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10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand

January 11, 2019 by

Keeping a large variety of low carb vegetables on hand is a great way to make sure that you always have access to healthy snacks and meal ingredients that won’t make you feel sluggish, and won’t inflame your body or make it hard to lose weight.

Modernize suggests storing the following 10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand around your kitchen to ensure you have quick access to a vast range of options anytime you need to fuel up:

10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand | www.4hourbodygirl.com

Photo Courtesy of Oh My Veggies

Bell Peppers

One medium pepper has just 7 grams of carbs and 31 calories. They also contain loads of vitamin C and encourage collagen production. Slice one to use as chips with salsa or hummus.

Eggplant

This beautiful low carb veggie is meaty in texture and soaks up seasonings well, making it a perfect replacement for heavy meat ingredients in stir-fries, soups, and casseroles. They’re low in calories and full of minerals, so you’d be hard-pressed to eat too much.

Celery

Weighing in at only six calories and about one gram of carbs per stalk, you can’t go wrong with adding plenty of celery to your snacks, meals, and side dishes. Eat celery to help rid your body of excess water.

Asparagus

Low in sodium and carbs, asparagus is a great side dish that provides a healthy dose of potassium with each serving and helps reduce bloating after mealtime. Grill, steam, or sauté asparagus with a little garlic for a simple yet tasty dish.

Cauliflower

Whether raw, steamed, or roasted, cauliflower is impressively filling and can kill the munchies after enjoying just a couple stalks. It’s full of fiber, low in carbs, and inexpensive, and it makes an awesome replacement for higher carb foods like rice.

Broccoli

Broccoli is full of fiber and water yet low in carbohydrates, so it will keep you feeling full without all the bulk that carbs tend to deliver. Stick to steaming when you want cooked broccoli, as stir-frying and boiling it may cook away some of its nutrients. 

Jicama

If you’re a fan of potatoes yet want to avoid the carbs that come with them, jicama may be just what you need. You can cook jicama as you would potatoes or use them raw to create healthy versions of things dishes such as potato salad—you’ll still benefit from the same array or nutrients potatoes offer, and then some. 

Romaine

Full of important nutrients, romaine lettuce makes a great crunchy base for salads and can be used as taco shells too! This might green is also rich in folate, which should help to keep you maintain high energy levels throughout the day. 

Spinach

Spinach has chlorophyll and tons of iron. It basically doesn’t taste like anything when added to smoothies, and can be used instead of lettuce for salads or to top your burger, add it to eggs or suet it with garlic and onions as a side to any meal. I always make sure I have at least 1 if not 2 big containers of organic spinach on hand. This one is the top of my 10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand.

Sprouts

Not only are sprouts super low in carbohydrates, but they happen to contain a powerhouse of protein and phytonutrients, which makes them one of the healthiest veggie options you can keep stocked in the kitchen. Use alfalfa, broccoli, or mung bean sprouts to stuff your burritos and sandwiches, or make a huge salad and designate sprouts as the star.

What’s best about this list of 10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand is that they’re all affordable, which should make it easier than ever to plan a healthy week of eating no matter your budget.

Check out how to incorporate some of these 10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand here!

What are your Top10 Best Low Carb Vegetables to Keep On Hand? We’d love to here about it in your comments below.

Here’s to your health, wealth and happiness.

Easy & Tasty, High Protein Veggie Nuggets | www.4hourbodygirl.com
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Who Else Wants A “To Die For” Figure? Here’s The Secret

March 17, 2016 by
A "To Die For" Figure in 30 Days? | www.4hourbodygirl.com

First of all FOOD IS #1! I would love to say ‘you heard it here first’ but deep down I am sure you already know this. We both know it. If we all accept that food is #1, here are some simple rules for nutrition. Here, I’m asking WHO ELSE WANTS A “TO DIE FOR” FIGURE? HERE’S THE SECRET, if you do. Follow this, and you will be happily ripped in no time. 

AS A BONUS, YOU WILL ALSO LIVE LONGER, FEEL HEALTHIER, AND HAVE FAR LOWER INCIDENCE OF DISEASE. Who doesn’t want that?Who Else Wants A "To Die For" Figure? Here's The Secret

  • EAT for nutrient density
  • EAT to improve absorption of nutrients
  • EAT a macro nutrient profile that lends itself to improved body composition and less disease
  • EAT sufficient quantity of quality food to deliver your body its macro and micro nutrient requirements
  • DO NOT EAT anti-nutrients
  • DO NOT EAT foods that harm you
There are some great eating programs out there, the Slow Carb Diet from The 4-Hour Body, the Beyond Diet program, I like them both, they work well and are especially good with a view to people just starting out and wanting compliance for the whole family.
 
They work, and with compliance people stick to them… so people get results. Those results are reflected in how many people love and rave about those programs.
 
Having said that, here is my take on FOOD for FAT LOSS.
 
This is an all-out, no bullocks, 30-day plan GUARANTEED to give you results, way of eating. You won’t get hungry more than once or twice if you do it properly.
 
This is very, very easy. Note the words FOOD (that is what you will be eating, and the only thing you will be eating) and FAT LOSS – if you eat this way, and don’t change a thing; FAT LOSS is what will happen.
 
This is from Chris The Kiwi‘s take on FOOD for FAT LOSS ™… and Happiness
 
You want to lose fat? REALLY lose fat? Then lets get it over and done with!
 
Here is his ONE RULE:
 
Make every meal a healthy sequence of Protein, Good Fats, and Non Starchy Veggies…
 
… In that order…
 
… And with NO exceptions. 
 
Do this for 30 days (or 60, or forever, if you prefer), and get the bulk of your fat loss over and done with, quickly.This ONE RULE, which automatically ensures a superior macro nutrient ratio for fat loss (and health) – has outstanding results with EVERYONE who tries it for the whole 30 days.
 
It can’t be that simple.
 
This is what he says:
 
It is, but if you want the nitty-gritty, here is how it works:
  
 1. Protein FIRST. Every meal, start by eating a clean, CHEWABLE quality source of protein. What do I mean? Meat (preferably grass-fed), (non-farmed) fish, free range poultry, clean living or game meats, and free range eggs.
 
That is it.
 
Aim for a DAILY intake of 1 gram of protein per lb. of bodyweight or more. Yes, I really said that that, and yes, it is harder than it sounds.
 
Yes, it is so important it is going at number 1.
 
Break this protein intake over each of your daily meals (2 meals is ok, 3 meals is perfect and 4 is more than enough), and make getting in that quota of high quality animal sourced protein your priority at every meal.
 
Don’t like counting? (And I don’t like counting, so this is how I recommend you do it)
 
HOW I RECOMMEND YOU DO IT (the food order part)
  • Eat your protein until you are about 75-80% of the way to satiety, check for fats, and fill up on veggies.
  • That means eat the animal-sourced protein component of your meal until you are nearly full (about 75-80% of the way there)
2. Fat SECOND. After you get your real food protein down, ensure you are getting some healthy, quality, FATS at every meal. “Good fats are your friend”
 
If you cook in coconut oil, limit omega 6 intake, and eat nothing for protein but grass fed meat, wild caught fish such as salmon, anchovies, and sardines, game meats and wild fowl, and vegetables, you are probably good to go without any supplementation, additives, or tricks whatsoever.
 
Since this is nearly NO ONE who is chasing fat loss, everyone else needs to balance out their omega 3 to omega 6 ratios and reverse all the damage this imbalance has caused you, as fast as possible.
 
You are aiming for a 1:1 to 1:3 ratio of Omega 3s to Omega 6s which are our ancestral dietary norms and NOT what is happening with the bulk of the food you eat  (you need a LOT more omega 3 and a lot LESS omega 6 to get this balance, trust me).
 
We do this two ways. 1) LIMIT Omega 6 intake FIRST and then 2) TOP up Omega 3 intake.
 
We also want to ensure that you are getting sufficient variety and quality in your good fat intake, and that these are coming from clean sources.
 
Other than the protein selection guides above, to top up Omega 3, do the following…
 
Take down some high quality fish oil with every meal. Work up to 2-3 grams of combined DHA/EPA per meal.
 
Daily amount as follows:
 
2-4 grams total EPA/DHA per day if you can see your abs even when sitting, never eat any grain fed meat, have no 
auto-immune or inflammatory issues, and none of your joints hurt, ever.
 
4-8 grams total EPA/DHA per day if you are carrying excess flab, any of your joints hurt, or you suffer any form of auto-immune or inflammatory disease. If you are anywhere in between, I recommend you build up, hold the slightly higher dose for four weeks, then go back down to 2-4 grams total EPA/DHA per day.
 
Divide your daily intake across your meals equally.
 
Trust me on this, it may take some working up to, but the results are outstanding. It will also help your BRAIN, and recent science suggests even the health of your telomeres (the ”caps” on your DNA).
 
NOTE: Hold this dose for no more than four weeks, then DROP DOWN. Don’t make a big deal of this – this is an intervention – the FOCUS IS ON FOOD.
 
“What If I Can’t Get Grass-fed Meat?”
 
Grain-Fed Meat
What about eating grain fed meat? Avoid it whenever budget and availability allow, those cows are unhealthy and have a messed up omega 3 to omega 6 ratio (omega 6 heavy, frequently higher than 1:20), but if you have limited options, eating grain fed ruminants is STILL BETTER than not eating this way. However, for Grain Fed meat go for the leanest cut you can (the fat on grain fed meat is BAD).
So cut the fat OFF grain fed meat, go for the leanest cuts.
 
To top up the fat content with CLEAN FATS (remember, we check for fats EVERY meal), add a tablespoon of one of the below.
 
CHECK FOR FATS: ADD 1 TABLESPOON OF THESE TO any meal that is not made up of Grass-fed meat, wild caught salmon, or game meats.
  1. Grass-fed butter (the only dairy you will eat)
  2. Organic Ghee
  3. Coconut Oil
Or NUMBER 1: the rendered animal fat of a cleanly raised animal. Either because you bought it, or because you saved it from another cooking session where you cooked clean meat.
 
Some advise that you nibble away on almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts or walnuts, but these can potentially increase your Omega 6 load (macadamias, brazil nuts and macadamias the best of the nuts but remember that ratio) and potentially cause auto-immune issues, so personally, go for the other sources of fats given here, and limit total daily nut intake to half a handful of raw nuts per day, max. (Let’s call that “6 nuts per day” – no more).
 
Any meal that is made up of grass fed meat, wild game, wild salmon, anchovies, or sardines, you can skip the tablespoon of clean fats, since your meal will already provide you with them.
 
Feel free to leave the FAT ON when eating grass-fed ruminants or wild game. This is clean fat and GOOD FOR YOU, and very good for your fat loss.
 
For Cooking: Cook in coconut oil (low to high heat), grass-fed organic ghee, or in the animal’s own fat (or rendered lard from grass-fed animals, if you can find it). Those stuck with grain-fed meat, can cook in grass-fed butter if they want to.
 

Other than coconut oil (with impunity) and small amounts of olive oil (for flavor, if you cook with olive oil, LOW TEMP only) ALL OTHER VEGETABLE OILS are making you fat, inflamed, and unhealthy and they ARE BANNED FOR LIFE.

 
FAT SUMMARY:
1) Food quality is extremely important. Go for the clean cuts of meat and wild caught oily fish wherever you can find them/afford them, and you can chow down with the fat ON without even thinking about it. This is the BEST way to get your fats in your diet.
 
2) Next step on the ladder is to add in clean fats to your meal as required, normally in what you cook in.
 
3) Last step is the fish oil – NOTE: This slightly high dose fish oil approach is an INTERVENTION. It is designed to help you get rid of inflammation, start stripping fat and balance out your (likely horrible) current omega 3 to omega 6 ratio.
 
You hold this level for 30 days MAXIMUM at which point you will drop back and take from 2 to 4 grams of combined EPA/DHA from fish oil a day for the other health benefits.
 
MORE IS NOT BETTER. LONGER IS NOT BETTER.
 
Intervention means it is not forever.Read this again: At the end of the 30 days at the higher dose, you must back right down.
 
Yes, third. Fill up (keep going until you achieve satiety) with green, nutrient dense vegetable choices.3. Veggies THIRD.
 

NOW, for Part THREE – VEGGIES! – Just close out the meal and keep chomping until you are no longer hungry. You will get a You have eaten your animal sourced protein until you are 80% full. Checked for clean fats, and added if required. 

You took your fish oil…

TON of micronutrient goodness with very little calories, so seriously, eat away until you are nicely satisfied! Here are my favorites:
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Baby Bok Choy
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Asparagus
  • Cauliflower
  • String beans
Feel free to add your own.
 
You can do this as a stir-fry, steamed veggies, raw veggies, a big salad, a stew. Whatever makes you happy. Just watch sauces, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in small quantities are fine. Other than coconut oil, ALL other vegetable oils are banned.
 
Please make sure you cycle through the veggie choices, and don’t be afraid to add plenty more, variety rocks, and there can be too much of a good thing.
 
Tip: Cook with herbs and spices to add variety in nutrients and flavors to your cooking. There is no need to get bored.
 
What about carbs you ask?
 
My answer: This is about FAT LOSS, which generally implies that you have some form of METABOLIC DERANGEMENT and INSULIN ISSUES… so what about them?
 
Limit fruit, eat NO carbs at all other than those naturally occurring in your vegetable selection, and only drink sugar-free, unsweetened beverages. 
 
This means water, tea, black coffee.
 
Sound extreme? Not really, extreme is forcing our bodies to survive on a diet that is freaking terrible for us.
 
The result, lots and lots of FAT, SICK, and MISERABLE people.
 
I am all about happiness, so please, don’t be one of them.
 
Oh yeah, this also means NEVER EVER – EVER – EAT GLUTEN.
 
Ancestrally, we didn’t eat any processed carbs, or even a carb heavy diet, and we sure as heck didn’t eat much, if any gluten. The longer you go without by the way, the easier it is to get past any carb addiction.
 
Move your body over to this, our more ancestral and evolutionary format for eating and quite simply…. prepare to be amazed.
 
The nutrient density of a meal like this alone is a world away from a modern, nutrient starved, about to make you fat and miserable “meal”.
 
Note: Elite or very hard training athlete’s whose focus is on recovery (or fuel, in the case of endurance athletes) should take down some carbs post workout in the form of tubers. This equals yams, sweet potatoes, taro, yuca, and potentially a small amount of fruit. But this article is not about nutrition for you guys in season or training, this is about FAT LOSS.
So I ask you again, Who Else Wants A “To Die For” Figure? Here’s The Secret one last time:
 
Make every meal a healthy sequence of Protein, Good Fats, and Non Starchy Veggies…
 
…In that order…
 
… And with NO exceptions. 
 
Nothing else. Do not eat anything else. 
 
I repeat. If your goal is FAT LOSS, then for 30 days eat NOTHING ELSE. 
 
Athletic Greens | www.4hourbodygirl.com
 
Originally Published on: Jan 30, 2012
 
A "To Die For" Figure in 30 Days? | www.4hourbodygirl.com 
 
Easy & Tasty, High Protein Veggie Nuggets | www.4hourbodygirl.com
Filed Under: Resources, Weight Loss Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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