50+ Zero Carb Foods to Make Your Keto Lifestyle Easier
When you turned to the keto diet, you likely realized that it became more important to track your overall carb consumption compared to your calories. Almost every food that passes your lips has some caloric content, but managing your carbs is more important on keto. That being said, there is actually quite a long list of foods that have no carbs to factor into your macros for the day.
The Best Zero Carb Foods to Eat on Keto
What are the zero carb foods you should look for at the grocery store?
Many of the best zero carb foods can be divided into categories, so let’s take a closer look at what you can expect when you turn to the keto lifestyle.
Zero Carb Beverages
Maybe your first thought is not what you can eat but rather what you can drink. Water is the first and most obvious choice, but it may not be your favorite option. In its place, you can substitute black coffee or plain, unsweetened tea. You can also have sparkling water or club soda as long as you look to make sure it has no sweetener in it.
Diet soda and sugar-free energy drinks also have a low carb count, but you should drink these only on occasion. Instead of promoting weight loss, artificial sweeteners like those found in diet sodas often increase your appetite and make you more likely to overindulge later. [1]
If alcohol is your drink of choice, stick with liquors that have zero carbs like gin, unflavored rum or vodka, whiskey, bourbon and tequila. Other types of alcohol such as scotch, brandy, or cognac are also good choices. However, keep in mind that even low-carb alcohol can impact your ketosis. On the plus side, the keto diet can help curb cravings for more alcohol. [2]
Go Low Carb With Meats
Staying in ketosis while eating is relatively easy if you know where to go to get your protein and fat into your diet. The good news is that most meats are zero carb foods, so you can indulge until you officially feel satiated. While you may want to control portions if weight loss is the goal, you can still feel full from meats like:
- Beef
- Chicken, turkey, duck, and goose
- Veal and lamb
- Game meats like venison and rabbit
- Organ meats like liver, sweetbreads, and tripe
Even processed meats can come with zero carbs, but be sure to read the label prior to adding them to the cart as some have marinades or rubs that contain sugar. This can cover easy-to-make foods like hot dogs, sausages, ham, bacon, deli meats, and even canned meats that are great in a pinch. Snacks like dried meats or jerky sticks are also typically carb-free.
Seafood Is Ultra-Low Carb
While on the topic of main courses that contain zero carbs, seafood is another great option that can serve as the star of your meal. Seafood typically has no carbs, whether it is fresh or canned. Even the smoked varieties are often zero carb, but you should read the label just as carefully as you did with the processed meats to ensure that they do not impact your ketosis due to added ingredients like fillers and sugars.
Fish is a great way to supplement your diet and make it more well-rounded. According to plenty of research studies, it contains antioxidants, lowers inflammation, promotes wound healing, and protects both brain and heart health. [3] Canned tuna, salmon, mackerel, oysters, clams, and mussels are all great choices and make easy snacks and lunches. Fresh seafood, like scallops, shrimp, cod, salmon, trout, sea bass, and crab are also zero carb foods.
Herbs and Seasoning
Have no fear: just because you are sticking to a keto diet does not mean that your food has to be flavorless. Herbs and spices, like cumin, coriander, oregano, thyme, curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne, are typically considered zero-carb foods though some may have very small traces of carbs. Sugar-free hot sauces also fall into the category of zero carb foods.
Fats and Oils Are the Original Zero Carb Foods
If you are looking to add some fat into your diet without introducing carbs, you might consider whether adding it directly to your food or drink is an option. For example, bulletproof coffees and teas typically have MCT oil or grass-fed butter added to give you that boost in your macros. Both of these options are zero carb foods, but you can also experiment with other fats and oils including:
- Animal fats, like lard, butter, and schmaltz
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ghee
Miscellaneous Snacks Without Carbs
Do you need something small to curb your cravings until your next meal? In addition to all of the foods that we have already covered as carb-free, there are also easy zero carb snacks that do not necessarily fall into any of the above categories. These can include pepperoni slices (look at the label to ensure no hidden carbs) and pork rinds. Seaweed is also a good snack option, as well as pili nuts, cheese, and unsweetened jello.
Keto enthusiasts who struggle with the keto flu in the early days of sticking to this diet may want to try drinking a serving or two of bone broth. Not only does it contain very few carbs and calories, but it also has been reported to minimize these uncomfortable symptoms. [4]
Take Advantage of Zero Carb Foods
Arguably the most important aspect of the keto diet is finding foods that fit within your macros for a given day. Keeping carbohydrate counts low in a society that emphasizes quick nutrition with refined grains can be challenging, but zero carb foods do exist. Consider how you can work in more of these foods to meet your protein and fat content without tipping the scale with too many carbs.
References
Green, E., & Murphy, C. (2012). Altered processing of sweet taste in the brain of Diet Soda Drinkers. Physiology & Behavior, 107(4), 560–567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.05.006
Mahajan, V. R., Elvig, S. K., Vendruscolo, L. F., Koob, G. F., Darcey, V. L., King, M. T., Kranzler, H. R., Volkow, N. D., & Wiers, C. E. (2021). Nutritional Ketosis as a Potential Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder. Frontiers in psychiatry, 12, 781668. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.781668
Chen, J., Jayachandran, M., Bai, W., & Xu, B. (2022). A critical review on the health benefits of fish consumption and its bioactive constituents. Food chemistry, 369, 130874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130874
Bostock, E. C. S., Kirkby, K. C., Taylor, B. V., & Hawrelak, J. A. (2020). Consumer Reports of "Keto Flu" Associated With the Ketogenic Diet. Frontiers in nutrition, 7, 20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00020
