Cutting Out Bread, Rice and Pasta: How My Diet Has Changed

As I mentioned in a post roughly a month ago, I recently decided to take my 90/10 whole food diet to another level. As you, my readers, will know, I constantly talk about eating a whole food diet and its benefits, so I’ll keep this post relatively short. About a month ago, I decided to cut out bread, rice, and pasta from my diet. Although I didn’t eat much of these items anyway, they did make up the 10% part of my 90/10 diet. Now that it has been roughly a month since making this change, I thought I’d give an update.
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I have to admit, at first, I did crave bread, particularly sandwiches. This makes sense when you consider the science behind it. Bread, especially white bread, is made from refined carbohydrates, which are quickly broken down into glucose in the body. This leads to a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, triggering the release of insulin. The problem is that once insulin has done its job, blood sugar levels drop just as quickly, leaving you feeling hungry again and craving another hit of quick energy. It’s a cycle that can make bread and other refined carbs feel almost addictive. Those cravings soon passed, though, as my body adjusted.

As for pasta, it is something I occasionally feel like eating, but I was never a massive pasta eater anyway, so it’s not been too much of an issue. The same goes for rice. While both of these are staple carbohydrates in many diets, they can contribute to blood sugar fluctuations in much the same way as bread, particularly if they are refined rather than wholegrain. That being said, I never ate much of either to begin with, so cutting them out hasn’t made a significant difference to how I feel day to day.

Another swap I made was from white potatoes to sweet potatoes. I haven’t cut white potatoes out completely and still have them at least once a week, but in all honesty, I prefer sweet potatoes anyway. From a nutritional standpoint, sweet potatoes offer several advantages over white potatoes. They have a lower glycaemic index, meaning they release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly, leading to more stable energy levels. They are also packed with fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This is beneficial for vision, skin health, and the immune system. While white potatoes aren’t necessarily bad, they tend to be more starchy and can contribute to higher blood sugar spikes, especially when consumed in processed forms like chips or crisps.

Alongside these changes, I’ve increased my vegetable intake to make sure I’m still getting plenty of carbs. I eat a lot of cabbage, green beans, kale, spinach, and broccoli, with at least half of my evening meal being made up of vegetables. This helps me stay full while still meeting my nutritional needs. These veggies are nutrient-packed and low in calories, making them a great choice for maintaining a healthy balance in my diet.

Like all changes in diet, though, it’s important to be realistic. Being too restrictive ultimately leads to failure. I’ve been doing a 90/10 whole food diet for two years, so cutting out bread, pasta, and rice hasn’t been too much of a change for me. But if you’re considering a whole food diet, my advice would be to start small. Maybe aim for one meal a day that is made entirely from whole foods, then build up to two meals. Once that feels natural, consider swapping out your snacks for whole food options. If you stop buying processed snacks, you can’t eat them—it’s as simple as that.

At first, your body will crave non-whole foods, but those cravings pass with time. I also find that having plenty of fresh fruit, along with frozen fruit in the house, helps when I’m craving something sweet. It’s quick, easy, and satisfies the craving without resorting to processed sugar.

It’s also important to allow for some flexibility in your diet. For example, if I eat out, which is rare, I don’t restrict myself from having a meal that might not fit perfectly within my diet. That’s where the 10% in the 90/10 balance comes in. I’m fortunate in that I’ve never been someone who overeats junk or processed food anyway, so eating a whole food diet has been relatively easy for me to stick to. But if you’re just starting out, consider easing into it gradually. You could aim for a 40/60 approach at first, then shift to 30/70, and eventually reach 80/20, which is what most people aim for.

Ultimately, it’s about making sustainable changes that work for you. Everyone’s body responds differently to dietary shifts, but for me, cutting out bread, pasta, and rice has been a positive move. If you’re thinking about making similar changes, take it one step at a time and see how your body feels. It’s not about perfection, just about making better choices where you can.