7 easy ways to cut back on carbs

Say hello to carb alternatives

Thanks to the popularity of low-carb diets, many of us are now watching the amount of carbohydrates we eat. But not all carbs are created equal. “Bad” carbs include white flour, refined sugar and white rice. Why are refined carbs a problem? Easy: they are digested so quickly that they cause blood sugar surges, leading to weight gain and other health troubles.

Here are seven ways to avoid troublesome carbs while still getting enough fuel for good health.

Say no to the bread basket

At almost every restaurant, the first thing a waiter brings is a basket of rolls and bread made from white flour. If it’s not put on the table, you won’t eat any. Or, if you really need something to nibble on, ask if they have whole-wheat varieties.

Wrap your food in lettuce leaves

Yes, skip the rolls, tortillas and bread slices and instead make a sandwich inside lettuce leaves. Go Mexican with a sprinkle of Cheddar cheese, salsa and chicken; or Chinese with sesame seeds, peanuts, bean sprouts, sliced green beans and shrimp with a touch of soy sauce; or deli style with turkey, cheese and mustard.

Buy your snacks in child-sized bags

The truth is, potato chips, tortilla chips and cookies are mostly bad carbs, made primarily from refined flour, sugar, salt and/or oil. You want to remove as many of these foods from your daily eating as you can. But if you can’t live without them, buy them in small bags – 30 g is a typical “lunch box” size – and limit yourself to one bag a day.

 Cure yourself of your old spaghetti habits

Almost everyone loves a big bowl of pasta, topped with a rich tomato sauce. The tomato sauce couldn’t be better for you; the spaghetti, however, is pure carbohydrate. While spaghetti is fine to eat every now and then, for those sensitive to carbs or wishing to cut back on their pasta intake, there are healthier alternatives. Start by switching to whole-wheat pasta. Then substitute other healthy whole grains such as brown rice and barley.

Eat potatoes boiled with the skin still on

The effect of potatoes on blood sugar depends on how the potatoes are prepared. There’s no need to avoid them completely, but keep your portion size modest. Also, new potatoes tend to have fewer simple carbs than other types of potatoes.

At the movie theatre, skip the popcorn

Popcorn isn’t a bad food – it contains useful fibre, for example. But it does happen to be a simple carb with little other nutritional value and, when bought at the theatre, it’s often drowning in salt and fat. Better snacks are small bags of nuts or seeds and fresh or dried fruit. Just take them into the theatre with you.

Never let yourself get too hungry

Eat every 3 to 5 waking hours, and only until you’re satisfied but not stuffed. You should never reach the point where you feel ravenous. Not only is that a recipe for overeating, but your body will want sugary, quick-to-digest “bad” carbs to satiate your need for fuel quickly.

More simple tricks to improve your health

Stealth Health will teach you how to reap the rewards of good health without needing to add hours of exercise or cut out all the foods you love. Most of these smart, simple solutions actually take no more than 5 minutes! Strategies like drinking two or more glasses of orange juice a day to increase good cholesterol; eating fresh tuna regularly to improve memory; reversing gum disease by humming while brushing teeth! You can even turn a sock, rice and cinnamon sticks into an amazing tension-reducing device! Brimming with extremely easy, very accomplishable, tried and tested tips to reduce blood pressure, boost energy, lose weight and super-charge your wellbeing.

Related:
• The truth about carbs
• What is the Glycemic Index
• 5 Habits you thought were healthy but aren’t