Keeping carbs low is the key to keto diet success. When carb intake is too high, we simply cannot enter ketosis and experience the unique benefits of keto.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to rigidly track your carb intake at all times. In fact, many keto dieters are able to stay in ketosis by using one simple strategy: Eating mostly keto-friendly foods that have little to no net carbs (i.e., digestible carbs that reduce ketone production).
Although it may seem like carbs are hiding around every corner when you first start your keto weight loss journey, there are hundreds of delicious options that have zero or almost zero net carbs as well. To help you figure what these foods are and make keto as easy as possible, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of zero carb and almost zero carb foods for your convenience.
List of All Zero Carb Foods, By Food Category
To help simplify everything, let’s distill our zero carb list down to its simplest components:
Zero Carb Meats
Fresh meats:
- Beef
- Veal
- Lamb
- Pork
- Fowl
- Organ Meats (except for liver in most cases)
- Game Meats
- Exotic Meats
Processed meats*:
- Hot dogs
- Salami
- Sausages
- Bacon
- Ham
- Deli Meats
- Salted and cured meat
- Smoked meat
- Jerky, meat sticks, and other dried meat products
- Canned meat
* read labels carefully and avoid any carb-containing ingredients to minimize net carb intake
Zero Carb Seafood
Fresh, Canned, or Smoked*:
- Cod
- Flounder
- Sole
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Sardine
- Swordfish
- Flatfish
- Spanish Mackerel
- Grouper
- Tuna
- Trout
- Salmon
- Catfish
- Bass
*check ingredients for all canned and smoked varieties to avoid hidden carbs
Zero Carb Fats and Oils
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Grass-fed butter or ghee
- MCT oil
- Avocado oil
- Animal fats
Zero Carb Snack Options
- Pepperoni slices
- Pork rinds
- Bone broth
- Smoked fish
- Canned fish
- Canned meat
- Dried meat products
- Seaweed
Read ingredient labels carefully. Many prepackaged snacks come with added sugars or other carb-containing ingredients.
Zero Carb Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Most sugar-free Hot Sauces
- Mustard
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Basil
- Chives
- Dill
- Chili Powder*
- Curry Powder*
- Cinnamon*
*Consume these spices in moderation because they have higher trace amounts of net carbs.
Zero Carb Sweeteners
- Stevia extract
- Monk fruit extract
- Pure erythritol
- Swerve sweetener
- Any sweetener blend that only consists of stevia extract, monk fruit extract, and/or erythritol
To minimize net carb intake, it is best to only use these sweeteners with no other added ingredients.
Zero Carb Drinks and Beverages
Most of your fluid intake should come from these sources:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Sparkling Water
- Club Soda
- Seltzer water
- Soda water
Consume these drinks in moderation:
- Sugar-free and carb-free energy drinks
- Diet drink mixes or drink enhancers with no added sugars
- Diet soda and other diet drinks
Zero Carb Alcohol
- Gin
- Rum (unflavored)
- Vodka (unflavored)
- Whiskey
- Tequila
- Scotch
- Bourbon
- Brandy
- Cognac
Alcohol can disrupt ketosis and impair your keto diet results even if your drinks have no carbs in them.
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