Mar 31, 2022
Some context: A "low carb diet" is defined as "A daily limit of 0.7 to 2 ounces (20 to 57 grams) of carbohydrates." A "keto diet" "typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day and can be as low as 20 grams a day.... an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein." While there is some overlap between a keto diet and a low carb diet, they aren't the same thing.
A food is generally considered "low carb" if it isn't high in carbohydrates. Said another way, foods considered "low carb" tend to have more protein and/or fat that carbohydrates or their carbohydrates are mitigated by fiber, creating minimal "net carbohydrates."
"Net Carbohydrates" are "the carbohydrates in food that you can digest and use for energy. To calculate net carbs, take a food's total carbs and subtract: fiber."
Am I a proponent of a low carb or keto diet? Not necessarily.
I personally eat a good amount of carbohydrates, though mine comes in the form of whole steamed potatoes, baked winter squashes, oats, millet, lentils, mung beans, strawberries, and brown rice on occasion. I eat almost no pasta, sugar, bread, or baked goods.
I feel my best eating a diet that is primarily vegetables, with natural carbohydrates added in to sustain my natural physical and mental activity. (I move alot and think alot so my brain and muscles need glucose to perform).
However, not everyone has my body (and even my body has changed in the last 10-15 years with age and illness) so a lower carb diet may be what someone else needs (e.g. diabetic, over 50).
The only diet I'm a proponent of is a minimally processed, whole food diet, ideally one that is entirely (or primarily) plant-based, meaning centered on food from the produce section of the market.
WHAT PLANTS you put on your plate dictates if it's a high carb or low carb variation of this. Both are doable, both are healthy.
In the list below, items that are "low carb" could be suitable for a very low carb diet (e.g. keto) because they have very minimal net carbohydrates. The "lower carb" options are lower carb than what they are being compared to (for example, black rice has lower carbs than white rice; red lentil pasta has less net carbs that white pasta) but these items probably would not work for for a severely low carb diet (e.g. keto).
Items are listed in order of least processed (most whole food) to more processed, with deference given to items that are widely available and/or are inexpensive.
GRAIN-FREE, LOW CARB, KETO PASTA SUBSTITUTES:
shredded cabbage
spaghetti squash
zucchini noodles
bean sprouts
seaweed noodles (e.g. kelp noodles)
heart of palm noodles (e.g. palmini)
dried squash noodles (e.g. solely)
tofu noodles (e.g. shirataki)
miracle noodles
fiber gourmet
soy curls
LOWER CARB PASTA SUBSTITUTES: pasta made from red lentils, black beans, chickpeas, split peas, quinoa, (or a combination) generally have lower "net carbs" compared to traditional grain-based pasta (e.g. whole-wheat, brown rice pasta).
GRAIN-FREE, LOW CARB, KETO RICE & QUINOA SUBSTITUTES:
cauliflower "rice"
broccoli "rice"
celery root "couscous"
minced mushrooms
fullgreen
heart of palm rice (e.g. palmini, ontrue)
add Alchemy Fibre for Rice
Banza's chickpea-based rice
RightRice
TVP (textured vegetable protein)
miracle rice
ground lupin
Konjac rice (e.g. Better than Rice)
LOWER CARB RICE & QUINOA SUBSTITUTES:
black rice
wild rice
quinoa
lentils
Note: Black rice also has the most protein and least amount of calories.
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR DICED POTATOES:
cauliflower florets
radishes
zucchini
daikon
turnip
kohlrabi
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR MASHED POTATOES:
Mash Turnips
Mash Celery Root
Mash Kohlrabi
Mash Turnip
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR FRIES:
Celery Root Fries
Brussel Sprouts (roast)
Turnip Fries
Jicama
Radishes (roast)
eggplant fries
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR ROASTED POTATOES:
roasted rutabaga
roasted cauliflower
roasted radish
roasted bell peppers
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR CARROTS & SWEET POTATOES:
colorful bell peppers
butternut squash
rutabaga
LOW CARB, GRAIN-FREE SUBSTITUTES FOR CROUTONS:
onion flakes
diced celery
raw nuts
raw seeds
edamame
baked cubed tofu
roasted edamame
LOWER CARB, GRAIN-FREE SUBSTITUTES FOR CROUTONS:
baked chickpeas
dehydrated peas
LOW CARB, GRAIN-FREE KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR BREAD, WRAPS & TORTILLAS:
lettuce cups
collard green wrap
endive cups
serve over greens
serve over cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash
coconut-flour tortillas (e.g. siete)
almond-flour tortillas
keto bread (e.g. orowheat, franz)
keto tortillas (e.g. Mission)
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR BEANS:
Nuts (e.g. walnuts, cashews)
boiled peanuts
Seeds (e.g. sunflower seeds, pepitas)
avocado
mushrooms
eggplant
green beans
LOWER CARB SUBSTITUTES FOR BEANS:
Tofu
Tempeh
black soy beans
peas
Bean-Free Refried Beans (recipe on happyherbivore.com)
wheat gluten (e.g. seitan, no evil)
LOW CARB, KETO SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMMUS:
Dijon mustard
avocado, guacamole
nut butters (e.g. cashew butter)
tahini (sesame seed paste)
peanut butter
coconut milk
coconut cream
cashew cream
Bean-Free Hummus or cauliflower hummus (recipe on happyherbivore.com)
vegan unsweetened greek yogurt
vegan unsweetened coconut yogurt
vegan mayo
vegan butter
Brami
LOWER CARB SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMMUS:
vegan cream cheese
pesto
LOW CARB, GRAIN-FREE KETO SUBSTITUTE FOR FLOUR (1-2 TBSP) IN RECIPES:
almond flour
coconut flour
LOWER CARB SUBSTITUTE FOR FLOUR (1-2 TBSP) IN RECIPES:
chickpea flour, garbanzo flour
amaranth flour
oat fiber
tigernut flour
xanthan gum
guar gum
agar agar
glucomannan (konjac)
OR omit and let it be runny
If it's being chilled (not heated) flaxseed meal, chia seeds, and psyllium husk powder may work.
