and high blood pressure. Some have also reported being able to think more clearly and gain better focusing abilities when doing their day to day tasks. For those struggling with a gluten-free diet, referring to low carb recipes for ideas can be a much-needed solution to the problem.

As fun as it is to do so, you don't have to dust off the old cookbook and get creative in the kitchen as you search for new ways to cut carbs. Yummly provides a selection of diverse, low-fat, and highly nutritious recipes that allow low-carb dieters the direction they need to keep their sanity while eating healthily. (We even calculate the net carbs in each dish, that way you don't have to.)

A Quick Look at the Typical Low Carb Meal

Carbohydrates typically come from sugary or starchy foods. Many make the mistake of lumping sugar in with its common descriptor - sweetness. Most processed foods contain sugar; pasta and bread have sugar in them, and everyone knows how much sugar decadent cakes have. Starches are sneakier, however. They are found not only in things like potatoes, but they're also found in rice, beans, and even some vegetables.

Starches and carbs are not necessarily bad for you. After all, grains, potatoes, rice, beans, and carrots are all healthy foods on their own. But when you add the natural sugars found in carbohydrates with the processed foods and added sugars that are typical of the modern American diet, it can spell trouble. This diet is, in its purest form, removes excess sugar from your meals and adding whole foods to make up for the difference. The menu is designed to keep you feeling full while curbing your appetite, as well as your cravings for the foods that we love but are not always the best for the body.

Proponents of the diet also stress that when hunger hits, it is important to address it! On a diet rich in carbs and added sugars, the body will often mimic hunger when it is looking for something like water or a missing nutrient. Most of the time, when you're hungry on a low-carb diet, you actually need to eat. This promotes better body awareness and better overall nourishment on a long term basis.

Benefits of a Low Carb Diet

This diet has many benefits, some of which we have already mentioned. but perhaps one of the most important benefits is how easily meal planning can be while on it. Whether you have gluten-free requirements, if you are vegetarian or vegan, if you love comfort foods, or if you're just looking for new recipes, low-carb recipes often comes as second nature to home chefs.

For the novice meal prepper, completing meal plans for an entire week is quite an undertaking, but low-carb diets that utilize whole foods, or free recipes that adapt well to slow cookers, allow prepping for the entire week to become a breeze.

Much Ado About Chicken

For vegetarians, vegans, and pescatarians, a diet that reduces carb intake will look completely different compared to those who aren't either of the three. But for the majority of people on this diet, chicken recipes will become your standby ingredient for your entrees. Chicken provides the low-fat, high-protein punch that makes the meal, so utilizing this supple bird often can make meals exciting and filling. Chicken enchiladas, buffalo chicken, brussels sprouts paired with braised chicken thighs in garlic butter, and chicken salad on lettuce wraps harness diverse flavors while utilizing the same, simple ingredient.

Adapting Low Carb for Preferences

Are you worried that you'll never be able to eat your favorite type of cuisine on this diet? Don't bother, because it's not true.

Dinner recipes in this diet pay homage to Mexican, Thai, and other Asian cuisines. Additionally, you can make the most of Italian, Greek, Vegetarian, Vegan, Low-Fat, and comfort food dishes while cutting the carbs.

Most dishes that include meat don't run the risk of going over the carb target. However, vegetarians and vegans might need to pay extra attention to avoid going over their target carb range, as beans and other vegetable-based proteins are often high in starch.

Busy people or families with many mouths to feed will delight in the adaptability and flexibility of easy low carb recipes. On our site, you'll find slow cooker recipes that cater to the multitasking gods and goddesses lying dormant within you. Don't forget to look at Amazon for a quick granola bar or a powdered protein shake that fits in with your lifestyle. Opt for health and time-saving techniques, and you'll notice the difference, in taste as well as cost!

Swapping Carbs: It's Easier than it Looks!

Pasta Swaps

Many pasta fanatics look to the versatile zucchini for relief! Zucchini noodles, when prepared and strained properly, offer a ow carb noodle alternative that has a starchy texture. These noodles can be served with your favorite sauces, veggies, cheeses, and meats. Alternately, spaghetti squash provides a tasty alternative to zucchini noodles if you get bored with them.

Sandwich Bread

Many Americans rely on the sandwich when it comes to getting through mid-day hunger. But chicken lettuce wraps, or any wrap done with lettuce, are a welcome savior from the dry blandness of processed breads. Some prefer kale, others opt for butter crunch lettuce, but whatever your preference, you have to skip over the sandwich - just the bread part of it.

Rice

Brown rice has been a staple of the health food community, but it's still considered a no-go on a low-carb diet. If you can't live without your stir-fry or curry bowl, don't worry. Cauliflower rice will become your best friend, whether you opt for a low or zero-carb diet.

Starchy Vegetables

The humble potato is beloved by a great many cultures, yet potatoes contain so many unnecessary carbohydrates. If potato salad is your Achilles heel, there's no need to be concerned. Cauliflower once again can take the place of most starchy vegetables and grains and makes a mean, mayo-covered salad. Pair it up with some barbecued chicken breast and you have the perfect low-carb meal for the fourth of July.

Oatmeal and Hot Breakfast Cereals

You don't need to give up the feeling of a hot bowl of tasty oatmeal on a cold day. A bowl of hot cereal made with hearty almond or coconut flour can solve that particular problem. Top it off with your favorite low-carb fruits and vegetables for additional flair and flavor.

Baked Goods

Americans have a sweet tooth. Traditional carb sources like flour have wreaked havoc on the waistline, the attention span, and the general health of so many in this great country. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to give up baked goods to be on a low-carb diet. Yummly offers a variety of low-carb recipes for those with a raging sweet tooth or a penchant for baked goods.

Yummly is here to help you with your low-carb dishes, low-carb keto, or weight-loss meal preparation. Whether eating differently for health reasons or for a lifestyle change, our library of recipes provides side dishes, comfort food, and meal plans designed to take your culinary style to the next level. Browse recipes compiled by Yummly experts and watch your motivation to carry on increase day by day!