Are you looking for low carb high protein foods? Here's a list of the top 30 – with bonus recipe and product suggestions!
This post also contains affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you I can make a tiny bit of money to help support this blog. Thank you!
Depending on what sort of low carb diet you're following you may be looking to ensure that you also eat enough high protein foods. Here are some benefits to eating foods that are high in protein:
- They create feelings of fullness and satisfaction after eating, which therefore helps prevent overeating
- They are essential for muscle repair and growth – especially when coupled with resistance training
- Proteins help to maintain healthy skin, nails, bones, and hair
- They produce amino acids, which in turn help create essential hormones and enzymes
Note: Always consult with your doctor about your recommended intake of protein. It can cause an increase in cholesterol levels in some individuals.
So what are the sources of high protein low carb foods? Well, you may guess correctly that meat and fish are awesome sources of protein – but there are so many more! Below I have provided a list of all the main sources, including an approximate protein and carb count for each item. These are, of, course, very general – so please read nutritional labels before purchasing individual products.
Low Carb High Protein Sources from Animals and Fish
Chicken – try my recipe for Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Salad
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 8g protein per serving
Turkey – try my recipe for Turkey Taco Skillet (with video tutorial!)
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 8g protein
Beef – try my recipe for Homemade Chipotle Beef Jerky or buy Zero Sugar Jerky from Amazon!
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 7g protein
Pork – try my recipe for Easy Spiced Pork Chops
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 7 grams of protein
Lamb – try my recipe for Rack of Lamb with Rosemary
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 7g protein
Fish – try my Low Carb Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 6g protein
Shrimp – try my recipe for Baked Greek Shrimp with Feta
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 6g protein
Duck – try my recipe for Low Carb Peking Duck
1 oz contains 0g carbs, 4g protein
Eggs – try my recipe for Low Carb Egg Wraps
1 large egg contains 0.4g carbs, 6g protein
Low Carb High Protein Sources from Dairy
Cheese – try my recipe for Very Low Carb Cheese Bread
1 oz contains 0.5g carbs, 7g protein
(By the way – Camembert – as featured in the main image for this post – contains 0.1g net carb and 5.5g protein per ounce!)
Cottage cheese
1 oz contains 0.8g carbs, 3.5g protein
Plain Greek yogurt – try my recipe for Yogurt Jello Bites
1 oz contains 1.2g carbs, 3g protein
Low Carb High Protein Sources from Nuts and Seeds
Peanuts
1 oz contains 3.8g net carbs, 7g protein
Almonds – try my recipe for Low Carb Buffalo Almonds
1 oz contains 2.7g net carbs, 6g protein
Flaxseeds
1 oz contains 0.5g net carbs, 5g protein
Sesame Seeds – try my recipe for “Everything” Parmesan Crisps
1 oz contains 3.3g net carbs, 5g protein
Sunflower Seeds – try my recipe for Low Carb Sunflower Seed Crackers
1 oz contains 3.6g net carbs, 5g protein
Chia Seeds – try my recipe for Low Carb Blackberry Chia Pudding
1 oz contains 1.7g net carbs, 4g protein
Pecans – try my recipe for Easy Low Carb Pecan Cookies
1 oz contains 1.2g net carbs, 2.6g protein
Low Carb High Protein Sources from Vegetables
Asparagus – try my recipe for Low Carb Asparagus Gratin
1 cup contains 2.2g net carbs, 3g protein
Brussels Sprouts – try my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
1 cup contains 4.7g net carbs, 3g protein
Broccoli – try my recipe for Lemon Garlic Broccoli
1 cup contains 3.6g net carbs, 2.5g protein
Mushrooms – try my recipe for Low Carb Cauliflower Stuffed Mushrooms
1 cup contains 1.6g net carbs, 2.2g protein
Cauliflower – try my recipe for Cauliflower Risotto with Burrata Cheese
1 cup contains 2.8g net carbs, 2g protein
Other Low Carb High Protein Sources
Pea Protein Powder – check it out on Netrition – available in three different flavors!
1 scoop contains 1g net carbs, 24g protein
Whey Protein Powder – try my recipe for Blueberry Protein Power Smoothie
1 scoop contains 4g net carbs, 20g protein
Protein Chips – available in several different flavors from Quest Nutrition
1 32g bag contains 4g net carbs, amount of protein is 18g
Atkins Snack Bars – nutritional data varies but they are widely available in grocery stores and pharmacies, or on online at sites like Netrition.
1 bar contains approximately 2g net carbs, 10g protein
Spirulina – a blue-green algae that – when dried – contains about 60-70% protein (it's also a great source of B vitamins, beta-carotene, and vitamin E). Buy it from Amazon!
1 tbs contains 1.4g net carbs, 4g protein
Do you know any high protein low carb foods that I've missed? Let me know in the comments! Oh and if you're specifically looking for low carb high protein SNACKS – check out this amazing article from Nutrition Advance!