Bread and Grains
Bread is a staple food in many cultures. It comes in many forms, including bread loaves, rolls, bagels and flatbreads, such as tortillas.
Unfortunately, all of these are high in carbs. This is true for whole-grain bread as well as bread made from refined flour.
Although carb counts vary based on ingredients and portion sizes, here are the average counts for popular breads:
White bread (1 slice): 14 grams of carbs, 1 of which is fiber (1).
Whole-wheat bread (1 slice): 17 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber (2).
Flour tortilla (10-inch): 36 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber (3).
Bagel (3-inch): 29 grams of carbs, 1 of which is fiber (4).
Depending on your personal carb tolerance, eating a sandwich, burrito or bagel could put you near or over your limit for the day.
To make your own low-carb bread at home, follow one of the recipes on this page.
Most grains are also high in carbs and need to be limited or avoided on a low-carb diet. This includes rice, wheat, oats and others.
Some Fruit
Banana Peel Peeling Away From a Banana
A high intake of fruits and vegetables has consistently been linked to lower cancer and heart disease risk (5, 6, 7).
However, many fruits are high in carbs and may not be suitable for low-carb diets.
A typical serving of fruit is one cup or one small piece. For instance, a small apple contains 21 grams of carbs, 4 of which come from fiber (8).
On a very low-carb diet, it’s probably a good idea to avoid some fruits, especially sweet fruits and dried fruits, which have high carb counts:
Banana (1 medium): 27 grams of carbs, 3 of which are fiber (9).
Raisins (1 oz / 28 grams): 22 grams of carbs, 1 of which is fiber (10).
Dates (2 large): 36 grams of carbs, 4 of which are fiber (11).
Mango (1 cup, sliced): 28 grams of carbs, 3 of which are fiber (12).
Pear (1 medium): 28 grams of carbs, 6 of which are fiber (13).
Berries are lower in sugar and higher in fiber than other fruits. Therefore, small amounts (such as half a cup) can be enjoyed even on very low-carb diets.