1 cup/raw 0.8
Celery 1 stalk 0.8
Chicory greens ½ cup/raw 0.6
Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1
Cucumber ½ cup 1.0
Daikon ½ cup 1.0
Endive ½ cup 0.0
Escarole ½ cup 0.0
Fennel 1 cup 3.6
Jicama ½ cup 2.5
Iceberg lettuce
½ cup 0.1
Mushrooms ½ cup 1.2
Parsley 1 tablespoon 0.1
Peppers ½ cup/raw 2.3
Radicchio ½ cup/raw 0.7
Radishes 10/raw 0.9
Romaine lettuce ½ cup 0.2

The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbs than the salad vegetables listed above. They also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams of net carbs. Unless otherwise noted, measure these veggies after you cook them.

Vegetable Serving Size/ Prep Net Carbs
Artichoke ¼ of medium 4.0
Asparagus 6 spears 2.4
Artichoke hearts 1 canned
1.0
Avocadoes 1 whole (raw) 3.5
Bamboo shoots 1 cup canned
1.1
Broccoli
½ cup 1.6
Broccoli raw ½ cup 1.0
Broccoli rabe ½ cup 1.3
Broccoflower ½ cup 1.4
Brussels sprouts ¼ cup
2.4
Cabbage ½ cup (raw) 2.0
Cauliflower ½ cup (raw) 1.0
Swiss chard ½ cup
1.8
Collard greens ½ cup
4.2
Eggplant ½ cup
1.8
Hearts of palm 1 heart 0.7
Kale ½ cup 2.4
Kohlrabi ½ cup 4.6
Leeks ¼ cup
1.7
Okra ½ cup
2.4
Olives green 5 2.5
Olives black 5 0.7
Onion ¼ cup (raw) 2.8
Pumpkin ¼ cup
2.4
Rhubarb ½ cup (unsweetened) 1.7
Sauerkraut ½ cup (drained) 1.2
Peas ½ cup with pods 3.4
Spaghetti squash ½ cup
2.0
Spinach ½ cup (raw) 0.2
Summer squash ½ cup
2.0
Tomato 1 (raw) 4.3
Turnips ½ cup
2.2
Water chestnuts ½ cup (canned) 6.9
Zucchini ½ cup
2.0

Salad Garnishes
Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0.0
Hard-boiled egg 1 egg 0.0
Grated cheeses (see above carb counts)
Sautéed mushrooms ½ cup 1.0
Sour cream 2 tbs 1.2

Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)

Basil 1 tbs 0.0
Cayenne pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Cilantro 1 tbs 0.0
Dill 1 tbs 0.0
Garlic 1 clove 0.9
Ginger 1 tbs sliced root 0.8
Oregano 1 tbs 0.0
Pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Rosemary 1 tbs 0.0
Sage 1 tbs 0.0
Tarragon 1 tbs 0.0

Salad Dressings - Any prepared salad dressing with no added sugar and no more then 2 grams of net carbs per serving (1-2 tablespoons) is acceptable. Or make your own.

Blue cheese 2 tbs 2.3
Caesar 2 tbs 0.5
Italian 2 tbs 3.0
Lemon juice 2 tbs 2.8
Oil and vinegar 2 tbs 1.0
Ranch 2 tbs 1.4

Fats and Oils

There are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

Butter
Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar
Olive oil
Vegetable oils – Those labeled “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” are especially good and olive oil is one of the best.
Canola*
Walnut
Soybean*
Grape seed*
Sesame
Sunflower*
Safflower*

Hanni · September 2009

Thank you guys for your replies!

And WOW Lioness,
that list is fantastic and so helpful! :happy:
Thank you
H

July24Lioness · September 2009

Thank you guys for your replies!

And WOW Lioness,
that list is fantastic and so helpful! :happy:
Thank you
H

That list is from the Atkins website for the Induction phase.

I can also list the additional veggies to start adding for Phase 2 (OWL-Ongoing Weight Loss). I had been doing well on Atkins until it was time to start adding in beans, grains and higher carb dairy). I got some adverse reactions from my body, so I am now doing the Primal or Paleo plan...........

I have found that living with PCOS and doing low carb, it is best to eat as close to natural with little or no processed foods in regards to hormonal fluctuations. maybe your body isn't that sensitive, but mine is. So, I eat very, very little processed foods.

Low Carb - confused

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