Smarter Carb Swaps That Will Satisfy All Your Cravings
Easy Carb Swaps for Pasta, Rice, Bread and More
Who doesn't crave a good carbohydrate fix every now and then? Just like any other macronutrient, your body needs a certain amount of carbs—but only in balance with the other components of your diet. If your carb intake gets out of balance, it can cause problems. After all, there's no denying that carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, rice, and bread, while comforting, can really stick to your ribs. This is just one reason some people choose to limit their intake of carbs.
You might also seek out low-carb substitutes for favorite foods like pasta, rice, and bread on the advice of a medical or dietary professional. Other common motivations for low-carb substitutes are to help regulate your blood sugar levels, lose weight (as opposed to avoiding weight gain), or simply because you like the taste.
Now for some good news: Taking carbs off the menu doesn't mean you're doomed to suffer from cravings. Instead, take heart—and joy—in filling your plate with these good-for-you carb swaps that will satisfy all your cravings and help you meet your low-carb eating goals.
Low-Carb Substitutes for Pasta
Have you ever heard of "zoodles"? That's one cute nickname for noodles made of zucchini. This versatile vegetable doesn't just grow in such profusion that it inspires gardeners to share their bounty with neighbors and coworkers, and everyone else to create memes about the experience. It also makes a remarkable pasta substitute once cranked through a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or mandoline.
Well, just like zoodles, there are plenty of other low carb pasta swaps you can make use of in the kitchen. Take a look at a few:
Well, just like zoodles, there are plenty of other low carb pasta swaps you can make use of in the kitchen. Take a look at a few:
Zucchini and Cucumber
Although zucchini is one of the easiest low-carb substitutes for pasta, it's not the only vegetable to put on a convincing noodle act. Its close relative the cucumber turns out similarly crisp, tasty noodles when spiralized, although cucumber noodles—shall we call them coodles?—really shine when served raw in a summery 'pasta' salad.
Cauliflower
You'll also find cauliflower lurking in good-for-you pasta dishes, either as an ingredient in gluten-free noodles or sometimes substituted straight in for pasta, offering all the hearty texture you're looking for with none of the carb-loaded guilt.
Egg Noodles (Check the Label!)
If you're thinking of using egg noodles for a low-carb swap, be careful: Some varieties simply enrich the usual flour-based noodles with egg, making for a nutritious, delicious, but still carbohydrate-laden pasta. For a low-carb solution, look for the few brands labeled as keto egg white noodles—or if you're feeling really adventurous, try your hand at making low-carb egg noodles at home.
Spaghetti Squash Deserves a Mention
Finally, the most spectacular low-carb pasta substitute of them all is the bewildering-yet-delicious spaghetti squash. Technically, this and all other squashes count as a fruit; but squash usually gets treated as a vegetable and in the very special case of spaghetti squash, you can pretty much treat it like a noodle—once it's cooked, anyway. Cutting into the raw squash is a job and a half, but once you've roasted, steamed, or even microwaved the squash appropriately, its innards pull apart into thin, noodle-like strings.
Spaghetti squash has a remarkably neutral flavor and is most often described as mildly sweet. Although it's flavorful enough to be a side dish on its own, that fairly neutral starting point makes it a perfect vehicle for almost any sauce you'd normally put on pasta. This squash also does a better job of holding its texture when cooked than most low-carb swaps.
Spaghetti squash has a remarkably neutral flavor and is most often described as mildly sweet. Although it's flavorful enough to be a side dish on its own, that fairly neutral starting point makes it a perfect vehicle for almost any sauce you'd normally put on pasta. This squash also does a better job of holding its texture when cooked than most low-carb swaps.
Low-Carb Swaps for Rice
One of the most convenient, nutritious low-carb swaps you can make is substituting vegetables, legumes, and even mushrooms—yes, you read that correctly— for rice or other grains. A special food-processor blade is used to chop the low-carb ingredients down to rice-grain-sized pieces, but it's the texture of the veggies in question that really makes this a satisfying low-carb alternative.
Riced Cauliflower for the Win
In fact, if you've been shopping for low-carb swaps lately, you've probably seen riced cauliflower on store shelves or online storefronts. It's become that ubiquitous because it's that good, with cauliflower's hearty texture and rice-like color making it a near-perfect substitute for this comforting carb.
Zucchini Again? Yep!
Even the ubiquitous zucchini makes an appearance, but make sure not to overcook it. No matter how it's been chopped, eating zucchini raw or lightly cooked is the best way to preserve its texture.
Other Low-Carb Rice Alternatives
But that's just the start of the healthy, low-carb ingredients you can toss into a ricing blade, buy in the store, or devour in our chef-created meals. If riced cauliflower doesn't quite do it for you, don't be shy about trying other low-carb alternatives to rice and other grains. The field includes riced broccoli, chickpea rice, riced mushrooms (which pack the same satisfying texture that helps make them a convincing meat substitute), and riced cabbage.
Low-Carb Swaps for Bread
Some might argue bread is the last bastion of carbohydrates and the one thing that just can't be substituted or improved upon by sneaking more vegetables into your diet. Or if you're working toward a low-carb diet, you might see bread as the final boss—the last, largest obstacle standing in the way of achieving your goal.
Sprouted Grain Bread
With that in mind, we humbly offer the best low-carb swap you'll ever find for bread: Bread. Specifically, we're talking about bread made exclusively with sprouted grains and legumes. This calls for some careful label reading: Many bread brands offer a standard bread with some sprouted grains and legumes added, but you're hunting something that is made exclusively of these easier-to-digest ingredients.
Sprouted-grain bread is relatively rich in nutrients but low in carbs, and just like more typical bread, sitting down and eating an entire loaf would ruin the careful balance of macronutrients in any low-carb diet. But most low-carb aficionados agree that if you budget your carbohydrate allowance accordingly, sprouted grain bread can play a role in your low-carb diet.
Perhaps most importantly, a slice of this low-carb bread swap does everything you'd expect from a 'normal' slice of bread: You can use it for sandwiches, for toast, for sopping up the last bit of soup in the bowl...you get the idea. There is one big downfall here: Because this type of bread still uses grains, albeit sprouted ones, it's not entirely gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten entirely, you might consider tracking down almond flour bread. That's one of the few gluten-free options that also falls readily into a low-carb eating plan.
Sprouted-grain bread is relatively rich in nutrients but low in carbs, and just like more typical bread, sitting down and eating an entire loaf would ruin the careful balance of macronutrients in any low-carb diet. But most low-carb aficionados agree that if you budget your carbohydrate allowance accordingly, sprouted grain bread can play a role in your low-carb diet.
Perhaps most importantly, a slice of this low-carb bread swap does everything you'd expect from a 'normal' slice of bread: You can use it for sandwiches, for toast, for sopping up the last bit of soup in the bowl...you get the idea. There is one big downfall here: Because this type of bread still uses grains, albeit sprouted ones, it's not entirely gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten entirely, you might consider tracking down almond flour bread. That's one of the few gluten-free options that also falls readily into a low-carb eating plan.
How About Cloud Bread?
There's even a low-carb substitute for soft taco shells: Cloud bread, a surprisingly soft, airy flatbread made mostly of whipped egg whites. And if you've read through our other smart carb swaps, it might not be surprising to know that you can also find a version of cloud bread that contains cheese and...wait for it...cauliflower. If we had to name a single MVP in the game of carb swaps, there's no denying that cauliflower would be it—but we hope you'll give all the other options we discussed a try, too.
Other Low-Carb Bread Alternatives
If sprouted-grain bread and almond flour bread don't appeal to you, there is still a world of low-carb alternatives to explore. In fact, we venture that choosing the right substitute comes down to which of bread's many functions you're looking to fulfill.
For example, if it's a low-carb sandwich you're after, try a lettuce wrap. A big, crisp leaf of lettuce can swap in to do exactly what a piece of bread or tortilla would do, holding your sandwich fixings together but not drowning you in carbs. If you're looking to make a low-carb melt, how about swapping in a portobello mushroom cap or eggplant slice instead of bread?
For example, if it's a low-carb sandwich you're after, try a lettuce wrap. A big, crisp leaf of lettuce can swap in to do exactly what a piece of bread or tortilla would do, holding your sandwich fixings together but not drowning you in carbs. If you're looking to make a low-carb melt, how about swapping in a portobello mushroom cap or eggplant slice instead of bread?
The Most Convenient Low Carb Swaps
We realize that "low-carb" hasn't always been a synonym for "tasty," but you don't have to be on a low-carb diet to enjoy flavorful meals with smart, low carb substitutes like riced broccoli or cauliflower instead of rice and other grain-based sides. One of the best things about this type of swap is that you still get the hearty, comforting texture that feels like carbs —and sometimes even the look of familiar carbs, too—but zero percent guilt.
If you're in a rush — or just don't relish the idea of spending all your free time cranking vegetables through a food processor — it's hard to beat the convenience of Factor's chef-made, fully prepared meals. They feature a number of low-carb favorites in a dietitian-approved menu, like the one-two punch of savory Jalapeño-Lime-Cheddar Chicken accompanied by spicy cilantro cauliflower "rice." Even if you're a seasoned veteran at making low-carb swaps, you might just find a few new ideas here to make your taste buds sit up and take notice.
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