Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbohydrate Intake

Cutting back on carbohydrates can have major benefits for your health. Many studies have shown that low-carb diets can help you lose weight and control diabetes or prediabetes. Here are some easy ways to reduce your carb intake.

Eliminate Sugar-Sweetened Drinks

Sugar-sweetened beverages are very unhealthy.They’re high in added sugar, which is linked to an increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity when consumed in excess. If you want to eat fewer carbs, avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages should be one of the first things you do.

If you want to drink something refreshing with a taste, try adding some lemon or lime to club soda or iced tea. If needed, use a small amount of low-calorie sweetener.

Cut Back on Bread

Bread is a staple food in many diets. Unfortunately, it’s also quite high in carbs and generally low in fibre. This is especially true for white bread made from refined grains, which may negatively impact health and weight.

Even nutritious breads such as rye contain about 15 grams of carbs per slice. And only a couple of those are fibre, the only component of carbs that isn’t digested and absorbed. Although whole grain bread contains vitamins and minerals, there are many other foods that provide the same nutrients with much fewer carbs.

Stop Drinking Fruit Juice

Unlike whole fruit, fruit juice contains little to no fiber and is full of sugar.

Although it provides some vitamins and minerals, it’s no better than sugar-sweetened beverages in terms of sugar and carbs. This is true even for 100% fruit juice. For instance, 350 m of 100% apple juice contains 48 grams of carbs, most of which is sugar.

Choose Low-Carb Snacks

Carbs can add up quickly in snack foods such as chips, pretzels and crackers. These types of foods are also not very satisfying.

Having a low-carb snack that contains protein is the best strategy when hunger strikes between meals.

Eat Eggs or Other Low-Carb Breakfast Foods

Even small amounts of some breakfast foods are often high in carbs. For instance, one half-cup (55 grams) of granola cereal typically has around 30 grams of digestible carbs, even before adding milk.

Conversely, eggs are an ideal breakfast when you’re trying to cut back on carbs.

Use These Sweeteners Instead of Sugar

Using sugar to sweeten foods and beverages isn’t a healthy practice, particularly on a low-carb diet. One tablespoon of white or brown sugar has 12 grams of carbs in the form of sucrose, which is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Although honey may seem healthier, it’s even higher in carbs.

However, here are a few safe sugar-free sweeteners that may even have some modest health benefits:

Stevia: Stevia comes from the stevia plant, which originated in South America. In animal studies, it has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity.

Erythritol: Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol that tastes like sugar, does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels and may help prevent cavities by killing plaque-causing bacteria.

Xylitol: Another sugar alcohol, xylitol also helps fight the bacteria that cause tooth decay. In addition, animal research suggests it may reduce insulin resistance and protect against obesity.