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How It Works > Atkins 20®

HOW IT WORKS

List of Low Carb Foods for Atkins 20, Phase 1 My Plans and Groups »
Our "Acceptable Low Carb Foods List" is an easy guide to Atkins 20, Phase 1.
During this phase, you will kick start induction by reducing your daily net carb Overview
intake to an average of 20g a day. Of these, 12-15 grams should be in the Low Carb Diets
form of foundation vegetables. Enjoy any of the foods from the below list of
Want to Lose Weight?
acceptable low carb foundation vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, nuts and
seeds, and most cheeses. Don’t see your favorite foods on the list? They are Choose Your Atkins Plan

likely included in the next phases!** Atkins 20®

Phase 1
Objectives Tips FAQ Acceptable Foods
Phase 2
Transition to Phase 2 Acceptable Foods
Acceptable Foods
Phase 3
Use this list of acceptable low carb foods as your guide to serving sizes and
Acceptable Foods
net carbs per serving. Aim to eat at least three meals and two snacks every
Phase 4
day. Never starve yourself or go more than 3-4 hours during the day without
Acceptable Foods
eating. And plan ahead so you aren’t tempted to eat foods not found on the
following acceptable list! Visit our recipe page for hundreds of meal ideas Atkins 40®

using Phase 1 ingredients. Atkins 100™

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Fish:
Intermittent Fasting
Fish is rich in healthy fats and protein, and is a great source of vitamins D
Keto
and B2, calcium, and minerals like iron and potassium. While all fish are
acceptable low carb foods for Phase 1 and do not have net carbs, we Compare Diets

recommend sticking to a 4-6 ounce serving of the types listed here a couple Hidden Sugars
times a week.
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While there are no net carbs in poultry, eating a variety of foods is
important to any healthy diet. Make sure to get your protein from different
categories and aim for three 4-6 ounce servings of protein each day. Enter your email address

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Chicken
Duck
Goose
Pheasant
Quail
Turkey
Ostrich

Shellfish:

Shellfish is another great source of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, healthy

fats, and minerals like zinc, copper, iron, and magnesium. Although
shellfish does not contain any net carbs, oysters and mussels are higher in
carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

Clams
Crabmeat
Mussels
Oysters
Shrimp
Squid
Lobster

Meat:

Protein plays a key role in weight loss and protects lean muscle mass, so
you only lose fat. Meat is an excellent, no net carb source of protein. One
serving is approximately 4-6 ounces.

Bacon*
Beef
Ham*
Lamb
Pork
Veal
Venison

*Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add
to the carb count. Avoid cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates, if
possible.

Eggs:

Eggs are packed with protein, vitamin A, and antioxidants. Get creative
with your eggs by adding acceptable vegetables and topping with feta
cheese and herbs. Enjoy eggs in any style including:

Deviled
Fried
Hard-boiled
Omelets
Poached
Scrambled
Soft-boiled

Fats and Oils:

Consuming a healthy amount of fat is an important part of Atkins. There

are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the recommended daily intake for
added fats is 2-4 tablespoons daily. Do not allow any oils to reach overly
high temperatures when cooking, and use olive oil for sautéing only. Use
walnut or sesame oil to dress cooked veggies or salad, but not for cooking.

Butter
Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar
Olive oil
Vegetable oils – Those labeled "cold pressed" or "expeller pressed" are
especially good and olive oil is one of the best:
Canola
Walnut
Soybean
Grape seed
Sesame
Sunflower
Safflower

Artificial Sweeteners:

Limit your sugar substitutes to no more than three packets a day. One
packet equals 1 gram of net carbs.

Sucralose
Saccharine
Stevia

Beverages:

Pay close attention to your beverages, as they are often a major source of
hidden sugars and carbs. It is important to drink at least 64 ounces of
water a day during Atkins 20, Phase 1. Drinking enough fluid assists with
weight loss and is essential to maintaining good health.

Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure it has no sugars added)

Club soda
Cream, heavy or light
Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea*
Diet soda (be sure to note the carb count)
Flavored seltzer (must say no calories)
Herb tea (without added barley or fruit sugar added)
Unflavored soy/almond milk
Water – at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day including:
Filtered water
Mineral water
Spring water
Tap water

* One to two cups of caffeinated tea or coffee is allowed as desired and

tolerated by each individual.

Cheese

Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce, and
we recommend consuming no more than 3-4 ounces of cheese per day. An
ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese
or a 1-inch cube.

SERVING SIZE NET CARBS

Parmesan, grated 1 TBSP .2
Goat, chevre 1 oz .3
Bleu cheeses 2 TBSP .4
Cheddar 1 oz .4
Gouda 1 oz .6
Mozzarella, whole milk 1 oz .6
Cream cheese, whipped 2 TBSP .8
Parmesan, chunk 1 oz .9
Swiss 1 oz 1.0
Feta 1 oz 1.2

Foundation Vegetables

These vegetables are the nutrient-dense, higher-fiber foundation for the

Atkins way of eating. Aim for 12-15g of net carbs from vegetables per day,
which is equivalent to several cups depending on the net carb content of
the variety you select. One cup of veggies is roughly the size of a baseball.
Measure salad vegetables raw.

SERVING SIZE NET CARBS

Alfalfa sprouts (raw) 1/2 cup 0
Chicory greens (raw) 1/2 cup .1
Endive (raw) 1/2 cup .1
Escarole (raw) 1/2 cup .1
Olives, green 5, each .1
Watercress (raw) 1/2 cup .1
Arugula (raw) 1/2 cup .2
Radishes (raw) 1, each .2
Spinach (raw) 1/2 cup .2
Bok choy (cooked) 1/2 cup .4
Lettuce, average (raw) 1/2 cup .5
Turnip greens (cooked) 1/2 cup .6
Heart of palm 1 each .7
Olives, black 5, each .7
Radicchio (raw) 1/2 cup .7
Button mushroom (raw) 1/2 cup .8
Artichoke (marinated) 1, each 1
Celery (raw) 1 stalk 1
Collard greens (cooked) 1/2 cup 1
Pickle, dill 1, each 1
Spinach 1/2 cup 1
Broccoli rabe (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.2
Sauerkraut (drained) 1/2 cup 1.2
Avocado, Haas 1/2 fruit 1.3
Daikon radish, grated (raw) 1/2 cup 1.4
Red/white onion, chopped 2 TBSP 1.5
(raw)
Zucchini (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.5
Cucumber, sliced (raw) 1/2 cup 1.6
Cauliflower (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.7
Beet greens (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.8
Broccoli (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.8
Fennel (raw) 1/2 cup 1.8
Okra (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.8
Rhubarb (raw) 1/2 cup 1.8
Swiss chard (cooked) 1/2 cup 1.8
Asparagus (cooked) 6 stalks 1.9
Broccolini (cooked) 3, each 1.9
Bell pepper, green, chopped 1/2 cup 2.2
(raw)
Sprouts, mung beans (raw) 1/2 cup 2.2
Eggplant (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.3
Kale (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.4
Scallion, chopped (raw) 1/2 cup 2.4
Turnip (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.4
Tomato, small (raw) 1, each 2.5
Jicama (raw) 1/2 cup 2.6
Portobello mushroom (cooked) 1, each 2.6
Yellow squash (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.6
Cabbage (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.7
Green beans (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.9
Bell pepper, red, chopped (raw) 1/2 cup 3
Leeks (cooked) 2 TBSP 3.4
Shallot, chopped (raw) 2 TBSP 3.4
Brussel sprouts (cooked) 1/2 cup 3.5
Spaghetti squash (cooked) 1/2 cup 4
Cherry tomato 10, each 4.6
Kohlrabi (cooked) 1/2 cup 4.6
Pumpkin, mashed (cooked) 1/2 cup 4.7
Garlic, minced (raw) 2 TBSP 5.3
Snow peas (cooked) 1/2 cup 5.4
Tomato (cooked) 1/2 cup 8.6

Salad Garnishes

SERVING SIZE NET CARBS

Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0
Hard-boiled egg 1 egg .5
Sautéed mushrooms 1/2 cup 1.0
Sour cream 2 Tbsp 1.2
Grated cheeses (see above carb counts)

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are a great way to enhance the flavor of your food. When
shopping for dried or packaged herbs and spices, read the labels closely to
make sure they contain no added sugar.

SERVING SIZE NET CARBS

Basil 1 TBSP 0
Cayenne pepper 1 TBSP 0
Cilantro 1 TBSP 0
Dill 1 TBSP 0
Oregano 1 TBSP 0
Tarragon 1 TBSP 0
Parsley 1 TBSP .1
Chives (fresh or dehydrated) 1 TBSP .1
Ginger, fresh, grated 1 TBSP .8
Rosemary, dried 1 TBSP .8
Sage, ground 1 tsp .8
Black pepper 1 tsp .9
Garlic 1 clove .9

Salad Dressings

Read labels carefully. Any prepared salad dressing without added sugar, and
no more than 3 grams of net carbs per serving, is acceptable in phase one.
Or make your own!

SERVING SIZE NET CARBS

Red wine vinegar 1 TBSP 0
Caesar 2 TBSP 1
Ranch 2 TBSP 1.4
Lemon juice 2 TBSP 2.0
Bleu cheese 2 TBSP 2.3
Lime juice 2 TBSP 2.4
Balsamic vinegar 1 TBSP 2.7
Italian, creamy 2 TBSP 3

** If you have decided to stay in Induction longer than 2 weeks, you may
swap out 3g NC of other foundation vegetables for 3g NC of nuts or seeds. Do
not let your Foundation Vegetable levels drop below 12g NC.

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* The average person can expect to lose 1-2 lbs. per week. Results may vary. Weight loss is influenced by
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Disclaimer: Nothing contained on this Site is intended to provide health care advice. Should you have any health
care-related questions, please call or see your physician or other health care provider. Consult your physician or
health care provider before beginning the Atkins Diet as you would any other weight loss or weight maintenance
program. The weight loss phases of the Atkins Diet should not be used by persons on dialysis. Individual results
may vary.

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