Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate restriction enables weight loss by promoting fat breakdown, curbing hunger and reducing long-term carbohydrate cravings.
Depending on your starting weight and degree of insulin resistance (or “carb sensitivity”), your clinician will prescribe a certain number of carb “boxes” (“servings”) per day. While those boxes will be individualized by your clinician, we generally limit weight loss members to four Carbohydrate boxes a day (less than 50 grams).
The best sources of carbohydrates are nutrient dense low glycemic vegetables and fruits that aid in blood sugar control and are replete with vitamins, minerals, fiber and a host of important phytonutrients. Options are listed in their respective “Free” or “Preferred” categories.
Vegetables
Zero Boxes
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Bamboo shoots
- Bok choy
- Celery
- Endives
- Greens (chicory, mustard, spinach, Swiss chard)
- Lettuces (arugula, green and red leaf, frisee, radicchio, romaine, etc.)
- Mushrooms, raw
Because of their very light carbohydrate content and nutrient density, the above vegetables are considered “free foods” on the JumpstartMD program. Use them to fill your plate but no need to log them on your Daily Tracker.
1 Cup = 1 Box
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Bean sprouts
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Broccolini
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Jicama
- Kale
- Leeks
- Mushrooms, cooked
- Okra
- Radishes
- Sauerkraut
- Snow peas
- Spaghetti squash
- Summer squash
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Pumpkin
Note: consider mixing various vegetable to make up one cup as one box.
1 Cup = 1 Box
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Bean sprouts
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Broccolini
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Jicama
- Kale
- Leeks
- Mushrooms, cooked
- Okra
- Radishes
- Sauerkraut
- Snow peas
- Spaghetti squash
- Summer squash
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Pumpkin
Note: consider mixing various vegetable to make up one cup as one box.
1 Box
- Beets, Carrots, Onions ½ cup
These three Limited / Occasional Vegetables are denser in carbohydrates. For optimal results, they are best avoided or limited to 1 to 2 “boxes” per week. They are included here for the purpose of occasional use where a small portion might be appropriate and the portion sizes limited.
Fruit
1 Box
- Berries, melon, papaya – ½ cup
- Strawberries, watermelon (exception to above) – 1 cup
- Apple, nectarine, orange, peach, pear – ½ small
- Clementine, fig, guava, kiwi, lemon, lime, passion fruit, plum, tangerine – 1 medium
- Apricot – 2 small
At your 4th visit, your provider may recommend the option of having up to two boxes (servings) of fruit as part of your total daily carbohydrate box count.
1 Box
- Banana or grapefruit – ½ small
- Cherries – ½ cup
- Dried apricot halves – 4
- Grapes – 1/3 cup
- Pomegranate seeds – ¼ cup
- Prunes – 1
- Raisins – 15
These Limited / Occasional Fruits are dense in carbohydrate. For optimal weight loss results, they are best avoided or limited to 1 to 2 “boxes” per week.