Here is a non-exhaustive list of the best foods to choose when following a low-carb lifestyle. You can eat these optimal food choices freely, as your hunger dictates:
Fats
| Saturated | Monounsaturated | Polyunsaturated | Hydrogenated |
| Coconut Oil | Olive Oil | All non optimal choices | All non optimal choices |
| Butter | Avocado Oil | ||
| Lard | Macadamia Nut Oil | ||
| Dripping | Hazelnut Oil | ||
| All naturally solids fats | Walnut Oil | ||
| Groundnut Oil | |||
| All other Nut oils, preferably Cold-pressed |
Protein
| Meat | Fish | Fowl | Shellfish | Eggs | Cheese |
| Beef | Tuna | Chicken | Oysters | Scrambled | Aged and fresh |
| Pork | Salmon | Turkey | Mussels | Fried | Cow and goat |
| Lamb | Sole | Duck | Clams | Poached | Cream cheese |
| Bacon | Trout | Goose | Squid | Soft boiled | Mozzarella |
| Veal | Flounder | Cornish Hen | Shrimp | Hard boiled | Swiss |
| Ham | Sardines | Quail | Lobster | Deviled | Cheddar |
| Venison | Herring | Pheasant | Crab | Omelets | in fact, almost* all cheeses |
| in fact, all meat | in fact, all fish | in fact, all fowl | in fact, all shellfish | in fact, all eggs |
Everything else; Food under 10% digestible carb
| Salad Vegetables | Salad Herbs | Other Vegetables | Salad Garnishes | Spices | Beverages |
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Basil | Artichoke | Anchovies | all spices to taste | Water |
| All varieties of lettuce | Coriander | Asparagus | Crumbled Crisp Bacon | Mineral Water | |
| Bok Choy | Dill | Avocado | Grated Cheese | Essence flavoured Waters** | |
| Celery | Oregano | Aubergine | Minced hard boiled Eggs | Coffee/Tea | |
| Chicory | Parsley | Bamboo Shoots | Sauteed mushrooms | Diet fizzy drinks** | |
| Chives | Rosemary | Bean Sprouts | Sour Cream | Iced Tea | |
| Cress | Thyme | Broccoli | Cream | ||
| Cucumber | Brussel Sprouts | Spring Water | |||
| Endive | Cabbage | Clear Broth | |||
| Fennel | Cauliflower | Herb Tea*** | |||
| Mushrooms | Celery Root | ||||
| Peppers | Chard | ||||
| Rocket | Chayote | ||||
| Radishes | Collard Greens | ||||
| Courgette | |||||
| Sorrel | Dandelion Greens | ||||
| Spinach | Hearts of Palm | ||||
| Kale | |||||
| Kohlrabi | |||||
| Leeks | |||||
| Mange-tout | |||||
| Okra | |||||
| Onion | |||||
| Pumpkin | |||||
| Samphire | |||||
| Sauerkraut | |||||
| Spring Onions | |||||
| Spaghetti Squash | |||||
| String or Wax Beans | |||||
| Summer Squash | |||||
| Swede and Swede Greens | |||||
| Tomato | |||||
| Turnips and Turnip Greens | |||||
| Water Chestnuts |
* Eat cheeses such as cottage and soft cheeses in moderation. They contain moderate amounts of lactose.
** Most Diet drinks in the UK contain the artificial sweetener Aspartame. This has been linked to weight gain and bloating, and is also alleged to be addictive. It is better to cut down or out on these products if you can.
***Herb Teas can contain a great deal of fructose. This sugar is metabolised directly to body fat, so treat with caution.
Nikki Can I drink red bush tea ?
Can’t see why not! All herbal teas are Optimal, unless the herb used itself is one that should be limited because of its properties.