Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Health News
  3. 5 Smart Carb Swaps

5 Smart Carb Swaps

By Sidney Fry, MS, RD January 08, 2015
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
Eating fewer carbs doesn't mean giving up everything you love. A few easy changes can make a big difference in how much you consume. We favor nutrient-rich alternatives to carb-laden foods to lower sugar, fat, and calories and give you an added boost by increasing fiber, heart-healthy fats, and whole grains. You'll be surprised how much you love these foods and how delicious eating low-carb can be.
Start Slideshow

1 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

BBQ Baked Beans

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

GOOD Beans. Full of fiber.

BAD Lots of sugar in the sauce—13g for a total of 32g carbs.

BETTER Black beans with sautéed red bell pepper, jalapeño, lime, and fresh cilantro. 10g fewer carbs and an additional 1.5g fiber.

1 of 5

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Salad Dressings

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

GOOD You're eating salad.

BAD Dressing choices like honey mustard and raspberry vinaigrette contain about 7g refined carbs per 2 tablespoons, all from sugar. And most light or fat-free dressings add sugar to make up for fat.

BETTER Opt for oil and vinegar-based dressings instead; you'll get zero carbs and lots of heart-healthy fats.

 

2 of 5

3 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Apples with Low-Fat Caramel Dip

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

GOOD You're eating apples—25g balanced carbs and 4g fiber.

BAD That caramel sauce has 26g carbs in just 2 tablespoons, all from sugar.

BETTER Swap caramel for 1 tablespoon peanut butter. You'll add 4g filling protein.

3 of 5

Advertisement

4 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cracker Jacks

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

GOOD Whole grains and nuts.

BAD The caramel adds 30g refined-sugar carbs per cup.

BETTER Lightly salted oil-popped popcorn and nuts.

4 of 5

5 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

GOOD More veggies.

BAD No skin = 2g less fiber.

BETTER Mashed butternut squash has just 47 calories, 12g carbs, and 4g fiber per ½ cup. Add a teaspoon of butter for 34 calories and 2.4g sat fat.

5 of 5

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Sidney Fry, MS, RD

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 5 BBQ Baked Beans
    2 of 5 Salad Dressings
    3 of 5 Apples with Low-Fat Caramel Dip
    4 of 5 Cracker Jacks
    5 of 5 Mashed Potatoes

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    5 Smart Carb Swaps
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.