The topic of a no carb diet is super popular online these days, and since we have a very large low carb audience, we wanted to share information and resources about eating no carbs.

For many people, no carb and a carnivore diet might mean the same thing. a carnivore diet is essentially eating just meat based foods, which are no carb in there own right as long as you skip the carby sauces and add-ons.
We're sharing what eating no carb usually means, the benefits and the cons, and a list of no carb foods to give you meal ideas. By creating this list of resources, it does not mean we're endorsing a no carb diet, we're here to share information to help you make decisions for your own life.

How we used "no carb" while losing weight
While my husband did lose over 30 lbs to jumpstart his weight loss program, he didn't achieve that by eating zero carbs. He followed a keto diet and then switched to low carb eating after about 6 months. I personally eat a macro friendly diet, which is basically high protein low carb, to lose weight, build muscle, and to help regulate my blood sugar.
My husband would often choose one meal per day that was zero carbs, which was typically his lunch. I honestly think most people researching a zero carb diet don't intend to literally eat 0 carbs per day, they're more hear to learn what foods have zero carbs and how to create virtually zero carb simple meals to support their weight-loss efforts.
Most of his meals were a combo of items from the no carb snacks list we put together for our readers.
What is a No Carb Diet?
A no carb diet removes basically all carbohydrates from your meals, and you’re focusing mostly on eating proteins and fats. This means no bread, pasta, grains, fruits, or starchy vegetables.
The diet basically includes foods like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, and oils.
People usually interested in a no carb, ketogenic, or low carb eating plan are on it to lose weight, to improve blood sugar, or to potentially reduce inflammation often caused by eating processed carbs and sugary foods.
However, it's considered by most to be super restrictive and can lead to nutrient deficiencies, digestive problems, and other health risks if you aren't doing this under medical supervision.
Note, we are not health professionals and we always recommend you see your doctor before starting any restrictive health plan.
How is this different than low carb or keto diets?
Many people view a no carb diet as an ultra strict keto diet, the goals for trying either type of eating plan are often similar such as weight loss, regulating blood sugar, cutting out processed foods, or perhaps even prepping for a major surgery.
No Carb Diet
- Carb Intake: You eliminate all carbohydrates, focusing solely on proteins and fats.
- Foods Allowed: Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, and oils are allowed. Bread, pasta, grains, fruits, or starchy vegetables.
- Primary Goal: Extreme carb reduction for rapid weight loss and blood sugar control.
Low Carb Diet
- Carb Intake: Limits carbohydrate intake, typically allowing 50-150 grams of carbs per day. Some people track total carbs and others track net carbs.
- Foods Allowed: Includes low-carb vegetables, some fruits, and limited amounts of whole grains and legumes, along with proteins and fats. People who track net carbs are more likely to have a small amount of whole grains in their diet each day.
- Primary Goal: Balanced reduction in carbs to promote weight loss and improve metabolic health.
Keto Diet
- Carb Intake: Severely restricts carbs to about 20-50 grams per day to induce ketosis (a state where the body burns fat for fuel).
- Foods Allowed: High-fat foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, oils, fatty fish, meats, low-carb vegetables, and limited dairy; very few fruits and almost no grains or starchy vegetables.
- Primary Goal: Achieve and maintain ketosis for weight loss, improved mental clarity, and other health benefits.
No Carb Foods and Recipes
For a comprehensive list of no carb foods, be sure to download our free printable of 150+ no carb foods.
Readers also love our list of 30 no carb snacks to make and buy.
No carb food ideas
- Meats - beef, chicken, turkey, pork, game meat
- Seafood - cod, salmon, tilapia, tuna, shrimp
- Eggs
- Cheeses - full fat (check the label for 0 carbs)
- Butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Oils - Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil
- Drinks - water, sparkling water, black or herbal teas, coffee
Easy 0 carb meal ideas
- Scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon
- Ribeye steak and butter
- Ground beef patties
- Pork roast with herb butter
- Tuna salad with full-fat mayo and seasoning
- Roasted salmon with ghee
- Charcuterie plate of cured meats and cheeses
- Sardines in olive oil
It is extremely hard to stick to a complete 0 carb meal plan. Most foods have even a trace of carbs. If you find that you want to keep carbohydrates as low as possible, there are many almost no carb options that are under 1 carb like on our list of no carb foods or list of no carb snack ideas.
Almost no carb ideas (under 1 carb each)
If you want to eat more than meat, seafood, butter, eggs, and cheese. A handful of very low carb ideas include:
- Dill pickle slices - ยผ cup slices have 0.9 net carbs
- Black olives - 1 oz 0-1 net carb
- guacamole - 1 tablespoon has 0.5 carbs
- Seaweed snacks - 0
- Pork rinds - 0
- Avocado - ยผ is 1 net carb
- Some nuts - Pecans and Brazil nuts have 1 net carb (1 oz each)
Potential Health Benefits
Some of the potential health benefits of a short-term no or very low carb diet can include:
- Impact on metabolic health
- Effects on cholesterol levels
- Potential benefits for mental clarity
The Cons of a No Carb Diet
Here are some of the cons of a no carb diet, according to medical professionals.
- Nutrient deficiencies - a no carb diet lacks in many essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need to function
- Digestive issues like constipation since you aren’t eating any fiber
- Social and lifestyle challenges - a no carb plan makes it potentially hard to eat out or eat in social settings when you aren’t in control of the meal.
- Hard to sustain in the long term - let's face it, most people looking to follow a super restrictive health plan aren't trying to do it longterm.
- Health risks- potential health risks and impacts on your organs, brain, and body. As always, consult with a healthcare professional (since that is not me).
We're firm believers in people doing what's best for themselves and their own lives! None of our bodies are the same. As we always recommend, please check in with your Dr. before starting a new health plan.
Basically no carb recipes
- air fryer bone-in pork chops
- easy roasted boneless skinless chicken breasts
- pepperoni chips
- easy egg drop soup
- bacon egg cups
- air fryer steak tips
- pan seared ribeye steaks
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