5 Easy and Tasty Low-Carb Substitutions
| 2 min read
Research continues to show that cutting back on how many carbohydrates you eat leads to weight loss. The most recent proof: A study from Tulane University that showed a low-carb diet results in more weight loss than a low-fat one. But knowing it works doesn’t make it any easier to cut out cereal at breakfast, bread at lunch and pasta at dinner. Instead of banning all of your favorite starch-heavy dishes, rethink them with low-carb substitutions. It’ll make the diet easier to stick with in the long-term, which is really the key to losing weight.
- Replace noodles with zucchini. Use a julienne peeler or spiralizer to turn this veggie into spaghetti-shaped strands. Then just put the “noodles” in a microwave-safe dish and cook for two minutes. Another option is spaghetti squash. After you roast it, the squash can be scraped with a fork to create spaghetti. Top the zucchini or squash with any of your favorite pasta toppings—red sauce, meatballs or even a simple olive oil with salt and pepper.
- Replace fries with green beans. Most people boil green beans or sauté them, but if you bake them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, they turn into a crunchy treat.
- Replace mashed potatoes with cauliflower. They are both veggies, but cauliflower has a fraction of the carbs that potatoes have. First steam the cauliflower and blend it in a food processor. Add a little cream, butter and salt and puree until smooth. Cauliflower can also be used as a rice alternative. Place uncooked florets in a food processor and pulse until the pieces resemble rice grains. Throw the cauliflower into a pot of boiling water for roughly five minutes until tender.
- Replace buns with lettuce. Many restaurants now offer this healthy and tasty alternative for people who want burgers on a low-carb diet. Romaine lettuce, butter lettuce or any type of leafy green work well. And don’t think you’re stuck with burgers. This works great with tuna salad, your favorite wrap fillings and even taco meat.
- Replace wheat flour with almond flour. While you can’t simply take a recipe and substitute almond flour for wheat, there are lots of recipes for baked goods that are designed to be made with almond flour. Give one a shot so you can enjoy cookies or muffins with a lot less carbs (and a lot more fiber).
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme
Photo credit: elana’s pantry
