20 Low-Carb Vegetables and Reasons to Cut Carbs

20 Low-Carb Vegetables and Reasons to Cut Carbs

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While we often associate carbs with bread, pasta, and fruit, they’re also found in vegetables (though in some more than others). Whether you’re monitoring your carbohydrate intake as part of a weight loss plan or as an approach to better blood sugar regulation, it’s helpful to know which vegetables are low-carb so you can plan your meals accordingly.

This article discusses why someone might count carbs in vegetables, plus an extended list of low-carb vegetables.

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What Is a Carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches, and fibers in foods. They are one of the three macronutrients, along with fats and protein. Carbs are a primary energy source and provide fuel for brain and muscle function. Adding sources of healthy carbs to your diet is essential for overall health and wellness.

20 Low-Carb Vegetables to Eat More Of

If you’re looking to cut carbs from vegetables, the first step is to understand carbohydrate content. While all vegetables contain carbs to some degree, there are plenty that contribute minimal amounts to your diet. Generally speaking, the vegetables that grow above ground contribute fewer carbs than those that grow underground.

When looking at the carbohydrate content of vegetables (or any food), it’s helpful to look at the fiber content in each serving as well. To find net carbs, subtract the grams (g) of fiber from the grams of carbs per serving. This leaves you with the actual amount of digestible carbs that will be absorbed by your body and affect your blood sugar levels.

Here are 20 of the lowest-carb vegetables to stock up on and how many grams of carbs and fiber you can expect to find in a typical serving.

Vegetable Serving Carbs Fiber Net Carbs
Spinach 1 cup, cooked 7 g 4 g 3 g
Garlic 1 clove 1 g Less than (<) 1 g <1 g
Lettuce 1 cup 2 g 1 g 1 g
Celery 1 cup, chopped 3 g 2 g 1 g
Mushrooms, raw 1 cup 2 g 1 g 1 g
Tomatoes, cherry 1 cup 6 g 2 g 4 g
Cucumber 1/2 cup, sliced 4 g <1 g 3 g
Onion, raw 1/2 cup, sliced 5 g 1 g 4 g
Cauliflower 1 cup 5 g 2 g 3 g
Bell peppers 1 cup, chopped 9 g 3 g 6 g
Broccoli, raw 1 cup florets 6 g 2 g 4 g
Asparagus 1 cup, cooked 7 g 4 g 3 g
Green beans 1 cup, cooked 10 g 4 g 6 g
Avocado 1 cup 13 g 10 g 3 g
Brussels sprouts 1/2 cup, cooked 6 g 2 g 4 g
Zucchini, raw 1 cup 4 g 1 g 3 g
Radishes, raw 1 cup, sliced 4 g 2 g 2 g
Cabbage 1 cup, chopped 5 g 2 g 3 g
Kale, raw 1 cup 1 g 1 g 0 g
Eggplant 1 cup, cooked 8 g 2 g 6 g

Benefits of Low-Carb Diet

While low-carb diets aren’t for everyone, many people find that reducing their carbohydrate intake can help them reach their health goals. How much to reduce your carbs depends on your personal goals and diet pattern, but may range from 20 to 130 g of carbs per day.

Some of the potential benefits of a low-carb diet are as follows.

Supports Initial Weight Loss

Following a low-carb diet promotes weight loss for the first six months before the benefits disappear. This may be because the diet is higher in protein and fats that promote satiety (fullness) and reduce overall calorie intake without significant fluctuations in blood sugar. Water loss is another contributing factor to weight loss on a low-carb diet.

However, many people find it challenging to stick to a low-carb diet for a prolonged period and are more likely to regain weight when they return to more of their baseline carb intake.

May Support Healthier Blood Fat Levels

Having high circulating levels of fats like triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (considered bad cholesterol) can increase your risk for heart disease and related issues, like having a heart attack or a stroke. A low-carb diet may help improve your blood fat profile, though the evidence is mixed, and more long-term research is needed.

However, improved heart health from eating a low-carb diet depends on other characteristics of the diet as well, such as the types of fats and protein being consumed.

Helps Support Better Blood Sugar Control

Counting carbohydrates may help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, especially among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

What Is Considered Low Carb?

A low-carb diet limits the total amount of carbohydrates consumed daily, instead emphasizing protein and fat. While a standard diet comprises around 45% to 65% of your calories from carbs, a low-carb diet generally has fewer than 26% of calories from carbs. For many, this comes to 20–130 grams of carbs daily. Your carbs can come from various foods, including plenty of low-carb veggies listed above.

High-Carb Vegetables to Eat in Moderation

While you’re filling your kitchen with low-carb veggies, it’s helpful to know which veggies fall on the other end of the carb spectrum.

High-carb veggies are also referred to as starchy vegetables. They contain a higher proportion of carbs per serving compared to other vegetables, which can have a more significant impact on your blood sugar levels.

Keep in mind that even though they’re high in carbs, these veggies are also high in important nutrients. In fact, vegetables are among the healthiest foods on the planet. For example, you’ll get fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other healthy plant compounds from eating a wide variety of vegetables, regardless of their carb content.

Get nutritional benefits while still limiting your carbs by eating these veggies in moderation. Below are six higher-carb veggies to enjoy in moderation.

Vegetable Serving Carbs Fiber Net Carbs
Potatoes  1/2 cup, baked 13 g 1 g 12 g
Sweet potatoes  1 cup, mashed 58 g 8 g 50 g
Sweet corn  1/2 cup, cooked 17 g 2 g 15 g
Peas  1/2 cup, cooked 12 g 5 g 7 g
Carrots  1 cup, chopped 12 g 4 g 8 g
Butternut squash, cubes  1 cup, cooked 21 g 7 g 14 g

Summary

Whether following a low-carb diet pattern for weight loss or blood sugar regulation, understanding the macronutrients in vegetables can help you make the best choices to support your goals. Vegetables are among the healthiest foods, so rather than restricting them all, find a mix of high- and low-carb veggies you’re comfortable consuming.

For personalized nutrition advice, meet with a registered dietitian who can help you design an appropriate low-carb eating plan.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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By Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD

Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD, is a plant-based dietitian, writer, and speaker who specializes in helping people bring more plants to their plate. She’s a highly respected writer in the health and nutrition space and loves talking about the power of diet. Lauren aims to connect people with the information and resources to live their healthiest, fullest life.




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