Recommended LCHF Diet — Examining the Combination of Protein, Healthy Fats, and Vegetables
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You decide to diet and try to choose a lunch menu, but you can't even eat one gimbap roll, salad makes you hungry again right away... and in the evening there's a group dinner where rice gets piled on you. A lot of people come to the clinic and ask "I'm doing low-carb high-fat, so what should I eat?" When I first started creating diet plans, the most daunting thing was "So what should I order for lunch today?" Today, I'll break down the big picture of diets by variables to answer that question.
Base: What to replace rice, bread, and noodles with
The starting point of low-carb high-fat is base substitution. What to fill the spot of rice, bread, noodles, and rice cake that used to make up half of your meals is the first variable. Some sources cite the Korean Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines and divide low-carb high-fat (broad definition) as 120g or less of carbohydrates per day and ketogenic (more strict) as 50g or less. More practical diet guides also recommend keeping carbohydrates 20–50g or less per day.
Just removing one bowl of rice significantly reduces carbohydrate intake. So the base is swapped with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, and leafy greens. Think of finely chopped cauliflower served like rice, or using lettuce and romaine as tortilla substitutes. Starchy root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes are generally limited. They look healthy but pack a big carbohydrate punch.
Protein: The main dish should fit in one hand
Now that the base is cleared, you need to fill your stomach. What goes in the main spot is protein. Here's a summary of recommended ingredients. Eggs, chicken, beef, pork, duck, and fish are all good. About the size of one palm per meal is appropriate.
For breakfast, a 2–3 egg omelette with spinach and mushrooms on the side and avocado on top is the most foolproof combo. For lunch, grilled or boiled chicken breast, pork belly, or beef sirloin are convenient. For dinner, many sources recommend fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and Pacific saury. You can get protein and good fats in one meal.According to domestic data, the protein ratio in a low-carb, high-fat diet is usually set at around 20~25%. This means protein and fat share the portion that carbohydrates previously occupied at 40~60% in a regular diet. The key point is that protein should not be increased excessively. If there is too little, muscle mass is lost; if there is too much, some of it is converted to glucose, disrupting ketone mode.
Side Ingredients: Vegetables and Good Fats Together
For side ingredients, the basic combination is non-starchy vegetables + good fats. For vegetables, you can rotate through the previously mentioned broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, and leafy greens. The deeper the color, the better, and mixing two or more types in one meal enhances the texture.
For fats, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter, and ghee appear frequently. Dividing them—using olive oil and avocado oil for salads, and butter, ghee, or coconut oil for grilled dishes—improves the flavor. Additionally, small amounts of avocado, unsweetened Greek yogurt, cheese, and berries are common combinations. The key for berries is small portions. Since fruits are high in sugar, being greedy with them can quickly fill up your carbohydrate limit.
In terms of numbers, the fat ratio of a LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diet is often set at around 65~75%. This is a significant change compared to the 10~20% fat in a general diet. At first, you might wonder, "Is it okay to eat this greedily/oily?" but when fat fills the space where carbohydrates are removed, the feeling of fullness lasts longer.
Seasonings and Snacks: Hidden Carbs Must Be Caught
The points where diets most frequently fail are seasonings and snacks. Seasonings containing sugar, corn syrup, or mirin can easily push you over your daily carbohydrate goal with just one added spoonful. Reduce sweet sauces like ketchup, tonkatsu sauce, or soy-based seasonings with strong sweetness, and stay safe by keeping it simple with salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.
Snacks are relatively clear. Cheese, unsweetened Greek yogurt, and low-carb nuts such as macadamias, Brazil nuts, and walnuts are the most standard. Even for nuts, limit it to one handful. If you eat them straight from the bag, you will hit your calorie limit before your carbohydrate limit. For drinks, the first step is to quit sugary beverages.
I will also summarize things that are good to avoid. Exclude foods high in refined carbohydrates such as rice, bread, noodles, rice cakes, cookies, and sugary drinks, and starchy root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes are also usually restricted. Patients often mention that if they can endure it for just the initial period, the craving for sweetness subsides.
![Before/After Diet Comparison Table. Left (Common Korean meal): White rice, kimchi stew, seasoned vegetables, mix coffee icons/images. Right (LCHF): Cauliflower rice, boiled pork (suyuk), grilled vegetables, unsweetened]](/api/files/assets/2026-06/7cb76e5e.png?sig=0dfe8a871d97778e6e14a15c706140d7d21163055e50af6298d8c4dc572c7e2c)
Diet Comparison: Before / After
If you have trouble picturing how a regular meal differs from a low-carb, high-fat meal, take a look at this.
Before — Typical Korean lunch
- One bowl of white rice
- Some tofu in kimchi jjigae
- Bean sprout and spinach side dish
- One cup of instant coffee after the meal
After — Low-carb, high-fat lunch
- Cauliflower rice or leafy green base
- One palm's worth of pork belly
- Roasted mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper dressing
- Americano or unsweetened tea after the meal
The difference is clear. Vegetables, protein, and fat take the place of carbohydrates, and sugary drinks are swapped for unsweetened options. When converted using the ratio guide from the reference material, the emphasis shifts to carbohydrates 5–10%, protein 20–25%, fat 65–75%. It may seem small for just one meal, but when you add up three meals a day, the insulin and blood sugar curves change quite a bit.
3 Recommended Combos
I've selected the three combinations I most often share with patients in the exam room.
Combo 1 — Breakfast omelette plate
Make an omelette with 2–3 eggs, cooking spinach and mushrooms together in the pan, and serve with half an avocado sliced on the side. Top unsweetened Greek yogurt with a few walnuts to finish as a dessert. With protein, good fats, and vegetables all in one plate, you'll feel less hungry until lunchtime.
Combo 2 — Lunch protein bowl
Start with roasted chicken thigh or beef tenderloin as the main, and lay down leafy greens as the base. Pile roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms on top, and finish with olive oil, balsamic, and salt. It holds its shape well even when packed into a lunchbox.
Combo 3 — Dinner oily fish + roasted vegetables
Choose one from salmon, mackerel, or Pacific saury, roast it, and cook asparagus, cauliflower, and mushrooms together in the oven or pan at the same time. Lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper are all you need. Oily fish with lots of fat makes for a satisfying dinner.
All three combos share one thing in common: one palm of protein, two or more vegetables, one source of good fats. As long as you stick to this framework, you can swap out the menu items however you like.
Even after organizing meals this way, we see it every day in the clinic — it's not easy with diet alone for people who eat out frequently, can't avoid work dinners, or struggle to cut out late-night snacking. At our Korean medicine clinic, we guide patients not only with diet plans but also with Baekrok Gambi-jung tailored to their constitution. It's a prescription designed to support appetite regulation and condition management. If meal planning feels overwhelming, come in for a consultation. We'd love to help you map out combinations that fit your daily life.
