Read on as we share some low-carb (or even zero-carb) keto-friendly substitutes for some of your usual and favorite eats.

Keto Alternatives for Low-Carb Rice

For us Filipinos, rice is life. Hey, we even have various desserts that are basically rice, right? That’s how rice-obsessed we are.

Sadly, rice is not keto-friendly–one cup alone would kick you out of ketosis. But you don’t have to say goodbye to rice, especially if it’s your staple for your meals. Check out some of these keto rice substitutes.

• Broccoli or Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower and broccoli are both versatile vegetables that can be used in many keto recipes, including as a substitute for rice. Simply chop your chosen vegetable into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until it reaches a rice-like consistency. If you don’t have a food processor, use a grater or chop up the veggie until you get rice-sized pieces. Cook it up in a pan and serve as your keto diet substitute for rice.
• Cabbage Rice: Cabbage is another vegetable option for a rice alternative. It’s low in carbs and easy to prepare. Just shred the cabbage using a knife, a grater, or a chopper. Its slightly sweet flavor goes well with savory food like eggs and meats.
• Shirataki or Konjac Rice: Shirataki and Konjac are both high-fiber, low-carb and very low-calorie rice substitutes. They’re chewy and neutral in flavor, meaning they pair well with any kind of food. You can buy these online; you might see stores selling shirataki noodles, which means you can also have low-carb and low-calorie ramen and other noodle dishes.

It might take some time to get used to these, but we promise: you’ll get to the point of enjoying them.

Keto Substitutes for Bread

If rice is life for Filipinos, bread comes as a close second. After all, we have plenty of favorites in Pinoy bakeries and various spreads to enhance our enjoyment. Sadly, since the usual white bread has a high carbohydrate content, it’s another food you have to avoid. 

Good thing there’s keto bread–as in keto substitutes for flour bread, such as:

• Coconut Flour Bread: Coconut flour is a low-carb alternative to wheat flour and can be used to make keto-friendly bread. You’ll get bread high in fiber and protein and a natural sweet taste.
• Almond Flour Bread: Almond flour is another low-carb flour that can be used to make keto-friendly bread. Your bread will have a slightly nutty flavor and a dense texture.
• Cloud Bread: Cloud bread went viral because of TikTok. But what is cloud bread, exactly? Well, it’s a light and fluffy bread alternative made from eggs, cream cheese, and cream of tartar. It’s another great low-carb option!

And if you’re looking for exact recipes on how to make keto bread, look no further than our class here at The Bailiwick Academy: Keto Bread The Gluten Free Series! You’ll get to make four kinds of keto bread: Keto Dinner Rolls, Keto Loaf Bread, Keto Burger and Hotdog Buns, and Keto Pan de Sal.

You definitely won’t have to say goodbye to bread!

Keto Substitutes for Various Desserts

Just because you have to do keto doesn’t mean dessert is off-limits for you. There are plenty of low-carb alternatives for desserts, such as:

• Keto Ice Cream: No need to look for a keto substitute for ice cream, as there are already plenty of keto ice cream brands in the market. They come in various flavors, and plenty taste like the real thing. You can even make your own–enroll in our Keto Ice Cream class to get started.
• Keto Cakes: If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, rejoice, as keto cakes are now included in low-carb foods that are on the market. You no longer have to worry about them being high in sugar and carbs since these cakes are made with keto substitutes that are friendly to your diet. For example, they use almond or coconut flour instead of cake makers using wheat flour. And just like with ice cream, you can get started making Keto Cakes here at The Bailiwick Academy. Choose from Keto Cakes, Keto Cheesecakes, or Keto Cakes 2, and come up with plenty of guilt-free delicious cakes!

You can also indulge in donuts, muffins, brownies (available in our Keto Easy-Bake Bestsellers), and even various Filipino favorites like bibingka and puto bumbong.

Do take note that even though these keto desserts are lower in net carbs than their traditional counterparts, these keto alternatives should still be eaten in moderation since they are generally high in calories and fat. Practice enjoying them as occasional treats.

Zero Carb Drinks

If you like drinking Coke, Pepsi, and any other carbonated drinks, you should be aware by now of their high sugar content. But you don’t have to look far for keto alternatives to soda. You don’t have to get rid of soda entirely, either.

Coke Zero, Coke Light, Sprite Zero, and Pepsi Max are all keto-friendly. They’re zero calories too! The same goes for plenty of other drinks in the market, like Rite N’ Lite.

Of course, make sure to check with your personal doctor how much of these you can safely consume in a day.

Keto Substitutes for Snacks

Like eating fries, potato chips, and other salty snacks? We can’t blame you–they’re delicious and can be quite comforting, especially if you’ve had a very long day. The carb count for these, though, is a different story.

You don’t have to stop snacking though–just exchange your usual high-carb foods with low-carb ones. For example, instead of eating chips, eat chicharon or pork rinds instead. They’re also crunchy and salty, but most importantly, they carry a zero carb count.

You can also eat nuts and seeds instead. You’ll have to read the label and/or do research, but plenty of them have low net carbs. Just be sure to limit your intake to follow your daily carb limit.

One more you can do is use zucchini as a potato substitute. Zucchini has lower carbs and calories compared to potatoes, so you can make zucchini chips or zucchini fries instead. When sliced thinly and baked or fried, zucchini can have a crunchy texture that is similar to potato chips or fries.

Don’t know it until you’ve tried it!

Keto-Friendly Sweeteners

Pinoys use sugar in everything, especially for our morning coffee. But as we already know, sugar is not allowed in keto diets. Use the following substitutes instead:

• Stevia: Stevia is a natural sweetener that is derived from the stevia plant. It has no calories, and some describe it as much sweeter than regular sugar. Stevia is the most-talked-about keto substitute for sugar because it doesn’t impact the levels of different people’s blood sugars. 
• Erythritol: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a sugar substitute in the keto diet. It has only 0.2 calories per gram and also does not have an impact on blood sugar levels. However, according to Healthline, consuming too much of it may cause digestive issues, including nausea.
• Monk Fruit: Monk fruit is a natural sweetener that is derived from the monk fruit plant. It also has no calories and can be much sweeter than the usual sugar. It does not have an impact on blood sugar levels. You’re more likely to find monk fruit in online stores here than in groceries. 
• Sucralose: Sucralose is a no-calorie sweetener that is made by modifying regular sugar molecules to create a new compound that the body does not recognize as sugar. While sucralose is generally considered safe to consume in moderation, some believe that consuming artificial sweeteners like sucralose can cause an insulin response. Research on this topic is mixed and has no official conclusion yet.

Will artificial sweeteners stop ketosis? Some people seem to think so, but there’s no evidence suggesting that keto sugar substitutes will affect ketosis. So until there’s actual evidence, keep on using it.

Keto Substitutes for Pasta

Pasta noodles are again, high in carbohydrates. After all, traditional pasta noodles are made from wheat flour which has 76g of carbs for every 100g. However, you can choose from any keto alternative to pasta that can be used to recreate keto-friendly pasta meals, such as:

• Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) – Zucchini noodles are made by spiralizing zucchini into thin, noodle-like strips. They have a similar texture to pasta, making this one of the most popular keto diet replacements for pasta.
• Spaghetti Squash – Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash that can be roasted and shredded to create a pasta-like texture. 
• Shirataki Noodles – We’ve mentioned these before, but instead of in rice form, they’re now in noodle form. Like zucchini noodles, they have quite a similar texture to pasta.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, just because you’re on a keto diet, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods altogether. There are plenty of delicious and satisfying keto-friendly alternatives out there that can help you stay on track while still enjoying the flavors you love. We hope this list gives you a headstart on looking for those keto substitutes.

In the meantime, we wish you all the best as you go on your keto diet. Here’s to a better and healthier you!

Speaking of Keto Pasta…

If you’re interested in making your own keto pasta–and achieving it in the fastest and best time possible, then you’re in luck. The Bailiwick Academy has a new course by Ms. Chiqui Dingong: Keto Pasta! 

Check out the video below to learn more about our latest class:

When you enroll in Keto Pasta, you’ll learn to make low-carb and sugar-free pasta dishes that are just as delicious as the real deal. Not only will you learn to make three kinds of pasta (fettuccine, lasagne, and spaghetti), but you’ll also get recipes for three pasta sauces: Truffle Mushroom Cream Sauce, Ragu ala Bolognese, and Pesto ala Genovese.

And guess what? You’ll be making REAL pasta noodles! No substitutes like shirataki–but you’ll have to enroll in this course to find out how Ms. Chiqui does it!

Satisfy that pasta craving with these delectable pasta dishes without the guilt–and appeal to customers who are looking for keto alternatives, too! Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today to get started!

Oh, and if you’re reading this now (May 15, 2023, Philippine Time), this new course is on sale until 8:30 PM today! Make sure to grab it before the sale expires!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!