How to reduce carbohydrate intake while following a vegetarian diet

Carbohydrates are essential for the proper functioning of the human body. However, too much carbohydrate can lead to problems such as weight gain.

Cutting back on carbohydrates is not easy, especially with an Indian vegetarian diet. Our regular meals contain either rice or wheel, both high in carbohydrates. But you can always find a way around them.

Here are some ways to reduce your carbohydrate intake.

Replace carbohydrates with a diet high in protein and fat

The Indian diet is such that when you suddenly reduce your carbohydrate intake, you might crave it.

The best way to prevent this urge is to replace high carbohydrate foods in your diet with foods high in protein and fat. These will keep you fuller for longer.

These foods include nuts, seeds, and vegetables like tomatoes, cauliflower, legumes, berries, and avocados.

Avoid artificially sweetened drinks, including fruit juices

Sugar is the main source of carbohydrates. Therefore, drinks, including fruit juices, sweetened with sugar can increase your carbohydrate intake.

Excess sugar also leads to diabetes and other health problems.

So be sure to avoid these drinks to reduce sugar intake. Substitute healthy, natural sweeteners like honey for sugar to add a nutrient.

Choose low-carb dairy products like almond milk, coconut milk

Milk may meet your calcium needs, but it’s also high in carbohydrates because it contains a type of sugar called lactose. You can replace regular milk with low-carb options like almond or coconut milk.

Greek yogurt and cheese are great low-carb dairy products that will meet your dietary needs without adding extra calories. Other sugary dairy products should also be avoided.

Be careful when choosing what to snack on

Snacking between meals is how we suppress the feeling of hunger. But these snacks are often loaded with carbohydrates and end up adding unnecessary calories.

Chips, crackers, and baked goods are among those foods, which can easily be replaced with nuts like almonds, walnuts, and peanuts.

You can also replace the flour used for baking with alternatives like almond or coconut flour.

How to track your carbohydrate intake?

There are many nutrition tracker apps available online that can monitor your carbohydrate intake from your devices. Just enter your food intake for each meal and snack. Nutrients, including carbohydrates, are calculated automatically to help you make the right meal choices.