While not all carbohydrates are bad for us, too many carbs can make us less energetic, as well as lead to serious health problems such as depression. For most of us, kicking carbs out of our diet isn’t that simple. We love our cookies, crackers, bread and other high carb goodies, so any thoughts of banning them from our diet is like a threat. So, what’s a person to do?  You don’t need to ban carbohydrates completely. Instead, you can substitute your carb cravings with the following:

Protein

When you’re in the mood for a muffin or chocolate chip cookie, grab a handful of nuts instead. Increasing your intake of protein can help you curb the carb cravings and lessen your chance of depression or other health risks. Try snacking on soy nuts instead of the usual peanuts for a fun and tasty change.

Vegetables

Another great way to lessen your carbohydrate cravings is to increase your vegetable intake. Be careful with the vegetables you choose, however. Not all vegetables are created equal when it comes to carbohydrates, so be sure to choose vegetables that are low-carb.  Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers, mushrooms, olives, summer squash and water chestnuts are all great low-carb vegetables.

Water

Filling up on water is another great way to control your cravings for carbohydrates. Be sure to stay away from flavored waters since they generally contain some form of sweetener. If you can’t stand the taste of plain water, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to it.

Flax Oil

Try taking 1 tablespoon of flax oil in the morning to control your cravings for carbohydrates. Not only will flax oil control your cravings for carbs, it can also help speed up weight loss. Flax oil can easily be added to a protein shake, mix it with vegetable juice or add it to a salad dressing. The downside to flax oil is that it you cannot use it to cook with. Doing so causes the benefits of the oil to break down. If you do choose to take flax oil, be sure to avoid the capsules since you’ll need almost an entire bottle of capsules to equal one tablespoon.

Low-Carbs

You should never eliminate carbohydrates from your diet completely. You need an equal amount of both carbohydrates and protein to stay healthy and active. When choosing carbohydrates to compliment your meals, try multigrain breads instead of white. Choose brown or wild rice instead of white. Eat whole fruit instead of drinking the fruit’s juice. If you must have a cookie, make them using whole grains and sweeten them with fruit juice instead of sugar. YOU CAN have your carbohydrates; just make sure you choose wisely.

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