8 Healthy Food Swaps to Cut Back on Carbs and Improve Your Diet

Sticking to a balanced, nutritious diet is essential not only when you want to lose some pounds. In fact, eating healthy contributes to your overall well-being, allowing you to stay energized for longer, improving your mood, promoting better sleep, and even reducing the risk of developing various health issues. As such, you will definitely benefit from paying closer attention to what you’re putting on your plate.

And one of the most convenient ways to improve your diet is to cut back on carbohydrates. Slow carbs will provide you with a long-lasting stream of energy, while fast carbs like sugary drinks and snacks, white bread, cereals, etc., will result in a rapid decrease in the drive. The latter is the type of carbs you want to reduce.

Below, you will find information about several healthy food swaps that will help you cut back on carbs. They include switching from white potato to yam, regular pasta to whole grain pasta, honey to agave syrup, white bread to whole wheat bread, and rich in sugar fruits like watermelons to citruses and berries. Read on!

White Potato to Yam

Although potatoes are highly nutritious, they are among the foods with the highest glycemic load. In fact, potatoes contain a large amount of rapidly digestible carbohydrates. The same goes for yams. However, there is one small difference between them.

Potatoes contain high levels of resistant starch. It makes the digestion process slower, thus contributing to a higher glycemic index. On the other hand, yams contain no resistant starch, meaning that they will have a lower glycemic load, which means that you won’t suffer such a significant drop in energy after a meal.

Regular Pasta to Whole Grain Pasta

It is no secret that pasta is a favorite food among many people. However, like most other carbohydrate-rich foods, it has a high glycemic index. As such, if you want to enjoy eating pasta but still cut back on carbs, you can try the whole grain type. It has a lower GI than regular pasta and, therefore, will not cause rapid rises in your blood sugar levels. Make sure to choose whole-grain pasta that contains 100% whole grains in its ingredient list. However, it is worth mentioning that both kinds of pasta contain quite a few calories. If you cannot imagine your life without pasta and want to keep your weight under control, you might be interested in personal training services.

Honey to Agave Syrup

Honey is another one of those foods that have a higher GI than you might expect. This is due to the fact that honey is a type of sugar that is highly concentrated and has less water content than table sugar or other sugars. As such, honey will result in much faster rises in your blood sugar levels than table sugar and other sweeteners.

You can replace honey with agave syrup which has a lower glycemic index and will contribute to slower rises in your blood sugar levels. Make sure to choose an agave syrup that contains no additives or preservatives. Otherwise, you may as well choose honey instead!

White Bread to Whole Wheat Bread

White bread contains a high amount of fast digestible carbs which will result in rapid rises in your blood sugar levels. On the other hand, whole wheat bread contains a high amount of slowly digestible carbs which will contribute to slower rises in your blood sugar levels. Make sure to choose 100% whole wheat bread with at least 2 grams of fiber per serving. Also, check out the ingredients list and make sure to select a bread that does not contain any added sugars or other sweeteners!

Rich in Sugar Fruits to Citruses and Berries

Fruits are highly nutritious and are essential when you’re trying to lose some pounds or simply improve your overall health. However, fruits contain a high amount of natural sugars that will boost your blood sugar levels pretty quickly after eating them. As such, if you want to cut back on carbs, it is best for you to opt for low-glycemic fruits like citruses and berries, rather than high-glycemic fruits like watermelons, pineapples, and bananas.

Sports Drinks to Water

Sports drinks are specifically designed to provide you with a rapid stream of energy. They contain a high amount of carbohydrates which will have an instant impact on your blood sugar levels. As such, if you want to cut back on carbs and replace them with something else, it is best for you to opt for water. However, if you still want a sports drink, make sure that you purchase a low-calorie beverage with no added sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Coffee with Regular Milk to Plant-Based Milk of Your Choice

It is quite clear that coffee is a major source of caffeine and can therefore significantly contribute to your daily energy levels. However, regular milk is not recommended as part of your healthy diet, as it is high in saturated fat and sodium. As such, if you want to cut back on carbs and replace them with something else, it is best for you to opt for plant-based kinds of milk like almond, coconut, oat milk, etc. Make sure to choose unsweetened versions of these types of milk and keep the amount you consume fairly low!

Ice Cream to Frozen Yogurt

Ice cream is one of the most popular frozen desserts around. However, it is pretty high in both fat and sugar with relatively few nutrients. As such, if you want to reduce your calorie intake and cut back on carbs, it is best for you to opt for frozen yogurt instead. It will still provide you with a great amount of sugar, but less fat and calories than regular ice cream. Plus, you will enjoy a much healthier mix of probiotics and nutrients!

Final Thoughts

Cutting back on carbs is a great way to lose some pounds and improve your overall health. However, not all carbs are created equal, and you should definitely pay close attention to the type of carbohydrate-rich foods you’re consuming. Switching from high-glycemic foods to low-glycemic foods will help you cut back on carbs without having to completely eliminate them from your diet.

And make sure to check the ingredients list of the product you want to buy – you don’t want to consume anything with added sugars or artificial sweeteners!