An Italian's Dream - Low Carb Pasta Options

There are a lot of pasta lovers out there that discard low carb diets or simply cannot stick to them because they cannot do without their pasta. A whole grain, low carb pasta is great for these would be (or real) Italians. But for many pasta lovers, it is not the pasta itself but what you do with it that counts. For these individuals many more low carb pasta options become available.

If you are dead set on having actual pasta, check your local health food store for whole grain pastas. Wheat pasta is available in most grocery stores, but this isn't what you want. If it doesn't say "whole wheat" or "whole grain" it will have too many carbs. Whole grain pastas are not cheap, but they can be a good source of vitamins and nutrients, as well as help you stick to your low carb diet.

There are other options to using low carb pasta. You can use vegetables to replace pasta in your favorite dishes. Shred cucumbers and use them as a low carb pasta alternative, as a bed for your favorite pasta dish. Shredded cucumbers work especially well with pesto sauce. You can also use egg plant cut into thin strips as a low carb pasta substitute.

Spaghetti squash is the most common and most popular low carb pasta substitute. This low carb pasta option has less than twenty five percent of the fat and carbs found in typical pasta. It is great for any type of pasta as well, from pesto sauce to chicken parmesan with marinara sauce.

Asian noodles are also very low in carbs. Common names for asian low carb pasta are Shirataki, yam noodles, and Konnyaku. You can find these low carb pastas in most health food stores and some supermarkets. The best thing about this low carb pasta is that it comes in liquid ready to eat. Just open, drain, and run under hot water while your pasta sauce is simmering.

Tofu noodles are also great low carb pasta substitutes. Tofu noodles also come in liquid, ready to drain, heat, and eat at a part of your favorite Italian dish. Tofu noodles are low in carbs, but also high in protein, which makes them a great part of a low carb diet. They can also be found in health food stores and supermarkets.

Whatever low carb pasta option you choose, you should always check the nutrition labels to make sure that the carb count is low. Also make sure that the fat content isn't too high. Often, your best bet is to try one of the shredded vegetables as your low carb pasta substitute. Especially in the first phase of most low carb diets when grains are forbidden, using shredded cucumbers and other vegetables will help you stay on track with your low carb diet.