The ketogenic diet tends to be highly restrictive and can be hard to stick to. On a positive note, there are plenty of clever carbohydrate substitutes you can enjoy that will help you stay on track.
Pasta
Pasta, one of everyone's favorite Italian foods, is super simple to whip up with some sauce on a busy day. You can even get creative with more complex dishes to share with the whole family.
Instead of spaghetti noodles, why not try spiralizing some zucchini or summer squash (3.7 g carbohydrate per one small (118 g).
Another option is to look for Shirataki noodles (made with konjac flour) at your local grocery store or online (1.5 g carbohydrate per 1/3 cup or 57 g).
For a hearty lasagna, simply slice up an eggplant (6 g carbohydrate per 100 g raw) for a great alternative to pasta sheets.
Rice
Cauliflower rice (3 g carbs per 1/2 cup or 85 g) is easy to make and is close in taste and texture to the real thing. Cauliflower rice soaks up the flavors of sauces and seasonings very nicely, making it perfect for curries and casseroles. It can even be used to make sushi, simply add some full fat mayo or cream cheese to bind it together.
Potatoes
Whether they’re fried, mashed or roasted, potatoes are loved by people across the world. Good news for those on a ketogenic diet - there are other foods with less carbohydrate that can be cooked in the same delicious ways.
You can make your own chips by thinly slicing red radishes (3 g carbohydrate per 3/4 cup or 87 g), or zucchini (3.7 g carbohydrate per one small (118 g), or white mushrooms (2.3 g carbohydrate per 1 cup or 70 g slices); then frying and lightly salting.
Missing your mashed? You can mash up cauliflower (2.6 g carbohydrate per 1/2 cup or 62 g of boiled) instead of potato to recreate a favorite side dish.
Bread
If you’re in a rush or baking is not your thing, there are other alternatives that are available at your local supermarket. Instead of tortillas, lettuce (3.2 g carbs per 100 g) or egg white wraps (less than 1 g carbohydrate per 28 g wrap) can be used.
There are many options to create delicious low carb recipes – all you need is a little imagination! We hope you will get creative in your kitchen and share your recipes with us on social media.
Refer to labels for allergen and other product information as the nutrition values can differ depending on the brand of product you choose. Be sure to check with your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet.
