Recipes with few fast carbs

Every recipe here has a low glycaemic load per serving: few fast carbs, plus fibre and protein from pulses, wholegrains, veg, fish, eggs or nuts.

These recipes have a low glycaemic load: few fast carbs per serving, with fibre and protein alongside. The carbs mostly come from pulses, wholegrains and veg, and almost always share the plate with protein or fat.

• Quick chicken korma – 420 kcal
• Low-carb blueberry cheesecake in a glass – 280 kcal
• Low-carb quark Schmarrn with cinnamon and warm blackberries – 449 kcal
• Low-carb cinnamon overnight muesli with quark, linseed and blueberries – 355 kcal
• Quick beef steak strips on baby spinach – 440 kcal
• Vegetarian broccoli and cheese fritters – 340 kcal
• High-protein creamy chicken strips with mushrooms – 450 kcal
• Vegetarian cottage cheese and spinach omelette – 340 kcal
• Chicken tikka masala – 420 kcal
• Vegan banana chocolate pudding – 250 kcal
• Quick chicken vindaloo – 360 kcal
• Fried cauliflower rice with garlic prawns – 230 kcal
• Vegan creamy edamame noodle salad – 460 kcal
• Keto avocado chocolate shake – 340 kcal
• High-protein fluffy scrambled eggs with chives and wild salmon – 340 kcal
• Vegan blueberry chia pudding – 210 kcal
• Low-carb almond porridge with warm raspberries – 550 kcal
• Sweet vanilla quark bake with raspberries – 472 kcal
• Keto salmon and spinach bake with a parmesan crust – 520 kcal
• Keto parmesan crisps with herbs – 300 kcal
• Mediterranean chicken meatballs with courgette noodles – 350 kcal
• Keto salmon and avocado rolls – 420 kcal
• Vegan vanilla chia pudding – 180 kcal
• Keto celeriac rösti with herb quark – 320 kcal

Few fast carbs: how to cook this way

The plate formula

Half the plate is veg, a quarter protein (fish, poultry, eggs, pulses) and the last quarter wholegrains or potatoes – plus a little olive oil, nuts or avocado. With fibre, protein and fat on the same plate, the whole meal has a lower glycaemic load.

Go savoury at breakfast

White bread with jam, cornflakes and fruit juice have a high glycaemic load. Eggs, skyr or jumbo oats with nuts and berries bring more protein and fibre – and a low glycaemic load.

Sweet, with a low glycaemic load

Our recipes never use refined sugar. Sweetness comes from berries, cinnamon and small amounts of dates, honey or maple syrup – always together with fibre, protein or fat, so the glycaemic load stays low.

Frequently asked questions

Are these recipes designed for diabetes?

The recipes are chosen by their glycaemic load: few fast carbs, plus fibre and protein, and no refined sugar. They're not a replacement for treatment or advice from your diabetes team. If you have a medical condition, talk to your GP or a dietitian.

What is glycaemic load?

It combines two things: how quickly the carbs in a food are broken down (glycaemic index) and how much carbohydrate a serving contains. Lentils, beans, wholegrains, berries and nuts have a low glycaemic load; white bread, cornflakes and juice have a high one.

How do I put a plate like this together?

Half veg, a quarter protein (fish, poultry, eggs, pulses), a quarter wholegrains or potatoes, plus a little olive oil, nuts or avocado. Many recipes here are built that way.

Do berries fit in?

Yes. Compared with other fruit, berries contain less sugar and more fibre, and their glycaemic load is low. Fresh or frozen, they go well with yoghurt, porridge and desserts.

Which oats should I use?

Jumbo oats or pinhead oats. The more processed the oat, the faster its carbs are broken down – instant oats and ready-made porridge have a higher glycaemic load. Rule of thumb: jumbo before porridge oats before instant.

Which snacks fit?

Nuts and almonds, veg sticks with hummus, a boiled egg, skyr or Greek yoghurt with cinnamon, olives or a piece of cheese – always with protein or fat. Rice cakes or juice, on the other hand, have a high glycaemic load.

Top 10 by Health Score

Fast carbs: glycaemic load per serving explained

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