What are good high protein low carb meals?
Pair one protein food with a plate of veg. Chicken, fish and eggs have almost no carbs. But don’t aim for zero. Diabetes UK’s low-carb line is one number, and it isn’t nought.
On this page
What are good high protein low carb meals?
Meals built on one protein food, lots of veg and a small portion of a high-fibre carb. Think salmon with broccoli, or a cheese and spinach omelette.
Every idea below comes from the Diabetes UK low-carb week. It’s built for people with diabetes, but the meals work for anyone cutting carbs.
| Meal | What to cook | Protein from |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Omelette with two eggs, 80g spinach, 80g mushrooms and 25g cheddar, plus a slice of rye bread | Eggs and cheese |
| Breakfast | Baked eggs with two slices of rye bread | Eggs |
| Lunch | Chickpea and tuna salad | Tuna and chickpeas |
| Dinner | Greek homestyle chicken with broccoli and leeks | Chicken |
| Dinner | Grilled salmon steak with baked sweet potato, broccoli and cabbage | Salmon |
| Dinner | Chicken tikka masala with cauliflower pilaf (cauliflower in place of rice) | Chicken |
| Dinner | Mackerel with tomatoes, leeks and broccoli | Mackerel |
Source: Diabetes UK
For snacks, the same plan uses Greek yoghurt and plain almonds. For fewer calories, pick the leaner proteins: chicken, tuna and low-fat cottage cheese. Pick two dinners from the table and shop for them this week.
Which high protein foods have no carbs?
Plain meat and fish have almost none, and eggs have under 1g per 100g. In US food tables, roast chicken breast has 0g of carbs and 31g of protein per 100g. Tinned tuna in water has 0g of carbs too.
How much is a portion? The British Dietetic Association lists foods that each give about 20g of protein.
| Food | Portion with about 20g protein | Carbs per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 1 small breast (75g cooked) | 0g |
| Tinned tuna | 1 small can (100g) | 0g |
| Eggs | 3 medium eggs | Under 1g |
| Greek yoghurt | Half a 450g pot (225g) | Check the label |
| Low-fat cottage cheese | Half a 300g pot (150g) | Check the label |
| Quorn mince | 6 and a half tablespoons (165g) | Check the label |
Sources: BDA; USDA chicken; USDA tuna; USDA egg
Dairy and meat-free foods carry some carbs, so read the pack. For more morning ideas, see high protein breakfasts.
How many carbs is low carb?
That number is 130g. Diabetes UK calls eating less than 130g of carbs a day low carb. It adds that low carb shouldn’t mean no carb.
- Below 130 g carbs a dayDiabetes UK: low carb.
- 130 g carbs a day or aboveAbove the low-carb line.
Source: Diabetes UK
For scale, a medium slice of bread has about 15 to 20g. So does a regular apple. A large jacket potato can have as much as 90g.
Cut carbs from sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits, chips, white bread and fruit juice first. Keep the ones from beans, lentils, nuts, veg, whole fruit and whole grains.
Don’t put a child on a low-carb diet. Diabetes UK says it can affect their growth.
Is a high protein no carb diet a good idea?
No. Carb foods bring fibre, vitamins and minerals. Fibre is the part of plants that keeps you regular, and meat, fish and eggs have none.
Source: NHS
The NHS says fibre helps prevent constipation. Diabetes UK lists constipation and bad breath as low-carb side effects, usually short-lived. Ideas to add more are in high fibre foods.
Thinking of keto, a very low carb, high fat diet? In one small trial, 4 weeks of keto raised LDL (bad) cholesterol in every one of 17 healthy young women.
That’s a small study, not proof of harm. But if you go that low, ask for a cholesterol test. See cholesterol results on keto.
Does a high protein low carb diet help you lose weight?
It can. But in adults with type 2 diabetes, it did no better than higher carb diets in the long run.
UK experts reviewed the trials. After a year or more, weight loss was no different on lower or higher carb diets.
Starchy foods aren’t the villain either. The NHS says gram for gram they have fewer than half the calories of fat. So pick the plan you can keep up, as in the best diet to lose weight.
Red meat means beef, lamb and pork. Processed meat means sausages, bacon, ham and salami. The 90g and 70g are cooked weights.
Six rules for a healthy high protein low carb week
- Build each meal on about 20g of protein, such as 1 small chicken breast, 3 medium eggs or 1 small can of tuna.
- Add veg like broccoli, spinach, cabbage or cauliflower to every meal.
- Keep under 130g of carbs a day if you want to eat low carb, not zero.
- Get your carbs from beans, lentils, nuts, whole fruit and whole grains.
- If you eat more than 90g of red or processed meat a day, cut down to 70g.
- Have unsweetened milk and yoghurt for calcium.
Sources: Diabetes UK; BDA; NHS
When to speak to a GP
Speak to your GP or diabetes team before you cut carbs if:
- you take insulin or another diabetes medicine that can cause hypos (blood sugar dropping too low), as low carb may increase this risk
- you take an SGLT2 medicine such as dapagliflozin or canagliflozin, as you might need to stop it
- you have type 1 diabetes, as Diabetes UK doesn’t recommend low carb for it
- side effects such as constipation or bad breath worry you
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
With SGLT2 medicines, cutting carbs may raise the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). That’s when harmful substances called ketones build up in the blood. Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- your ketones are over 3mmol/L in your blood, or over 2+ in your pee
- you don’t know your ketones but feel thirsty, pee more often, feel sleepy or confused, or your breath smells fruity (like pear drops or nail polish remover)
- you have these symptoms and haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes
Call your diabetes team or 111 if your blood ketones are 1.6 to 3mmol/L, even if you feel well.