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Shopping and swaps
You don't need a health shop. Everything on this site comes from an ordinary UK supermarket.
Reading a UK label in 10 seconds
- Look at the "per 100g" column, not "per portion". Portion sizes on packs vary a lot.
- Find "Carbohydrate". On UK labels it already has fibre taken out, so it's the number that counts. Under 5g per 100g is low. Over 15g is high.
- "Of which sugars" is part of the carbohydrate figure, not extra on top.
- American recipes and products are different. US labels include fibre in the carbs, which is why American sites talk about "net carbs".
Where hidden carbs hide
- Cheaper sausages and burgers often contain rusk (bread). Look for 90% meat or more.
- Sauces in jars and bottles: ketchup, BBQ, sweet chilli and many curry and pasta sauces.
- Glazed or marinated meat: honey, maple, BBQ, teriyaki.
- Flavoured yoghurts and desserts, including some low-fat ones, which can have sugar added. Plain full-fat Greek yoghurt is a safe bet. Always check the label rather than assuming.
- Coleslaw and potato salad can have added sugar.
- Smoothies and juice: healthy-looking, but high in sugar[1].
Easy swaps, how to make them, and where to find them
- Cauliflower rice instead of riceFrozen bags are in most big supermarkets, or grate cauliflower on the big holes of a grater and fry in a little butter for 5 minutes. Full how-to
- Courgetti instead of spaghettiPacks are in the veg aisle, or peel long ribbons off a courgette with a vegetable peeler. Fry for 2 minutes, never boil. Full how-to
- Black bean or edamame spaghetti instead of pastaHolland & Barrett and the free-from aisle of bigger supermarkets. Boil like normal pasta for the time on the pack. A 50g dry portion is about 7g of carbs, against about 37g for normal pasta. It's pricey, so it's a treat swap.
- Cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoBoil florets for 10 minutes, drain really well, mash with butter. Full how-to
- Ground almonds instead of flourBaking aisle. They don't swap spoon for spoon in any old recipe, so use recipes written for them, like the mug cake and shortbread.
- Sweetener instead of sugarErythritol or stevia blends in the sugar and baking aisle. Check the pack: some are spoon for spoon with sugar, some you use less of. Powdered dissolves best in puddings.
- 90% dark chocolate instead of milk chocolateUsually top shelf with the posh bars. A square or two with a cuppa, or melted into peanut butter cups.
- Lettuce leaves instead of bread or wrapsLittle gem or iceberg leaves hold a filling well. See the tuna boats.
- Pork scratchings or cheese snacks instead of crispsIn the snacks aisle. Check for under 5g carbs per 100g.
Nuts: which are lowest in carbs
Per 30g handful, lowest first, from the UK government's food tables[2].
| Nut | Carbs | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil nuts | 0.9g | Low |
| Walnuts | 1.0g | Low |
| Macadamias | 1.4g | Low |
| Almonds | 1.6g | Low |
| Pecans | 1.7g | Low |
| Hazelnuts | 1.8g | Low |
| Pistachios | 2.5g | Medium |
| Mixed nuts | 3.5g | Medium |
| Cashews | 5.4g | High |
Nuts are great, but easy to eat by the bagful. A handful is a portion.