Though most fast food products are rich in carbs, there are some low carb choices available, such as salads, bunless sandwiches, and burrito bowls.
It might be challenging to maintain a low carb diet when dining out, especially at fast food establishments.
These meals frequently include bread, tortillas, and other high-carb ingredients.
Nonetheless, most fast food establishments provide decent low carb alternatives, and many products may be readily changed to suit your needs.
Here are 12 low carb fast foods you can consume.
1. Sub bowls
Submarine sandwiches are heavy in carbohydrates. A typical sub contains at least 50 grams (g) of carbs, most of which are derived from the bun (1).
Some places enable you to order your sub in a bowl rather than on a bun, which can cut the carb count of your meal dramatically.
Here are the carb numbers for a couple of Jersey Mike’s sub bowl options:
- Turkey breast and provolone: 8 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber
- Club Supreme: 9 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber
- Chicken salad: 9 grams of carbs, 3 of which are fiber
- California Club: 13 grams of carbs, 6 of which are fiber
Many other sub sandwich places, like Subway, accept this ordering method.
Ask for it to be made as a salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.
2. KFC grilled chicken
Fried chicken is rich in fat because it absorbs much oil when cooking.
When vegetable oils are heated to high temperatures, dangerous compounds are formed that may raise your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health concerns (2, 3).
Furthermore, fried chicken from restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has 3-11 g of carbohydrates per serving, depending on the cut.
Grilled chicken is a low carb option that is available at many fast food restaurants. Each grilled piece of KFC chicken has 0 g of carbohydrates.
Green beans provide 5 g carbs per serving, 3 of which are fiber. Coleslaw, with 14 g carbs per serving, 4 thread, is another low carb option.
3. Tea or coffee with cream or half-and-half
They’re also heavy in caffeine, which has a lot of advantages.
Caffeine has been shown to boost mood, metabolic rate, and mental and physical performance (4, 5, 6).
If you enjoy milk in your coffee, coffee shops, and fast food restaurants frequently provide half-and-half. A single-serving container contains around 0.5 g of carbohydrates (7).
Heavy cream is almost carb-free and is occasionally available. It does, however, have roughly 50 calories per tablespoon (tbsp), or 15 milliliters (mL), as opposed to 20 calories for half-and-half (8, 9).
Soy or almond milk is also available at certain coffee shops. These unsweetened milk replacements have few carbohydrates per 2-tbsp (30-mL) serving (10, 11).
4. Chipotle salad or bowl
Chipotle is a trendy Mexican fast food restaurant.
Because it employs high-quality foods and prioritizes animal welfare and sustainable agricultural techniques, many believe it is healthier than other chains.
Chipotle also makes it simple to prepare low carb dishes.
A salad with steak or chicken, grilled veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and guacamole has 18 g of total carbohydrates, 8 of which are fiber.
This meal also contains around 35 g of high-quality protein.
High protein and fiber consumption can boost the synthesis of the gut hormones peptide YY (PYY) and cholecystokinin (CCK), which signal to your brain that you’re full and help avoid overeating (12,13).
Though vinaigrette is offered, ample portions of guacamole and salsa eliminate the need for salad dressing.
Furthermore, Chipotle features an online nutrition calculator that allows you to check the actual carb count of your dish.
5. Lettuce-wrapped burger
A lettuce-wrapped bunless burger is a typical low carb fast food dish. It’s vital in protein, almost carb-free, and accessible at many fast food burger joints.
If lettuce wraps are unavailable, you can request that the bread be omitted.
Depending on availability and personal tastes, you may further personalize your burger by adding the following low carb toppings or extras (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20):
- Cheese: 2.4 grams of carbs per slice
- Bacon: 0.2 grams of carbs per slice
- Mustard: 0.3 grams of carbs per teaspoon (5 g)
- Mayo: 0.1 grams of carbs per tbsp (14 g)
- Onions: 1.3 grams of carbs per slice
- Tomato: 0.8 grams of carbs per slice
- Guacamole: 1.3 grams of carbs per tbsp (15 g)
6. Buffalo wings
Buffalo wings, depending on how they’re prepared, can be a low carb alternative in pizza joints and sports bars.
Buffalo wings are traditionally slathered in a fiery red sauce of vinegar and hot red peppers.
A serving of three drummettes (105 g) has just 2.6 grams of carbs (21).
Other lovely sauces like barbecue, teriyaki, and anything prepared with honey can add a considerable amount of carbs.
Wings are sometimes breaded or battered and fried, which is especially prevalent with boneless wings. As a result, inquire how the branches are created and request them without any breading or batter.
Carrots, celery, and ranch dressing typically accompany Buffalo wings.
Carrots are OK to eat in small amounts despite being higher in carbohydrates than many other vegetables. A half-cup (61 g) of carrot strips includes around 6 g of carbohydrates, 2 of which are fiber (22).
7. Bacon or sausage and eggs
Sometimes, the most straightforward breakfast choice, such as bacon or sausage and eggs, is the most delectable.
This typical breakfast combo is offered at most fast food establishments and has a low carb count.
Eggs can also help you stay full and satisfied for hours (23, 24).
In a 2015 study of overweight young women, eating sausage and eggs for breakfast helped lower appetite.
Compared to a low protein, higher carb breakfast, it also reduced blood sugar and insulin levels while decreasing calorie consumption at lunch (25).
Bear in mind, however, that cured bacon and sausages are processed meat products that have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease and cancer (26, 27).
As a result, most health specialists advise against consuming many of these items.
8. Arby’s sandwich without the bun or bread
Arby’s is one of the biggest sandwich fast food companies in the United States.
Though the Roast Beef Classic is the company’s original and most famous dish, Arby’s now offers brisket, steak, ham, chicken, and turkey.
For a great low carb, high protein dinner, order any of them without the bread.
9. Antipasto salad
Fast food Italian restaurants are renowned for their high carb dishes such as pizza, spaghetti, and sandwiches.
Antipasto salad is a beautiful low carb option.
This salad, which consists of varied meats, olives, cheese, and vegetables topped with an olive-oil-based dressing, is generally served as an appetizer. It can, however, be requested in a more significant amount as an entrée.
An entrée-size portion of antipasto salad with ham, cheese, fish, and vegetables has 15.6 g of carbohydrates per serving, 4.4 of which are fiber (28).
10. Subway salads
Subway is one of the world’s most popular fast food sandwich restaurants.
In recent years, the restaurant has begun to offer chopped salads that may be personalized with your choice of protein and vegetables.
The Steak and Cheese salad, which includes steak, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives, and cucumbers, is one of the more filling selections. It has 12 g of total carbohydrates, 4 of which are fiber and 22 g of protein.
Try adding avocados, which are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and fiber, to amp up the taste even more. Eating them for lunch may even result in fewer calories at your next meal (29, 30, 31).
11. Burrito bowl
Burritos are a popular dish among many people.
Meat, veggies, rice, and beans are often wrapped in a giant flour tortilla. This results in a meal with more than 70 g of carbohydrates (32).
Almost every Mexican restaurant, however, enables you to skip the tortilla and other high carb foods.
This is called a burrito bowl or a “bare” burrito.
A Qdoba burrito bowl with ground beef, guacamole, lettuce, fajita vegetables, and fresh salsa is a great filling lunch with just 13 g carbs.
12. McDonald’s breakfast sandwich without the bread
McDonald’s is the world’s most popular fast food business, with over 38,000 locations globally as of 2023.
Though it is primarily known for its burgers, such as the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder, its Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffin breakfast sandwiches are equally popular.
These breakfast sandwiches are made with an English muffin, one egg, a piece of American cheese, and either ham or sausage.
Each sandwich includes around 30 g of carbs. Ordering either of these meals without the muffin, on the other hand, reduces the carb amount to 3 g or less.
It’s also a good idea to have two low carb sandwiches because each one only has approximately 9-12 g of protein.
The bottom line
Even if a menu solely has high carb items, most fast food places can prepare an excellent low carb meal with easy changes.
Although fast food is not as nutritious as home-cooked meals, it is essential to know what to order if it is your only alternative.
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