If you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet in order to improve your health and manage your intestinal gas, St. Patrick’s Day can present a real challenge. Here are a few low-carb takes on traditional Irish dishes.
Corn Beef and Cabbage Alternatives
Cabbage has a reputation for causing gas and being relatively hard to digest. If you want to increase the nutritional value of this traditional dish and cut down on digestive difficulties, try substituting kale. This ‘super food’ is packed with antioxidants, fiber and vitamin K. It is also a fairly hardy green, which means that it will hold up to the long, slow cooking times required for corn beef. Another option is Beef and Guinness Stew.
Irish Soda Bread
Is there such a thing as a low-carb bread? With this recipe, you can serve Irish soda bread at the breakfast table without worrying about carbs or gluten. By simply replacing flour with coconut flour and psyllium, you can drastically reduce carbs and recreate a favorite treat. Not only will it taste just as good as you remember, it will be gentle on your digestive system and help you avoid sugar spikes.
Beer
This might sound downright subversive to some, but yes, there are alternatives to drinking beer on St. Patrick’s Day. Spirits such as vodka or scotch have fewer carbs than beer. You’re also likely to ask for fewer servings of the ‘hard stuff’ than of your favorite pint.
Shepherd’s Pie
This hearty meal is meant to stick to your ribs, but you may want to pass unless you’ll walk off all those carbs while hiking the Highlands. The traditional recipe gets half its calories from carbs (34 grams). Potatoes are the biggest culprit, but can easily replaced with cauliflower without sacrificing taste. If you haven’t tried this switch before, you will be pleasantly surprised. Cutting out the starch will also make you feel better about loading your dish up with cheddar cheese. Amp the flavor with herbs or herb blends to complement the protein in your pie.
There are plenty of delicious, low-carb alternatives to your favorite dishes. The best part is that when you reduce carbs, you usually end up increasing the overall nutritional value. Replace potatoes and bread with fiber-rich vegetables. You’ll feel just as full and satisfied, but save the empty calories and strain on your digestive system.
It can be a challenge to maintain a healthy diet while socializing, especially if you try to accommodate others’ dining preferences. Just remember to take CharcoCaps® dietary supplement along and you’ll be able to handle whatever is on the menu!