How To Formulate Healthy Low Carb Recipes

Recent, high-quality research has shown that low-carb diets can be a potentially beneficial dietary pattern (1, 2).

However, the low-carb diets of study participants, who follow expert-guided low carb recipes, may significantly differ to those following popular versions of low-carb diets promoted online.

Recognizing this distinction is a crucial step for healthy low carb meal planning. This article explores the evidence and discusses some key considerations to formulate low carb recipes in a health-promoting way.

Don’t Overdo Saturated Fat (and Consider Fat Quality)

Look online and you’ll see many examples of low-carb recipes. Often, these recipes will involve fatty cuts of meat drowned in butter, and little else.

While these recipes may taste good, the existing research suggests they are sub-optimal for health outcomes.

For example, research consistently shows that unsaturated fats improve blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease compared to saturated fats:

• A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis published by the World Health Organization found that higher intakes of saturated fat compared to lower were associated with a higher risk of premature mortality. Additionally, the review found that replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats from plants (like avocado and olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats was associated with a reduced rate of heart disease incidence (3).
• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to no more than 10% of calories. This is approximately 22 grams per day based on a 2000 calorie diet (4).

Prioritize Variety For Better Quality Fat Intake

The link between higher saturated fat intakes and adverse health outcomes doesn’t mean they need to be eliminated. However, optimal meal planning should include low-carb recipes that provide a range of different fats.

Here are some foods that provide high amounts of different types of fat:

• Saturated fats: Fatty cuts of meat, butter, cheese, coconut oil, palm oil
• Monounsaturated plant fats: Avocado, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, olive oil
• Polyunsaturated omega-3 fats: Mackerel, salmon, sardines
• Polyunsaturated omega-6 fats: Peanuts, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Instead of only eating steak, vary the protein source across options like seafood, chicken, and tofu. For options with little fat—like chicken breast—add fats to the meal, from foods like avocado or olive oil.

As well as reducing the risk of elevated “bad” LDL cholesterol, varying food sources provides more essential vitamins and minerals.

Don’t Forget About Fiber

Fiber is a unique type of carbohydrate because it isn’t digested into glucose. As a result, it has little impact on blood sugar levels (5).

Since people often utilize low-carb diets for blood sugar management, the “net carbs” concept is sometimes used. This concept is used to only count total carbohydrate intake that impacts blood sugar levels.

The calculation for net carbs is simply: Total carbohydrate minus fiber.

For example, a food with 12g of total carbohydrate and 5.3g of fiber would contain 6.7g of net carbs.

In this sense, carbohydrates from fiber shouldn’t be viewed in the same way as carbohydrates from starch or sugar-based foods.

Why You Shouldn’t Omit Fiber

One of the most significant downsides of a poorly formulated low-carb diet is its lack of dietary fiber.

This is not optimal because research has shown that fiber can help to:

• Lower LDL cholesterol: Soluble fiber, found in low-carb foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados, helps to lower LDL cholesterol (6).
• Regulate blood sugar: Fiber slows the absorption of food, and helps to lower blood sugar spikes following meals containing carbohydrates. The net result is a reduction in blood glucose levels (7).
• Removing toxins: Research has shown that fiber can bind to—and quicker eliminate—potentially harmful compounds in the gut. These compounds may include toxins and carcinogens (8, 9).
• A healthy gut: Insoluble fiber passes through to the bowel undigested where bacteria, collectively dubbed the “microbiome,” feed on it. This can help to improve gut health (10, 11).
• Overall digestive health: Fiber adds bulk to stools, which helps promote regularity and a lower risk of constipation (12, 13).
• Lower mortality? Research findings from large systematic reviews also show that higher compared to lower fiber intakes are associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (14, 15).

Some excellent low-carb sources of fiber include avocados, berries, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, leafy greens, nuts, seeds like chia and flaxseeds.

Consider including these foods in low-carb recipes to avoid missing out on the benefits of fiber.

Learn more: 15 Low-Carb Foods High in Fiber

Low Carb Recipes Don’t Have To Be “No Carb”

Another important factor when planning low carb recipes is the total carbohydrate content of the meal.

Despite the popularity of very-low-carb and ketogenic diets, a regular low-carb diet doesn’t have to mean “no carb.” For instance, research generally recognizes low-carb diets as those containing fewer than 100–150g of daily carbohydrates (16, 17, 18).

This level of carbohydrate restriction is a more ‘moderate’ low-carb diet. Depending on the individual and the context, it could have benefits over very-low-carb diets.

More Food Variety

• A moderate low-carb diet can allow a greater variety of foods, such as sweet potatoes, legumes, and fruit.
• This will increase intake of the essential vitamins and minerals found in these foods, decreasing nutrient insufficiency risks. A 2019 systematic review on carbohydrate-restricted diets found that they significantly decreased intake levels of thiamin, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, and iodine (19).

Lower Risk of LDL Cholesterol Elevations

• Research, including from randomized controlled trials, shows that very low-carb and high-fat ketogenic diets, typically characterized by a daily carbohydrate intake of less than 50 grams, tend to increase the risk of elevated “bad” LDL cholesterol levels (20, 21, 22).
• Diets leading to an elevation in LDL-C may increase the risk of heart disease (23, 24).
• The response to low-carb diets can differ from individual to individual, potentially based on both genetics and diet composition, including the types of fat consumed (25, 26). In other words, some people may experience significant elevations in cholesterol, while others may not. For this reason, it is always important to consult with your healthcare provider and monitor the diet’s impact on LDL cholesterol levels.

Important note: While a more moderate degree of carbohydrate restriction may have benefits over very low intake, some individuals may be following medically-supervised low-carb diets, perhaps for epilepsy or type 2 diabetes management. In such cases, you should follow the diet devised in conjunction with your healthcare provider, to meet your individual circumstances.

10 Examples of Healthy Low Carb Meals

Here are some examples of healthy low carb recipes that offer a mix of fats, fiber, and a variety of foods (and thus nutrients).

1. Grilled salmon, avocado, sauteed peppers, and mushrooms: This recipe provides an excellent source of omega-3 and monounsaturated fats. It also includes a good amount of fiber and nutrient-rich vegetables.
2. Beef strips with guacamole and salad: Cooked beef cut into strips and a guacamole dip provide a good source of protein and monounsaturated fats. This is paired with a nutrient-rich salad including ingredients like sliced onion, cherry tomatoes, and leafy greens.
3. Stir-fried tofu: Cubed extra-firm tofu, broccoli, stir-fried in olive oil and sesame oil provide unsaturated fats, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
4. Spinach and tomato omelet: A protein-rich omelet made with chopped spinach and tomatoes, fried in olive oil for monounsaturated fat.
5. Greek yogurt with mixed berries and nuts: For a quick low-carb recipe, mix some berries and nuts into a serving of Greek yogurt. As well as calcium and protein from the yogurt, this provides unsaturated fats and a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
6. Cheese and spinach stuffed chicken breasts: Cut a chicken breast in half and stuff it with spinach and your favorite cheese before cooking. Serve with a small amount of sweet potato for a variety of nutrients.
7. Chicken arabattia pasta: Make a chicken arrabiata pasta dish using homemade or store-bought sauce, chicken, and a low-carb pasta alternative. Add preferred vegetables as desired.
8. Tuna salad bowl: Mix tuna with your favorite salad ingredients, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
9. Pork tenderloin with vegetable cauliflower rice: A low-carb pork recipe featuring protein-rich pork tenderloin for protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. The cauliflower rice containing chopped carrots and green peas adds fiber and a range of vitamins and minerals.
10. Chicken and vegetable kebab sticks: Kebab sticks made with grilled chicken breast pieces, zucchini, peppers, and onions, drizzled in olive oil. Served with avocado and salad to add extra fiber and monounsaturated fats.

Key Points For Healthy Low Carb Recipes

To recap the key information in this article, meal planning can be the difference between a well-formulated low-carb diet and one that may potentially increase health risks.

For the majority of people, a healthier low-carb dietary pattern should contain low-carb recipes that focus on:

• Not being excessively high in saturated fat
• Providing sufficient fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals
• Offering a wide range of foods that provide different types of fats, such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3.
• Not avoiding all carbohydrates

Additionally, it is important to seek guidance from your healthcare provider if using a low-carb diet for a medical condition or if you notice any changes in health markers, such as elevations in LDL cholesterol.