Read our top 4 ways to swap carbs for other nutrients! Carbs are the sugars, starches and fibres found in plant and dairy products. They are one of the three macro-nutrients your body uses to power up (the other two being fats and proteins). Studies have found that our typical Australian diet can contain relatively more carbs than we need, so it may be a good idea for us to re-balance our macro-nutrient intake towards proteins and fats rather than remaining carb heavy.
Swap Carbs, start today
You might have heard about the “keto-diet” or “paleo-diet” or “Atkins-diet”? They are all based on the idea that we lose more excess weight and feel healthier when we go low carb. If you want to mix things up and cut carbs, here is our list of the top 4 ways you can start today:
Say NO to Sweetened Drinks
Skip cola, choose water
Don’t forget that sugar is a carbohydrate! When it comes to cutting carbs, a quick and effective action is to drop the sweetened drinks. Bottled soft drinks, sugared coffees and tea, fruit juices: all of them are swimming with carbs.
A typical can of fizzy drink contains about 38 grams of pure carbohydrates in the form of sugar, so get that fridge-friendly box of cola out of sight.
Instead, opt for water or unsweetened coffee and tea.
Avoid Starchy Snacks
Eat a strip of beef jerky instead
Swap starchy snacks like biscuits, chips, toast, muesli bars and instant noodles for high-protein snacks like beef jerky, boiled eggs, canned salmon and Greek yoghurt.
High-protein snacks tend to take the edge off hunger much more effectively than high-carb snacks, so people tend to eat less of them.
Don’t Eat Cereal for Breakfast
Swap for bacon and eggs
It is in the name: “cereal”. Cereals are grains, and grains are the primary source of carbohydrates in our diets.
Half a cup of muesli will typically contain about 35 grams of carbs, so ditch your breakfast cereal and opt for eggs and bacon instead.
If eggs and bacon turn your stomach in the morning, try yoghurt instead.
Condiments: The Hidden Carbs
Replace with olive oil and vinegar
Condiments and sauces are often overlooked as potent sources of carbohydrates.
Tomato sauce, gravy, BBQ sauce, salad dressing and chip dips are common daily additions to our carb load. These condiments are often highly flavoured with concentrated sugars, so beware.
Instead, try using simple vinegar and/or virgin olive oil as a flavourful dip and dressing.
Hopefully, this post did not come across as being anti-carb. Whilst there are clear benefits to balancing your diet away from them, they should not be cut out completely from a healthy diet. Being able to swap carbs for other macro-nutrients is an important skill when calorie counting.
