Carbohydrates are important for fueling our bodies, but overindulging in carbs can be a major contributor to weight gain. If you’re looking for ways to improve your diet but having trouble giving up some of your favorite foods, here are some of the best substitute foods for reducing carbs. These replacements will help you enjoy your favorite foods while improving your diet.

Vegetable Substitutes

Vegetables have always been great additions to any diet. You can grow them yourself, and with a little creativity, you can incorporate them into various recipes. Lettuce wraps are popular for replacing bread in sandwiches; strips of baked carrots are satisfying substitutes for french fries, and zucchini makes for an effective pasta replacement. With a bit of ingenuity, you can drastically reinvent how you can incorporate vegetables into various meals to reduce your carbohydrate intake.

Familiar Foods, Different Ingredients

With modern food science, many of our favorite foods are now developed using new ingredients to obtain the same great taste but without the drawbacks for our health. For example, bread is a staple of diets across the world, but it’s also one of the biggest culprits of carbohydrates. Plant-based bagels provide a more nutritious and fulfilling snack that will leave you feeling more satisfied than normal bread.

Protein Over Carbs

The way plant-based ingredients improve our food—and the way they keep us feeling full and satisfied—is due to the fact that they fuel our bodies with protein instead of carbohydrates. When our bodies don’t have fat or glucose from carbs to draw energy from, they’ll instead break down proteins into ketone bodies that provide the energy for us instead. The process of digesting proteins takes longer than fine carbohydrates, so you’ll feel full and energized while having to eat less. Therefore, when you’re trying to cut back on carbohydrates, foods rich in protein are always the best substitute foods for reducing carbs—not only because they’re healthier sources of energy but also because they prevent the temptation to snack or overeat just to feel satisfied.