6 Indulgent Foods That Are Low-Carb Friendly - Healthline

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Evidence Based5 Higher Fat Foods That Are Low Carb-Friendly

Medically reviewed by Amy Richter, RD, Nutrition — Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc — Updated on September 11, 2024

Butter
Nuts and nut butters
Dark chocolate
Pork rinds
Avocados
Takeaway

If you’re wanting to lose weight, a low carb diet may help you meet your goal. Avocados and nuts are two foods that are lower in carbs. Read on for more satisfying low carb foods.

There are numerous satisfying, higher fat foods that you can eat on a low carb or keto-friendly diet. Here are five of these foods.

1. Butter (and other high fat dairy products)

Butter has been making a comeback as a health food, especially among people following a low carb diet.

If adding butter to your diet, consider choosing grass-fed options. A 2021 study found that grass-fed animal products like butter are higher in phytonutrients. However, more research is needed to determine the benefits these phytonutrients may have.

Also keep in mind that butter should be eaten with a meal, not as a meal. Replacing breakfast with butter in your coffee is not a good idea.

A pat of salted butter [around 5 grams (g)] contains:

Calories: 35.8
Protein: 0.043 g
Net carbs: 0.003 g
Fat: 4.06 g

Other high fat dairy foods like cheese can be a good option if you’re on a low carb diet. Cheese also has protein, which can keep you feeling full for longer.

2. Nuts and nut butters

Nuts are loaded with healthy fats and important nutrients, like vitamin E and magnesium.

A 2022 study following 124,329 adults for 9.5 years found that those who ate nuts on a regular basis had a lower risk of death.

Nut butters made of only nuts and salt can also be a satisfying, low carb snack. Avoid nut butters that contain processed vegetable oils or sugar, though.

1 ounce (oz) of lightly salted mixed nuts contains:

Calories: 172
Protein: 5.67 g
Net carbs: 3.97 g
Fat: 15.3 g

3. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains fiber and powerful antioxidants.

A 2024 study found that it can lower blood pressure and regulate cholesterol levels. One 2018 study found that it may help promote weight loss.

Another 2024 study showed that dark chocolate consumption was strongly associated with a reduced risk of essential hypertension. However, it was not strongly associated with any other cardiovascular diseases.

Chocolate often contains sugar. Try to choose chocolates with a high cocoa content (70% to 85%) to decrease the amount of sugar you are consuming.

1 oz of 70% to 85% dark chocolate contains:

Calories: 170
Protein: 2.21 g
Net carbs: 9.91 g
Fat: 12.1 g

4. Pork rinds

Pork rinds, which are basically fried pork skin, are high in glycine.

Glycine is an amino acid. According to research from 2024, glycine may improve insulin response, oxidative stress, and inflammation in adults. It may also have positive effects on cardiovascular health.

Pork rinds are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same fatty acid found in abundance in olive oil. Researchers suggest that oleic acid reduces certain markers of inflammation in humans.

1 oz (28 g) of pork rinds contains:

Calories: 154
Protein: 17.4 g
Net carbs: 0 g
Fat: 8.87 g

5. Avocados

Avocados are another nutritious, low carb plant food. They’re high in nutrients, especially fiber and potassium.

Over 60% of an avocado’s fat is monounsaturated, with small amounts of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

A 2022 study found that avocado consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.

A 2021 review of 19 clinical trials and 5 observational studies found that avocados may reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, lower the risk of having overweight or obesity, and improve cognitive function. Avocados may also improve cognitive function and reduce visceral fat tissue in women with overweight or obesity.

A half (100 g) of an avocado contains:

Calories: 161
Protein: 2.01 g
Net carbs: 1.83 g
Fat: 14.75 g

Takeaway

If you’re following a low carb diet, aim to eat unprocessed, whole foods. This includes meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and fruit.

You can still eat many higher fat, satisfying foods — such as those listed here — while following a low carb or ketogenic diet. Be sure to consume them in moderation if you’re following a weight loss plan.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Arisi TOP, et al. (2024). Effects of cocoa consumption on cardiometabolic risk markers: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38931273/
Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171705/nutrients
Butter, salted. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173410/nutrients
Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170273/nutrients
de Souza RJ, et al. (2020). Association of nut intake with risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in 16 countries from 5 continents: Analysis from the prospective urban and rural epidemiology (PURE) study.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522007833
Dreher ML, et al. (2021). A comprehensive review of hass avocado clinical trials, observational studies, and biological mechanisms.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/12/4376
Kord-Varkaneh H, et al. (2019). Does cocoa/dark chocolate supplementation have favorable effect on body weight, body mass index and waist circumference? A systematic review, meta-analysis and dose-response of randomized clinical trials.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29553824/
Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, lightly salted. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169427/nutrients
Pacheco LS, et al. (2022). Avocado consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.121.024014
Quintanilla-Villanueva GE, et al. (2024). The role of amino acid glycine on cardiovascular health and its beneficial effects: A narrative review.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2475/3/2/16
Snacks, pork skins, plain. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167961/nutrients
Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. (2019).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171705/nutrients
van Vliet S, et al. (2021). Health-promoting phytonutrients are higher in grass-fed meat and milk.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426/full
Wang Q, et al. (2022). Dietary oleic acid supplementation and blood inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33305589/
Yang J, et al. (2024). Dark chocolate intake and cardiovascular diseases: A Mendelian randomization study.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50351-6

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Amy Richter, RD, Nutrition — Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc — Updated on September 11, 2024

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