A single corn taco shell contains 8 g of carbohydrates, so once you've eaten three tacos, you're looking at 24 g of carbs. By making or buying alternatives for traditional taco shells, you can lower the carb count of your meal and add in additional nutrients, such as calcium and fiber.
Cheese Shells
With about 0.4 g of carbohydrates per ounce, cheddar cheese is a low-carb food rich in both protein and calcium. To make taco shells, sprinkle an even circular layer of shredded cheese on a sheet of parchment paper. Microwave on high for one minute or until the cheese is bubbling. As it cools, wrap the cheese with the parchment paper attached around a rolling pin or other round object to give it a shell shape. Allow to cool completely before removing the cheese from the parchment paper. Although cheese is lower in carbohydrates than corn flour, it's higher in fat.
Lettuce or Cabbage
An entire cup of lettuce has less than 2 g of carbohydrates and 9 calories. If you're looking for a taco shell alternative that is both low-carb and low-fat, wrap your fillings in large leaves of lettuce or cabbage instead. Iceberg lettuce and cabbage have sturdier leaves and will hold up better without wilting from heat, but you can experiment with different varieties until you find your favorite.
Substitutes for Corn Flour
If youmake your own taco shells, you can swap out the corn flour for lower-carb ingredients. Try nut flours or ground flaxseed. Flaxseed contains 2 g of carbohydrates per tablespoon but most of the carb content is from soluble and insoluble fiber, yielding a low net carb count.
Low-Carb Store-Bought Shells
The rising popularity of low-carb diets has prompted many grocery stores to carry low-carb alternatives to many popular foods, including taco shells. Read ingredient lists carefully, and remember that you'll need to subtract the amount of fiber from the overall carbohydrate amount to figure out the net carbs per serving.
Member Comments