Combining carb control with your low-fat eating plan

If you already follow a carbohydrate-controlled or low-carbohydrate eating plan, this handout will give you some tips for combining your current eating style with your low-fat eating plan.

Keep in mind your Max Daily Fat, which was provided to you during your nutrition consultation. Remember that all fats count!

1. Start with meals that feature low-fat foods with little or no carbohydrates, such as

Lean proteins

  • Chicken and turkey breast without the skin
  • Lean white fish
  • All shellfish, including shrimp and scallops
  • Ham and pork loin, trimmed of all visible fat
  • Extra lean (at least 95% fat-free) ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
  • Lean cuts of beef like round and loin trimmed of all visible fat
  • Egg whites and egg substitute
  • Tofu
  • Low-fat jerky
  • Peanut Butter Powder
  • Low-fat meatless alternatives

Fat-free and low-fat dairy products

  • Low-fat mozzarella string cheese
  • Fat-free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
  • Fat-free plain or no sugar added yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • Fat-free or low-fat versions of cheddar, swiss, and other natural cheeses
  • Skim or low-fat milk or milk alternative

2. Add in some healthy carbohydrates and lower-carbohydrates choices like

Non-Starchy Vegetables

  • Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, peppers, cucumber, and spinach

Beans/Legumes

Go slow here if you are sensitive to the gas-forming effects of beans.

  • Pinto beans, garbanzo beans and black-eyed peas

3. Make smart lower-carb substitutions

As you add other healthy carbohydrates into your meals, choose foods that are lower in carbohydrates relative to higher-carbohydrate choices.

  • Puree cauliflower or butternut/acorn squash instead of mashing potatoes
  • Try spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles instead of regular pasta
  • For foods that are served on rice, chop/grate your own cauliflower to make “cauliflower rice.”
  • Roll your sandwich into a small pita or small tortilla instead of between 2 slices of bread.
  • Try light bread instead of regular sandwich bread.
  • Note the serving size for breakfast cereals and measure with measuring cups.
  • Roast or grill non-starchy vegetables instead of a side of corn or peas.
  • Regular potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta and rice are naturally low in fat, but they do have more carbs – watch portions and keep them as a side dish.
  • Increase quantity of non-starchy vegetables in casseroles and cut down on starch.
  • Be mindful that some fat-free and sugar-free products are made with sugar alcohols (i.e. sorbitol and mannitol). Sugar alcohols may cause a laxative effect when eaten in excess.

4. Try some of these low-carb and low-fat snacks

  • Celery with light peanut butter spread on top
  • Fresh tomato slices with fat-free cottage cheese
  • A melon wedge wrapped in a thin slice of lean ham
  • Low-fat egg salad made with egg whites and fat-free mayo
  • Pepper strips dipped in fat-free dressing
  • Low-fat string cheese or Light cheese with an apple
  • Fat-free cream cheese with a low-fat cracker
  • Cold, sliced turkey or chicken wrapped in a leaf of Romaine lettuce
  • Low-fat vegetable soup
  • Sugar-free gelatin or pudding

5. Check labels for both Total Fat and Total Carbohydrate

  • Keep in mind that if something is low in carbohydrates, it is not always low-fat, and vice versa. For example, pork rinds are low in carbohydrates, but high in fat. Jelly beans are low in fat, but high in carbohydrates. If you take the bun off the burger to lower the carbohydrates, the meat in the burger is still going to have fat in it. Use your CalorieKing book to track both fat and carbohydrates, if desired.
  • We hope this handout has given you some ideas for keeping your carbohydrate intake in balance, while lowering your fat intake. Please let us know if we can help you further, with additional informational resources, recipes, or to schedule a follow-up consultation.