The Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet & Delicious Meal Ideas to Try

by · September 15, 2020

You are what you eat, they say, and I couldn’t agree more. A good balanced diet is beneficial to your health not only in terms of losing (or maintaining) weight but also in terms of increasing energy levels and assuring total body and mind well-being. And out of the many popular diets today, the one that currently has the best reputation is the low-carb diet. So, let’s learn a thing or two about this popular diet trend and check out some delicious meal ideas to try.

What Are the Benefits of a Low-carb diet?

A low-carb diet is a healthy diet that limits the intake of carbohydrates and emphasises foods high in protein and fat. Generally, a low-carb diet is used for losing weight. Low-carb eating leads to an automatic reduction of appetite and you end up eating fewer calories. Studies show that people on low-carb diets are able to lose more weight and faster, than those on low-fat diets.

Low-carb diets are also effective in eliminating excess water from your body and lower the insulin levels. As a result, this diet can help lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. It is also known to improve cholesterol levels.

Low-Carb Foods

Eating carb-low isn’t a complicated task. There are a lot of tasty foods that contain little to no carbs. Loaded with various nutrients and no carbs, eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. Chicken, beef, lamb and pork also are zero carb foods that you can include in your healthy diet. Fish and seafood are healthy low-carb choices, too. They are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which are hard to get naturally. Salmon, trout and sardines are carbs-free, while shellfish contains 4-5 % carbs.

Most vegetables are also low in carbs. Among the best choices are asparagus (2%), cucumber (4%), tomatoes (4%), cauliflower (5%), broccoli (7%), green beans (7%) and onions (9%). Mushrooms are also low in carbs (3%). Though they’re technically not plants, edible mushrooms are often categorized as vegetables.

When it comes to fruits, they tend to be high in carbs, compared to vegetables. Depending on how many carbs you are aiming for, you may want to restrict your fruit intake to one or two pieces per day. However, this does not apply to fatty fruits like avocados (8.5%) or olives (6%). Low-sugar berries, such as strawberries (8%), are another excellent choice. Grapefruit and apricot contain a few carbs (11 %), but they’re extremely rich with vitamin C, which makes them a good snack between meals.

Low-Carb Meal Ideas

The good news about deciding to start a low-carb diet is that you won’t be starving to death. There are a lot of ideas you can include in your meal plans, that are both healthy and delicious.

With today’s busy way of living, you are lucky if you find the time to cook low-carb meals for yourself or your family. But if you feel that you don’t have enough time to count carbs and cook up a balanced low-carb meal, with just one click of the button you can order low carb delivery meals online and enjoy them from the comfort of your home. With the popularity of low-carb foods and meal-prep, finding a company that delivers locally produced fresh meals is a pretty easy task.

If you are one of the sedentary to moderately active people looking to lose weight or get shredded, here are some ideas for low carb delivery meals that you can also prepare yourself when you have enough time.

Red Pesto Chicken

Chicken is a wonderful source of protein and it’s a delicious option for low-carb dieters. It’s versatile and often loved by people of all ages. By itself, chicken can be boring, but with added fat and some vegetables, you’ll be enjoying a delicious and unforgettable lunch.

With red pesto chicken, you are enabling your taste buds to be delighted with the delicious Mediterranean flavours of sundried tomato and roasted pepper alongside with coated steamed chicken served with delicious mashed potato and beans. A 250 g dish of this recipe is incredibly low in calories: only 294. It contains 34.3 g of protein, 16.5 g of carbs and 7.8 g of fat, which makes it the perfect balance for dieting. Little raw cashews, garlic and parmesan cheese can be added for extra flavour. This dish is cooked in healthy olive oil with a bit of salt and spices.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef is one of the favourite zero carbs red meats that every nutritionist recommends for a low carb diet. The beef stroganoff dish is a perfect choice to add some versatility into your low-carb diet even if you are not a great beef fan.

A 250 g dish of this meal contains 70 % stroganoff sauce and 30 % beef. The beef is slow-cooked to perceive its natural flavour and nutrients, and the sauce is made from mushrooms and onions, alongside with dijon mustard, rice and garlic, cooked on vegetable oil. These carefully selected ingredients have total calories income of 287, 22.8 g proteins, 25.4 g carbs and 10.2 g fat. Ideal for lunch or dinner, this dish fits perfectly into your low carb meal plans.

Chicken Alla Bosciola

If you are a pasta lover, this dish is your soulmate. A 250 g dish is a rich in protein (31.7 g), contains 29.9 g carbs and 5.4 g fat. This mouth-watering spaghetti recipe includes finely chopped chicken breasts, tomatoes, onion and mushrooms. Tiny pieces od bacon and sheets, alongside with the garlic and some spices can make you want more. By choosing this option for lunch, you’ll be taking 306 calories, which is ideal for weight loss.

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