5 LOW CARBS ALTERNATIVES

enero 11, 2024

We have just started 2024 and with it all the excesses of the Christmas festive season.

It is very likely that you are already looking forward to getting back to your daily routine and "eating healthy". You probably thought this while you were eating that last panettone slice.

I'm starting on Monday, right?

You may also have thought about cutting back on carbohydrates for a few weeks or better yet, start eating a low-carb diet in 2024.

A low-carb diet is a diet that limits carbohydrate-rich foods, such as foods with added sugar, grains, starchy vegetables and fruit. This type of diet emphasizes foods rich in protein and fat.

Low-carbohydrate diets are nothing new and have been used in the medical community for a variety of purposes for over a century.

In future posts we will try to go into more detail on this type of diet. However, this time we are going to focus on what you can change in your diet tomorrow to significantly improve your quality of life.

LOW CARBOHYDRATE ALTERNATIVES:

Carbohydrates contain starches, sugar and fiber. A low-carbohydrate diet does not mean that you eliminate carbohydrates completely, but rather that you choose nutrient-rich foods, which means that most of the carbohydrates come from dietary fiber.

Here are some options to consider when looking to swap your favorite foods for low-carb options.

1. Pasta alternatives.

Pasta is one of the most difficult foods to find in low-carb versions due to the taste and texture of traditional pasta. However, there are several options to choose from.

Many dieters use vegetables such as courgette noodles, spaghetti squash or spiralized carrots as a substitute for traditional wheat spaghetti. You can buy packaged veggie noodles or make your own with a spiralizer.

Other options are konjac pasta, pasta made from palm hearts or pasta made from peas and lentils.

2. Rice alternatives

Cauliflower rice stands out as the top choice among rice substitutes.

It can be easily prepared at home by grinding cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble grains of rice. It's a simple process that takes a bit of work - here's how it's done in this keto pizza recipe.

You can also find cauliflower rice in the supermarket. More and more store chains are offering it, so try to look for a brand with no additives or other ingredients.

Although not as popular, you can find broccoli rice and it is used in the same way.

Both have a mild flavor when cooked.

3. Alternatives to chips and salty snacks.

Potatoes, corn or flour are all high in carbohydrates and high on the glycaemic index. Unfortunately they are the main ingredients in most of the delicious salty snacks on supermarket shelves.

But one of the positive changes we've seen in recent years is that snacking between meals doesn't always have to be unhealthy, which is why we've created Cherky.

Among the most popular options are kale chips, coconut chips or seed and nut crackers.

But if you really want a really healthy crunchy savory snack that delivers quality protein, fats and carbohydrates, there are few better options than our ECO Superbites. Made with organic meat, nuts and vegetables and baked to a crunchy texture.

4. Potato alternatives.

Potatoes contain starch, so they are high in carbohydrates. They are also low in fiber, which causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.

There are several root vegetables with lower starch and carbohydrate content. Celery, kohlrabi, turnips and parsnips can be roasted, boiled or mashed to create a more substantial side dish.

Cauliflower can also be substituted for mashed potatoes. By boiling and mashing cauliflower and adding cream, the creamy, fluffy texture of traditional mashed potatoes can be reproduced.

5. Alternative to traditional cured sausages and cold cuts.

Although these products usually have a low carbohydrate content, they often contain sugar or starches. A low-quality cold meat may contain around 50% meat, the rest being some kind of starch, dextrose, fillers, etc.

In the case of cured sausages, it is very likely that they contain enhancers such as glutamate, stabilizers and what we consider to be the most harmful: preservatives such as sodium nitrate and with it, the infamous nitrosamines.

To avoid this, we recommend that you take a look at our cured sausage snacks. ECO beef and shiitake sticks are made from 95% organic beef and natural lamb casing. We do not use any additives and they contain only 1% carbohydrates.

We also recommend ECO Biltong Cuts. These are slices of beef that are cured in the same way as jerky, ready to eat anywhere.

We hope this post will be useful for you to follow a healthier lifestyle and that your goals for the new year will be a little easier to achieve.

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