by Christopher Jones
Think about it. Noodles are popular with different cultures. Most people find them easy to prepare without worrying much about their nutritional value. But the truth is that noodles have a large amount of starch. All in all, they are delicious and versatile.
Now you want to control how many noodles you take. Maybe, you want to start a low-carb diet, and you have no idea where to start. Whichever the case, there are so many substitute meals that you can prepare. Below we will discuss some of the noodle substitutes that you can opt for and prepare tasty meals.
Contents
What comes to your mind when you hear the word spiral? Of course, it’s something that looks like spirals. Spiralized vegetables are cut using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. They are very nutritious, and their carb content is low. They are known to have between three to ten carb content than the usual noddles.
When preparing these vegetables, ensure that you keep their nutrients high. They are vegetables high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Peeling them makes them lose most of their nutrients simply because the peel stores them. Again, when cooking, don’t cook for a long time. You can also opt to take them raw if you prefer. Overcooking minimizes their nutritional value, and they lose their crunch.
Spiralized vegetables are an excellent noodle substitute that can leave you full and for a long time. Perfect examples of spiralized vegetables are carrots, beets, and cucumbers. The idea of spiralized vegetables is in the slicing method.
Method of preparation
If you prefer them warm, add to boiling water for around five minutes. You can opt to serve with your favourite dish or just enjoy them as they are. Whichever way, you will still stay full.
Sprouts are another excellent substitute for noodles. Seeds that have germinated and become young plants are the ones known as sprouts. We have various examples of these young plants that you can play around with and make a good meal. They include; vegetable sprouts like broccoli, radish, and beet. Then seed and nut sprouts like pumpkin seeds, radish seeds, etc.
When buying sprouts, ensure you buy fresh from the market. Sprouts can be food poisoning if they have stayed on the shelf for long. Despite that, they are considered low in carb and a good source of proteins, vitamins, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Method of cooking
Preparing your sprouts is a simple process. Boil them for few minutes, and then remove from the fire. To maintain their nutrient value, run cold water on them to stop further cooking. You can season with the flavor of your choice from there and enjoy your sprouts.
The name spaghetti is a household name. I think in almost all homes, we have prepared spaghetti at one time or another. The spaghetti squash is a non-starchy vegetable that is very low in carbs. It is mainly associated with North and Central America because that is its origin.
This nutritious vegetable is delicious, and when cooked, it looks like spaghetti, which is why it was named spaghetti squash. Its nutritional value is high, and mostly it is rich in vitamin A, B, C, and K.
Method of preparation
The method of preparation can be boiled, microwaved, or baked. If you opt to bake, squash it using a fork. Then with your oven at 180 degrees, bake it for 45 minutes. Once ready, you can top up with spices of your choice.
If you boil, put it to boiling for around 20 minutes. That is sufficient to make it cook well. Then you can top it up with other species or enjoy it just as it is.
If you opt to microwave it, do it for around 8 minutes.
It is known to be saturated with minerals. Seaweed pasta is an excellent alternative to noodles because it is low in carb thus fewer calories. The vitamins, magnesium, calcium and iron contents take care of your bones.
Seaweed is harvested uniquely. If you want to retain its sea-flavoured taste, it is rinsed and dried. That means when you are cooking, the flavour and all nutrients are still left intact. We all know the benefits of seafood when it comes to weight loss.
Method of cooking
Cooking is done in easy steps. You can choose to boil or steam, but most people like boiling. So if you prefer boiling, put them in boiling water for around five to fifteen minutes. In case it is not well cooked after that, you can still extend the time until you it gets ready. For those who love it steamed, you can steam for twenty to thirty-five minutes. The advantage of steaming is that it retains its firm consistency.
These are very popular among many people. They are loved by many because they are not stocked with calories. Most people tend to dislike how they taste but again; it depends on how you cook them.
Anyway, they are also called miracle or konjac noodles and are made from a fiber called glucomannan. The fiber comes from konjac plant that is why some communities call them konjac noodles. When you look at them, you can quickly think they are spaghetti because they are long and white.
You may wonder what glucomannan is, and a simple description is that it’s a soluble fiber. Foods that are made from soluble fibers are very good at fighting gut bacteria. Again, glucomannan is essential because it slows down digestion that means you will feel fuller for a long time. So when it comes to weight loss, Shirataki noodles are an excellent meal you can opt for.
Method of preparation
When it comes to preparing the noodles, the method is simple. Put your water to a boiling point and run them through. The process will make them warm. After that, add your favorite sauce and serve.
Generally, the Shirataki noodles have a mushy texture when not cooked. So another method of cooking is heating them in a “skillet”. This way the excess water is drained making them look more like noodles.
It is a perfect alternate for noodles. Chickpea pasta is nutritious and tastes delicious. You will not go wrong when it comes to picking this amazing pasta for your diner, lunch, or whatever time you want to eat. Why? Because it’s filling thus leaves you satisfied.
The pasta has protein and fiber. A single serving gives you 8 grams, and this is equivalent to eating some lentils. When you compare the carb content, chickpea pasta has around 35 grams. It is incomparable to usual noodles.
Interesting enough is that you can take chickpea pasta without necessarily adding other meals. Since it has protein and fiber, it gives you a full meal. There are amounts of potassium and iron too, which are good for circulation.
Method of preparation
The meal is easy to prepare, and if you pay attention to retaining its natural taste, you will harvest its health benefit.
Boil for around six minutes and spice it up with herbs. If you like, you can add some seafood, but it is not a must. You can still eat with your vegetables, too, if you don’t want a stuffed feeling.
Zoodles are favorites to many people. I know you expect them to taste like the usual noodles, but nope. These noodles tend to absorb all the ingredients you make to cook them. What do I mean? If you spice them with herbs, they will taste herbs, thus making delicious meals.
Zuchinni are rich in vitamins A and C, manganese, and lutein. These nutrients are very vital when it comes to healthy vision. So for people whose age is catching up, you can opt to take them to minimize age-related eye problems.
They are not tasty if overcooked because Zoodles are soft enough. So whenever you overcook them, they naturally lose their crunchiness and become soggy.
Method of preparation
You can boil your Zucchini noodles but only for one minute. Be very watchful when boiling to avoid overcooking. After that, drain the water just how you do to the usual noodles, and then add your spices.
Frying them is also excellent. Add some oil to your pan and fry them for a few minutes. They will remain crunchy if you don’t overdo it.
You can opt to take them raw also. Most people use them as salads, and they taste good.
Kelp noodles are made from kelp, water and sodium alginate. They are translucent, free from wheat and gluten. If you are wondering what kelp is, then it is edible brown seaweed. The beauty of these noodles is that they are low in calories and carbs.
A single serving has ten calories, and to sum it all, kelp noodles dong has no cholesterol, wheat, gluten, or sugar. The noodles are rich in iodine, calcium, and minerals meaning they can take care of some health conditions; though not much has been studied about its health benefits, it is still believed to give good results for people with heart problems. For people looking to lose weight, this is a good meal since calories and carbs are minimal.
When you go shopping for your kelp noodles, state the type you want. There are two kinds of kelp noodles; clear and green kelp. They taste differently because the clear one is crunchy and bitter. Green kelp is not common and has a seaweed taste.
Preparation method
Once you get your kelp noodles, rinse them with warm water. This helps in removing the mildly salty liquid in them.
Since they are long enough, you can choose to cut them into smaller pieces. Boil them to remove the crunchiness and have that pasta you like. Adding some lemon and vinegar can help in making the noodles soft.
It is organic and tastes just like real spaghetti. The exciting bit is that it has only 20 grams of carbs and a fantastic alternative to noodles. Edamame spaghetti is made purely from bean flour. For the people who are stuck on traditional pasta for so long, this spaghetti is very nutritious. It is fully stocked with plant proteins and fiber.
Most people have identified with this spaghetti because it aids weight loss. Though not scientifically proven, you can pinpoint the importance of Edamame in people’s life by the way the product has been reviewed.
How are they prepared?
It is easy to prepare Edamame spaghetti. Boil water; add the spaghetti to simmer for around four minutes until it has the right texture or well cooked. After that, rinse with cold water to prevent it from cooking. Then serve with your favorite sauce or vegetables.
What comes to your mind when you read cabbage noodles? Right, it is an excellent alternate to noodles. The secret lies in the method of preparation. Cabbage is known to be very low in carbs. Interestingly, it is outstanding in vitamin C and K.
Apart from that, cabbage noodles are prevalent for keto lovers. Many people use this diet to help them lose weight, and using different cooking methods, can achieve that.
Method of preparation
You can cook cabbage in different methods. Those who prefer to prepare lasagna don’t cut it into pieces. They use the whole sheet and cook it in the oven.
You can also boil it if you like. Boil it for some minutes until it gets tender and soft.
Alternatively, you can slice using a spiralizer and fry them. Add some of your favorite spices or lamb or beef, whichever way you like.
When you chose to substitute noodles, there are so many dishes that you can play along with. The above dishes are healthy and add spice to your kitchen. They can help you beat the urge to have the usual noodles. Most of these dishes are stocked with minerals, vitamins, and proteins, making them full meals. So while preparing, you can opt to use different methods that you feel work for you.
Otherwise, enjoy your noodles.
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About Christopher Jones
Chris is a true globetrotter. He has been to many destinations and tried different types of food from all over the world, yet he still loves finding new places and tasting their specialties. Chris has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and so he decided to go back to school at age 24 for his MBA at University of San Francisco so that he could have a better understanding of business strategy in order to start his own company. His favorite motto is “how can one live well, travel well, and work well without having good food every time?”
Be with Chris: 
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