Fad diets and health trends seem to switch up from day to day. Remember the South Beach Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, and Atkins? All have their own takes on what you need to cut out or eat more of to slim down.
Even though the fad diets come and go, one piece of advice that has remained constant in the weight loss industry is that keeping your carb intake low is key to losing and keeping the weight off.
Outside of weight loss, cutting back on the “bad” carbs can also help prevent or control diabetes and keep your body from storing unwanted fat.
But before you cut carbs out of your diet, it’s important to know that no two carbs are the same. Carbs or carbohydrates actually come in three main types, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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First, there’s sugar, which includes sugars from fruit (fructose), milk sugar (lactose) and white and brown sugar. Corn syrup is another type of sugar carb. Sugar is one type of carb that should be avoided or limited as much as possible.
The second type of carb is starches, which include starchy vegetables, like potatoes, beans, and grains. These are not necessarily bad for you, but when you choose vegetables to fill your plate, you don’t want to overdo it as the starches can be high in calories. Look for the highest fiber content when eating starches to reap the most benefits. If you can, avoid all the refined carbs in this group like white bread and pasta.
The third type of carb is fiber. As you may know, a diet that’s high in fiber can aid in weight loss and weight maintenance. Fiber helps you feel full with fewer calories and helps you digest the food you take in. This category does include green, leafy veggies, beans, and other high-fiber foods that help your overall health.
Now that you understand that no two carbs are the same, the swaps below will help you fill your plate with those good carbs from veggies and high-fiber foods, so you won’t miss your usual rice and potatoes on the dinner table.
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Cauliflower Rice
Instead of white rice, you can use cauliflower as the base for your next meal. Cauliflower rice is now available in the frozen food section of most grocery stores, or if you prefer, you can make it yourself with a head of cauliflower and a food processor.
Cauliflower is high in fiber and much lower in carbs than white and even brown rice. Another benefit of cauliflower rice is that it can take on any flavor you like. It works in a stir-fry, or just as a side for your favorite protein and another vegetable.
Zucchini Noodles
Pasta is a popular carb that people typically indulge in large quantities. If you simply must have pasta in your life, you can make your favorite pasta recipes like spaghetti and shrimp alfredo with far fewer carbs and calories by swapping your pasta for zucchini noodles.
These are a game changer. Get you a veggie spriraller and make all the noodles you can think of. When cooking, lightly sauté your noodles to warm them up, but be sure not to overcook so they remain firm.
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Spaghetti Squash
It’s all in the name of this starchy veggie. Spaghetti squash may not look like it from the outside, but just cut one of these in 2 halves, season and bake for 40 min at 400 degrees and you have yourself a no-pasta pasta that will save you from “bad” carbs and unnecessary calories. Use this for your favorite spaghetti recipe and see if anyone at the table even notices the difference.
Cauliflower - Everything
Yes, cauliflower was already given a shout-out in this article, but it deserves another mention because you can really use this vegetable to create anything. Once you dry out chopped cauliflower (or you buy a bag of it pre-made) you can mold cauliflower into breadsticks, pizza crust, or even wings and nuggets.
The last two might be a stretch, but you can seriously get creative with the shape, density, and taste of cauliflower. With the right sauce and seasonings, you can enjoy everything you love about flour-based products with more nutrients and less to feel guilty about.
Have you swapped vegetables for carbs? What’s your favorite way to fool your taste buds when you crave more carbs?
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
