Induction-Friendly Low-Carb Foods

Vegetables are a key food for the induction phase.

Vegetables are a key food for the induction phase.

There's no doubt about it -- the first two weeks of the Atkins diet, known as the induction phase, is the trickiest part of the diet. It's very restrictive, limiting you to 20 grams or less of net carbs per day. To increase your chance of success, don't let yourself get too hungry -- eat three meals and two snacks a day, never going more than three to four hours without eating. Knowing which foods are induction-friendly can also help you make the right choices for optimum weight loss.

The Foundation: Vegetables

Carbohydrates aren't completely off-limits during induction; you should eat 12 to 15 grams of net carbs in the form of vegetables. Net carbs refer to the number of grams of carbohydrates in a food minus the number of grams of fiber. The remaining net carbs allowed per day come from other induction-friendly foods. Vegetables low in net carbs -- meaning that you can eat more of them -- include alfalfa sprouts, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, escarole, endive, celery, chicory greens, radicchio and radishes. Other vegetables are still allowed but are slightly higher in net carbs. These include artichoke, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, kale, onion and tomato, among others. Although these are allowed, you should watch your serving size.

Protein Options

Protein options that do not contain added sugar are allowed during phase I of the Atkins diet. Choose from all sorts of fish and shellfish, including cod, salmon, tuna, trout, crabs, shrimp and lobster, as well as poultry such as chicken, duck and turkey. However, oysters and mussels are higher in carbs, so limit them to 4 ounces a day. Red meat is allowed, too, including beef, lamb, pork and veal; however, processed meats such as bacon and ham can be cured with sugar, which means they should be limited or avoided completely. Finally, eggs are allowed at any time of the day.

Add Some Fat

In the absence of carbohydrates, fats will help provide satiety in your meal plan. However, following the Atkins diet isn’t an excuse for gobbling up as much fat as you want, particularly saturated fat. Cheese is induction-friendly; however, it contains an average of 1 gram per ounce, so stick to 3 to 4 ounces a day of mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, blue, cream cheese and the like. Other allowable fats include butter, sugar-free mayonnaise, olive oil and vegetable oils. The serving size for these fats is 1 tablespoon.

Add Some Flavor

Herbs and spices are carb-free, meaning you can use them as you see fit. If you use a premade spice packet, check the ingredient list for hidden sugar and use it accordingly. Salad dressings made without added sugar and with less than 2 grams of net carbs per serving is allowed, but stick to 1 to 2 tablespoons. If you need a sweet fix, you can use Splenda – but one packet equals 1 gram of net carbs.

Take a Sip

As you might suspect, water is the preferable beverage during the induction phase. However, other beverages are allowed, too, including clear broth, club soda, diet soda, flavored seltzer, coffee, tea and unflavored soy or almond milk. However, always check the ingredient list for sugar or unsuspected carbs. The Atkins diet website also encourages those with a caffeine addiction to try to break the habit during induction by giving up coffee or tea.

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