List of Low Carb Vegetables for You to Enjoy Without Guilt

Below you will find a vast list of low carb vegetables to help you with your diet. Vegetables are encouraged when you are on a low carb diet. But, as with most food groups, some vegetables are a better choice than others.

Most non-starchy vegetables are very low in carbs, with less than 5 grams in a half-cup serving.

How can you tell if a vegetarian is low-carb?

With the list of low carb vegetables you will know how to accurately follow your diet. To determine if a vegetable is not starchy and would be good for a diet low carb , you can look up the nutrition facts.

In 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw, you would have no more than 5-6 grams of carbs, as well as 3 grams of fiber, 0.5-2 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat. To find the effective (net) carbs, subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbs.

You may find it easier to remember that vegetables are more likely to be low carb, thinking of them in four groups based on the part of the plant they come from. There are exceptions, but as a general rule, this works pretty well.

Low Carb Vegetable List | Leafy Greens: Lowest in Carbs

Greens have the lowest amount of carbohydrates, and what little they do have is wrapped in so much fiber that there is minimal impact on blood sugar. This could be helped by the fact that they are good sources of vitamin K. They are also rich in phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Examples of leafy vegetables include:

• Alfalfa sprouts and other small seed sprouts have 0.1 grams of effective (net) carbs and only 8 calories per cup. But bean sprouts are not as low in carbs. They would end up at the top of the list.
• Lettuce and salad greens like endive, escarole, radicchio, romaine, and spinach that you usually eat fresh are the next lowest in carbs, although they have less fiber.
• Spinach and Swiss chard can be eaten fresh or cooked. They are very low in net carbs, with 0.2 and 0.4 grams in a 1/2-cup serving, respectively.
•  Healthy vegetables like kale, mustard greens have lots of vitamins and nutrients and are low in carbs.
• Herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, and thyme are low in carbs.
• Bok choy (Chinese cabbage) is very low in carbs at 0.5 grams per 1/2 cup raw, shock bok choy.

Low Carb Vegetable List | Stem and Flowers

Stems and flowers are generally slightly higher in carbs than leaves, but still low enough for most low-carb diets. Examples of stems and flowers, from lowest to highest in carbs:

• Bamboo Shoots: Canned bamboo shoots are high in fiber, so a 1/2 cup serving has 1.2 grams of net carbs.
• Celery: It's a staple as a low-carb and low-calorie crunchy vegetable. Due to the high fiber content, there are 0.7 grams of net carbs in 1/2 cup of chopped raw celery.
• Seaweed, like nori, is very low in carbs, although it varies by type of seaweed.
• Mushrooms: They are very low in carbs, and you can use them in many dishes, even grilling them and substituting a portobello mushroom for a burger.
• Cabbage: It's high in nutrition and fiber, and you can make your plate colorful with red or purple varieties. You can enjoy cabbage cooked, raw, or fermented into sauerkraut.
• Asparagus: This versatile and elegant spring vegetable is high in fiber, reducing your net carbs.

• Fennel: Has 2 grams of net carbs in 1/2 cup, and you can use it in salads or as an onion substitute in cooked dishes, with fewer carbs than onions.
• Cauliflower: With 2.5 grams of carbs in 1/2 cup of cooked cauliflower, it's a great substitute for root vegetables like potatoes and starches like rice.
• Broccoli: While broccoli does have a few extra carbs, balance them out with plenty of fiber.
• Brussels Sprouts: These are on the higher side for carbs compared to the other “stalks” at 5.5 grams per half cup, cooked.
• Artichoke: These are high in fiber, but are higher in carbs than the other “flowers” and are lower in carbs than all the “fruits” in the next grouping.

Low Carb Vegetable List | Fruits (vegetables that contain the seeds of the plant)

The part of the plant that contains seeds is, botanically, the fruit of the plant, although we tend to only call things a fruit if they are sweet. You can identify them if you notice the seeds when you cut them open. This group includes peppers, squash of all types, green beans, tomatoes, okra, and eggplant. Avocado is also a fruit, although lower in carbs than the others. Plantains have the most carbs in this category, which makes sense, because bananas are among the highest.

• Avocado: A 1/2 cup of California avocado has 1 gram of effective (net) carbs, plus 5 grams of fiber and 120 calories.
• Okra: A 1/2 cup serving has 2 grams of net carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 16 calories.
• No-sugar-added cucumbers and pickles: While they only have 1.9 grams of carbs per cup, they're also very low in fiber.
• Green Beans and Wax Beans: A 1/2 cup serving has 2 grams of effective (net) carbs plus 2 grams of fiber and 17 calories.
• Peppers, such as green bell peppers, red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers. These vary as red peppers are actually sweeter and higher in carbs, but still low enough in net carbs to place in this position on the list.
• Summer Squash and Zucchini: These are very low in net carbs and versatile to use in recipes, including making “zoodles” with a spiralizer to replace or extend high-carb noodles.
• Peas, snap peas, and pea pods: These are usually sweet-tasting and can be enjoyed as a snack or added to a salad or stir-fry. In a 1/2-cup serving, they have 5.25 grams of carbs and 1.5 grams of fiber.
• Tomatoes: One small tomato has 3.5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.1 grams of fiber.
• Eggplant: This vegetable can take the place of go-to choices, and has only 2.4 grams of carbs in 1/2 cup of cubes.
• Tomatillos: These can be used in many south-of-the-border recipes and salsas.

In this group, those with the highest carbs are pumpkins, winter squash, and spaghetti squash.

Low Carb Vegetable List | Roots and Seeds

This category has the most variation, although in general, root vegetables will be higher in carbs. First of all, these are the roots that are actually low in carbs and would be a good choice for a low-carb diet.

• Radishes: These spring garden favorites are super easy to grow. They have 1 gram of net carbs, 1 gram of fiber, and 9 calories in a one-cup serving.
• Jicama: 1/2 cup of raw jicama slices has 2.25 grams of effective (net) carbs plus 3 grams of fiber and 23 calories

Root vegetables that are not low, but also not especially high in carbs include:

• Green Onions (Scallions): These combine the leaf/stem with the
• root and so they are lower in carbs, with 3 grams of net carbs and 1.5 grams of fiber in 1/2 cup of chopped raw scallions. This gives green onions the edge over white or red onions, which are just the “root” portion and therefore higher in carbs.
• Turnips: 1/2 cup of raw turnips has 3 grams of effective (net) carbs plus 1 gram of fiber and 18 calories
• Rutabagas: These have 4 grams of net carbs in a 1/2 cup serving.
• Celery Root (Celery): 1/2 cup of raw celery has 4 grams of net carbs and 1 gram of fiber.
• Carrots: There are 4 grams of net carbs in 1/2 cup of chopped, raw carrots. But carrots are often moved to the “highest carb” list of low-carb diets.
• Onions: In a 1/2 cup serving, there are 5 grams of carbohydrates, but only about 1 gram of fiber.
• Leeks: In a 1/2 cup serving, there are 6.5 grams of net carbs.
• Water Chestnuts (Canned): Canned water chestnuts have 7 grams of net carbs in a 1/2-cup serving, while chopped fresh water chestnuts have 13 grams.

Meanwhile, many root vegetables end up on the high-carb list, including carrots, beets, winter squash, fresh water chestnuts, parsnips, and potatoes.

Low Carb Vegetables List | High Carb Vegetables

The Most Problematic Vegetables That Should Generally Be Avoided When Cutting Back carbohydrates are the most prominent and sweetest vegetables.

• Carrots: Some low-carb diets say to avoid carrots, even though they have fewer carbs than the others below.
• Beets: In 1/2 cup raw, there are 5.6 grams of net carbs.
• Peas: In 1/2 cup of frozen, cooked peas there are just under 5 grams of net carbs.
• Winter Squashes, such as Acorn and Butternut: In 1/2 cup of cooked squash, there are 10 grams of net carbs plus 2 grams of fiber. It's lower for raw squash.
• Water chestnuts (fresh, chopped): These are higher in carbs than canned water chestnuts, moving them into the high category.
• Parsnips: A 1/2 cup raw serving has 9 grams of effective (net) carbs plus 3 grams of fiber and 50 calories.
• Potatoes: Raw potatoes have 12 grams of net carbs and 2 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup. Cooked, plain potatoes have over 14 grams of net carbs per 1/2 cup.
• Sweet Potatoes: A half cup of mashed, baked sweet potatoes has over 17 grams of net carbs.
• Corn: A 1/2 cup of cooked corn has 12 grams of net carbs.
• Plantains: A 1/2 cup serving of boiled plantains has over 27 grams of net carbs.

Low Carb Vegetables List | How to add vegetables to your diet

Most people double or triple the number of vegetables they eat when they switch to a low carb diet. If you're not used to eating a lot of vegetables, be aware of starch traps and try low-starch substitutes for high-starch foods, such as mashed cauliflower, cauliflower "rice," spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, and cauliflower "potato" salad.

People on diets low carb They also tend to eat more salads. For example, instead of a chicken sandwich, you might have the chicken on top of a salad, taco salad, Thai-style chicken salad, and other low-carb salads and salad dressings.

If you're considering whether to use organic or non-organic vegetables, keep in mind that some vegetables are more likely to have been grown with more pesticides than others.

The plant world is abundant and feeling comfortable handling and preparing vegetables goes a long way towards a healthy eating plan. low carb diet of success. There are a multitude of vegetable recipes low-carb , such as this easy spinach casserole , and fantastic low-carb side dishes such as a low-carb coleslaw .

List of low carb vegetables | What about fruits?

Fruits are typically treated in a different food group because of the natural sugars in fruits that typically increase the load of carbohydrates. But like vegetables, there are some options for low fruits carbohydrate. Fruits do not have to be canceled in a low carb diet. Moderation is key.

A word of encouragement so that you can always keep in mind list of low carb vegetables

Enjoying a low carb diet can introduce you to new ways to use leafy greens and stem vegetables to replace starchy vegetables. Make a third to half of your plate low-carb vegetables, and you’ll be thrilled by the colors, textures, and flavor.

See also:

50 Low-Carb Foods for Your Low-Carb Diet

Sources:

• Non-starchy vegetables. American Diabetes Assoctiation. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/non-starchy-vegetables.html
• USDA Food Composition Databases. USDA. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/.
• Why It's Important to Eat Vegetables. ChooseMyPlate.gov USDA. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html

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