A low-carb diet for beginners
Studies show that low-carb diets result in weight loss and improved health markers, and just about everyone knows someone who has successfully tried it.1 There’s not even any need to count calories or use special products. So why is it still controversial?
Learn more about low carb and how to use it for your personal goals here. Choose a section or keep reading below.
1. Introduction to low carb
A low-carb diet means that you eat fewer carbohydrates and a higher proportion of fat. This can also be called a low-carb, high-fat diet (LCHF) or a keto diet.
For decades we’ve been told that fat is detrimental to our health. Meanwhile low-fat “diet” products, often full of sugar, have flooded supermarket shelves. This has been a major mistake, that coincided with the start of the obesity epidemic.
Studies now show that there’s no reason to fear natural fats. Fat is your friend (here’s why). On a low-carb diet, you instead minimize your intake of sugar and starches. You can eat other delicious foods until you are satisfied – and still lose weight.
How does it work? When you avoid sugar and starches, your blood sugar stabilizes and the levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin drop. This increases fat burning and makes you feel more satiated, reducing food intake and causing weight loss.2
Studies prove that a low-carb diet makes it easier both to lose weight and to control your blood sugar, among other benefits.
The basics
- Eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables growing above ground and natural fats (like butter).
- Avoid: Sugar and starchy foods (like bread, pasta, rice, beans and potatoes).
Eat when you’re hungry, until you’re satisfied. It’s that simple. You do not need to count calories or weigh your food. And just forget about industrially produced low-fat products.
Below are examples of what you could eat, alternatively check out our 500+ low-carb recipes.
Who should NOT do a strict low-carb diet?
Most people can safely start any kind of low-carb diet. But in these three situations you may need some preparation or adaptation:
- Are you taking medication for diabetes, e.g. insulin? Learn more
- Are you taking medication for high blood pressure? Learn more
- Are you currently breastfeeding? Learn more
If you’re not in any of these groups, you’re good to go. Great!
Getting started fast
Do you want to get going with low carb right away? Make it truly simple by signing up for our free two-week low-carb challenge. Or get unlimited meal plans, shopping lists and much else with a free membership trial.
In 60 seconds
Does low carb still seem complicated? Check out our visual low-carb in 60 seconds guide
2. What to eat on a low-carb diet
In this section you can learn exactly what to eat on low carb, whether you prefer visual guides, detailed food lists, delicious recipes or a simple get started guide.
Let’s start with a quick visual guide to low carb. Here are the basic food groups you can eat all you like of, until you’re satisfied:
The numbers above are grams of digestible carbs per 100 grams (3.5 ounces). Fiber is not counted, you can eat all the fiber you want.
All foods above are below 5% carbs. Sticking to these foods will make it relatively easy to stay on a strict low-carb diet, with less than 20 grams of carbs per day.
Try to avoid
Here’s what you should not eat on low carb – foods full of sugar and starch. These foods are much higher in carbs.
The numbers are grams of digestible carbs per 100 grams (3.5 ounces), unless otherwise noted.
Detailed list of foods to avoid
What to drink
What drinks are low carb? Water is perfect, and so is coffee or tea. Preferably use no sweeteners. A modest amount of milk or cream is OK in coffee or tea (but beware of caffe latte and other specialty coffees!).
The occasional glass of wine is fine too.
For more, check out our complete guides to low-carb drinks and low-carb alcohol.
Visual low-carb guides
Here are more detailed visual guides to the amount of carbs in common foods. Is a specific food item low or high in carbs? Click to find out:
Vegetables 
Fruits 
Nuts 
Snacks 
Alcohol 
Fats & sauces 
Drinks 
How many carbs? 
Sweeteners
Recipes and meal plans
Browse our over 500 delicious low-carb recipes or head over to our 14-day low-carb meal plan for inspiration. You can always find our recipes under “Recipes” in the top menu. Here are a few popular ones:
Meals
Breakfasts
Snacks
Desserts
Bread
All low-carb recipesHere’s an example meal plan:
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Check out the meal planner tool
How low is low carb?
The fewer carbohydrates you eat, the more powerful the effects on weight and blood sugar will be. We recommend initially following the dietary advice fairly strictly. When you’re happy with your weight and health, you may carefully try eating more carbs (if you want to).
Here are three examples of what a low-carb meal can look like, depending on how many carbs you plan to eat per day:
Ketogenic 0-20 
Moderate 20-50 
Liberal 50-100
A strict low-carb diet is often called a ketogenic (or “keto”) diet.
Video course
Get started
Keen to get started? Then sign up for our free 2-week low-carb challenge, where you’ll be guided step-by-step through your low-carb journey.
Folder
Here’s a folder with basic low-carb advice, that you may want to print and have around, or give to friends who are curious:
Low-carb advice in 40 languages
We have written advice on a low-carb diet in 40 languages, including our full Diet Doctor site in Spanish or Swedish. Press this small grey note symbol to choose between other languages:4
3. Potential benefits of low carb
Why would you consider eating fewer carbs? There are many potential benefits, proven by science and experience, like these four:
Lose weight
Most people start eating fewer carbs to lose weight, a well-known and often highly effective method. Learn more
However, the reason many people keep eating low carb is more often the powerful health effects, like the following ones.
Reverse type 2 diabetes
Low-carb diets can normalize blood sugar and thus potentially reverse type 2 diabetes
Low carb can also be very helpful in managing type 1 diabetes
A grateful gut
Low carb can help settle a grumpy gut, reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome such a bloating, gas, diarrhea, cramps and pain. Indigestion, reflux and other digestive issues can improve, too.
For many, this is the best part of going low carb and happens usually within the first few days, or first week, of starting the diet. Learn more
Reduce sugar cravings
Are you struggling to stay away from sweet foods, even though you try to eat them in “moderation”? Tons of people do.
Low carb usually reduces and sometimes even eliminates cravings for sweets
Bonus benefits
Weight loss, shrinking fat stores, lower blood sugar, improved mental clarity, and a calmer digestive system are the most frequently cited benefits of low-carb eating.
But some people experience even more life-changing improvements: lower blood pressure, less acne and better skin, fewer migraines, improved mental health symptoms, better fertility, and even more.
The links below share inspiring testimonials and scientific research about low-carb benefits.
Normalize blood pressure 
Less acne 
Increased physical endurance 
Control epilepsy
Less heartburn 
Reverse PCOS 
Fewer migraine attacks 
Alzheimer’s
Success stories
We’ve been sent hundreds, if not thousands, of low-carb success stories, and get more every day. Here are a few, and links to all of them sorted by categories:
Eight years of zero-carb eating and "have never looked or felt better!"
Low carb and me – my journey as a GP
A low-carb diet: Maintaining a 70-pound weight loss for five years
Women 0-39 
Women 40+ 
Men 0-39 
Men 40+ Top success story videos
4. Low-carb tips and guides
To make low carb truly simple and enjoyable requires a few new skills. For example, how do you cook low-carb breakfasts that you love? How do you eat more fat? And what’s important to think about when dining out?
Here are all the guides you need.
Breakfast
Breakfast is a great time to eat low carb. Who doesn’t love bacon and eggs? In the unlikely event that you answered “I”, there are even great options with no eggs at all.
Another strong option is to just have a cup of coffee, as many people get less hungry on a low-carb, high-fat diet and don’t really need breakfast at all. This potentially saves you tons of time.
There are many other options – both delicious and fast
Meals
So, what’s for lunch and dinner? You could for example have meat, fish or chicken dishes with vegetables and a rich full-fat sauce. There are a million alternatives.
Check out this guide to learn to cook amazing low-carb meals
Instead of potatoes, pasta and rice
Who needs starchy sides when you can have cauliflower mash or cauliflower rice instead? Not to mention butter-fried green cabbage, yum!
In short, there are lots of great low-carb alternatives to carb-rich foods that are both tastier and healthier
Eating out
It’s very possible to eat low carb even when leaving your house, for example at restaurants. Just avoid starchy foods and ask for some extra natural fat (e.g. olive oil or butter).
This guide helps you with tips for fast food, other restaurants, buffets and for when you eat at a friend’s house
Snacks
You probably don’t need to snack as much on low carb, as you’ll feel satisfied longer.
However, if you want something right away you could have cheese, nuts, cold cuts or even an egg. There are lots of amazing options
Bread
Do you have a hard time living without bread?
There are good and bad low-carb options. Spoiler: you’ll probably want to stay away from “low-carb” bread from the grocery store! Here’s why, and what to do instead
How to eat more fat
Fat is filling and an amazing flavor enhancer. But how do you get in enough of it in your diet? And how much fat should you really eat? Hint: enough to feel satisfied and not hungry.
Learn all about it in this guide
Avoid “low-carb” junk food
Many who are eating a low-carb diet can get seduced by creatively marketed “low carb” products — cakes, cookies, candies, chocolate, pastas, breads, ice cream and other substitute foods.
Unfortunately this rarely ends well, especially not for weight loss. These products are usually junk food, and often much higher in carbs than their labels try to imply. Preferably avoid. Learn more
How to make low carb cheap
Low carb doesn’t have to be expensive. In this guide, you’ll learn how to make it super cheap.
With a little planning and preparation you could save a ton of money
Low-carb cheating
Is it a good thing to occasionally cheat on a low-carb diet? That depends. And it’s worth thinking about what’s right for you. Learn more
More guides
Do you want more low-carb guides? We have more low-carb guides!
Low carb when traveling 
Low carb without cooking 
Low carb for kids 
Succeeding in a high-carb world 
How to gain (lean) weight on low carb 
Finding low-carb extras online
Top videos about low-carb basics
Here are some of our hundreds of low-carb TV videos:
5. Potential side effects on low carb
If you stop eating sugar and starch cold turkey (recommended) you may experience some side effects as your body adjusts. For most people these side effects tend to be mild and last a just few days. There are also ways to minimize them.
Another option is to decrease the intake of carbohydrates slowly, over a few weeks, to minimize side effects. But the “Nike way” (Just Do It) is probably the best choice for most people. Removing most sugar and starch often results in several pounds lost on the scale within a few days. This may be mostly fluids, but it’s great for motivation.
Here are side effects that may occur when you suddenly start a strict low-carb diet.
Induction flu
By far the most common side effect is called the induction flu. It’s what makes some people feel really poorly 2-3 days after starting low carb.
Here are the common symptoms:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Light nausea
- Irritability
These side effects rapidly subside as your body adapts and your fat burning increases. Within a week, they are usually gone.
The reason for this is that carbohydrate-rich foods may increase water retention in your body. When you stop eating high-carb foods you’ll lose excess water through your kidneys. This can result in dehydration and a lack of salt during the first week, before the body has adapted, resulting in the symptoms above.
You can minimize the induction flu by drinking more fluids and by temporarily increasing your salt intake. A good option is to drink a cup of bouillon/broth one or two times a day. This usually keeps the induction flu minor or even non-existant.
Alternatively, drink a few extra glasses of water and put more salt on your food.
Learn more about induction flu and how to treat it
Other common issues on low carb
Beyond the induction flu, there are five more relatively common side effects. Many of them can also be mostly avoided by getting enough fluid and salt.5
There are also more things you can do to minimize any problems, click to read more if you’ve experienced one of these issues:
Leg cramps 
Constipation 
Bad breath 
Heart palpitations 
Reduced physical performance
Less common issues
These are less commonly noticed issues, that generally only affect a minority of people:
Potential danger when breastfeeding 
Gallstone problems 
Temporary hair loss 
Elevated cholesterol 
Reduced tolerance to alcohol 
Keto rash 
Gout All low-carb side effects and how to cure them
Low-carb myths
Beyond the usually minor and transient side effects that may occur (see above) there are tons of myths and fears that simply don’t hold up to closer scrutiny. For example, your brain is supposed to stop working unless you eat carbs. We’ll, that’s simply wrong.
There are many more unfounded fears about low carb, that are mostly based on myths and misunderstandings. Read all about them on our low-carb myths page, or choose a specific topic below:
Brain 
Ketoacidosis 
Gut bacteria 
Deficiencies 
Thyroid 
Kidneys 
Depression 
Osteoporosis 
Saturated fat 
Cholesterol 
Environment
6. Learn more
Here’s the sixth and final section of this low-carb page. Do you want to truly understand low carb, and get answers to your remaining questions? Or do you want extra inspiration for yourself or for people you’re trying to help?
Find it here, and start becoming a low-carb expert.
Low-carb TV
Get insight, enjoyment and inspiration to help you succeed, from the top low-carb channel on the planet.
Select from hundreds of awesome videos – and we’re adding several more every week. Enjoy!
How low carb works
What are you designed to eat, and why can sugar and starch be a problem? Essentially, how does low carb work?
Scientific studies on low carb
Questions and answers
Are you having problems on low carb? Are you not losing weight like you want to? How many carbs should you eat?
Get answers to your low-carb questions
Why fat is your friend
A lot of people still fear natural fat. But really, the whole idea that we should fear fat is based on a scientific mistake, and most open-minded experts now admit it.
Just witness the recent TIME cover to the right, with the text “Eat Butter. Scientists labelled fat the enemy. Why they were wrong.”
Learn more about cholesterol and why fat is your friend
Upcoming low-carb events
Do you want to learn much more, and meet experts and other people who are interested in low carb? Here’s a current list of upcoming low-carb conferences and other events.
The Food Revolution
Do you want a summary of the ongoing food revolution? From failed low-fat diets and an epidemic of obesity and diabetes, through a growing realization of our mistakes, and towards a potential health revolution.
Watch this talk by Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, the founder of Diet Doctor:
Next
You’ve reached the end of this page (congratulations!). Keep reading about what to eat on a low-carb diet
How to lose weight 
Get inspired by 500+ low-carb success stories 
Get inspired by delicious low-carb recipes 
Get the latest low-carb news Comments
Have you tried a low-carb diet? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Scientific studies now prove that compared to other diets, low carb is more effective.
Here are two of the top studies showing more weight loss and improvements in health markers on low carb:
- New England Journal of Medicine 2008: Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, mediterranean, or low-fat diet
- Annals of Internal Medicine 2014: Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets: A Randomized Trial
Similar results have been found in meta-analyses of all studies, for example this recent analysis:
For many more studies on the topic, have a look at our low-carb science page:
Hundreds of success stories: Low-carb success stories ↩
Does this sound too good to be true? Many people think so initially, and then they experience it for themselves.
Our weight is hormonally regulated. Eating fewer carbohydrates lowers blood glucose, lowering the fat-storing hormone insulin. This often makes it way easier to access and burn excess body fat, without hunger or calorie counting.
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E.g. one or two cups of bouillon per day. ↩
4,454 Comments
not only that but fruits have the antioxidants and other health benifits you need to stay healthy
man made "pills" like multivitmains may help but they are not natural
and certain fruits can prevent cancer which is why we have an epidemic of cancer. people rather take pills than to actually eat fruit
I knew a young woman who lost over 70 pounds on this diet and she ate about 1/2 lb of bacon a day
Keep on doing what you are doing!
If you see LCHF as a lifestyle choice then even a slow weight-loss will add up during the years to come. :)
And continue to drink red wine! I do.
We are really sorry, but we simply don’t yet have the resources to respond to all questions in the comments or via email.
We do respond to questions about the membership, but for other questions, it would be great if you could help each other in the comment section.
But...you can read more about Low Carb and cholesterol here:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/side-effects#cholesterol
Thanks Nancy Ashley
Would like your response as quickly as possible. And hopefully I can find this area again so I can read your response :) Or possibly could you reply to my email rruthcarelli@aol.com
Thanks for your time
Ruth Carelli