Carbohydrates vs. Fiber
“Fiber” usually refers to resistant starch, which doesn’t get digested by your body. Instead, it plays a role in absorbing bile and bulking up stool. It also slows down the digestion of carbs to prevent blood sugar spikes and helps you feel full after a meal. Fiber is key to digestive health and preventing some cancers (3).
Dietary fiber is included in the total carbohydrate content on a nutritional label. Since your body doesn’t digest these carbohydrates, they can be subtracted from the total carb content to give you the net carb value (4). To summarize, you need to take the total amount of carbohydrate in a serving minus the carbohydrate in the fiber.
Low Carb Vegetables (Alphabetical Order)
Here are some of the best low carb vegetables to eat if you’re watching your carb intake. All carb counts are based on a quantity of 100 grams. (5)
Vegetable | Total Carbs | Dietary Fiber | Sugars | Net Carbs | Main Nutrient | Calories |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acorn Squash | 10 | 1.5 | 0 | 8.5 | Vitamin C | 40 |
Alfalfa sprout | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin K | 23 |
Artichoke | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | Folate | 47 |
Arugula | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Vitamin A | 25 |
Asparagus | 3.9 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.8 | Vitamin K | 20 |
Avocado | 9 | 7 | 0.7 | 2 | Pantothenic acid | 160 |
Baby Beet Greens | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin K | 22 |
Bamboo Shoots | 5 | 2.2 | 3 | 2.8 | Vitamin B6 | 27 |
Banana Pepper | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Vitamin C | 27 |
Bean sprout (Mung Bean) | ||||||
Beet | 10 | 2.8 | 7 | 7.2 | Vitamin C | 43 |
Bell Peppers, Green | 4.6 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.9 | Vitamin C | 20 |
Bell Peppers, Red | 6 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | Vitamin C | 31 |
Bell Peppers, Yellow | 6 | 0.9 | 0 | 5.1 | Vitamin C | 27 |
Bitter Melon | 4 | 0.8 | 0 | 3.2 | Vitamin C | 20 |
Bok Choy (Pak Choi) | ||||||
Broccoli | 7 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 4.4 | Vitamin K | 34 |
Broccoli Rabe, Rapini | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin K | 22 |
Broccolini | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | Vitamin C | 35 |
Brussels Sprout | 9 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 5.2 | Vitamin K | 43 |
Butterhead Lettuce | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Vitamin K | 13 |
Butternut Squash | 12 | 2 | 2.2 | 10 | Vitamin A | 45 |
Cabbage | 6 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | Vitamin K | 25 |
Carrots | 10 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 7.2 | Vitamin A | 41 |
Cauliflower | 5 | 2 | 1.9 | 3 | Vitamin C | 25 |
Celery | 3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | Vitamin K | 16 |
Celery Root (Celeriac) | ||||||
Chard | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Vitamin K | 19 |
Chayote | 4.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.8 | Vitamin C | 19 |
Chi Qua | 2 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Vitamin A | 15 |
Chicory greens | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | Vitamin K | 23 |
Chicory root | 18 | 1.5 | 9 | 16.5 | Vitamin B6 | 72 |
Choy Sum | 3.5 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | Vitamin C | 23 |
Collard Greens | 5 | 4 | 0.5 | 1 | Vitamin K | 32 |
Cress | 6 | 1.1 | 4.4 | 4.9 | Vitamin A | 32 |
Cucumber | 3.6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.1 | Vitamin K | 16 |
Eggplant | 6 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | Vitamin B1 | 25 |
Endive | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin A | 17 |
Escarole, Curly Endive | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin A | 17 |
Fennel | 7 | 2.1 | 0 | 4.9 | Vitamin C | 31 |
Gai Choy (Chinese Mustard Greens) | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.3 | Vitamin C | 23 |
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) | ||||||
Green Beans | 7 | 3.4 | 0 | 3.6 | Vitamin C | 31 |
Iceberg Lettuce | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.6 | Vitamin A | 15 |
Jalapeno Pepper | 7 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | Vitamin C | 28 |
Jicama | 9 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 4.1 | Potassium | 38 |
Kale | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | Vitamin K | 49 |
Kangkong (Water Spinach) | ||||||
Kohlrabi | 6 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 2.4 | Vitamin C | 27 |
Leek | 14 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 12.2 | Vitamin A | 61 |
Lotus Root | 17 | 4.9 | 0 | 12.1 | Vitamin C | 74 |
Mushroom, Brown (Italian or Crimini) | ||||||
Mushroom, Portabella | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Riboflavin | 26 |
Mushroom, Shiitake | 14 | 2 | 4 | 12 | Riboflavin | 56 |
Mushroom, White (Button) | ||||||
Mustard Greens | 4.7 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | Vitamin K | 27 |
Nori | 5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 4.7 | Vitamin A | 35 |
Okra | 7 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 3.8 | Vitamin K | 33 |
Onion | 9 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 7.3 | Biotin | 40 |
Poblano Pepper | 6.4 | 1.8 | 0 | 4.6 | Vitamin A | 27 |
Potato, Sweet | 20 | 3 | 4 | 17 | Vitamin A | 86 |
Potato, White | 17 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 14.8 | Vitamin C | 77 |
Pumpkin | 7 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 6.5 | Vitamin A | 26 |
Radish | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.8 | Vitamin C | 16 |
Romaine | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Vitamin A | 17 |
Rutabaga | 9 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 6.7 | Vitamin C | 38 |
Scallion (Green Onion) | ||||||
Sin Qua | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | Calcium | 11 |
Snake Bean (Yardlong, Chinese Long Bean) | ||||||
Spaghetti Squash | 7 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 5.5 | Vitamin A | 31 |
Spinach | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Vitamin K | 23 |
Sugar Snap Peas(Snowpeas) | ||||||
Summer Squash | 3.4 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | Vitamin C | 16 |
Tomatillos | 6 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 4.1 | Vitamin C | 32 |
Tomatoes, Cherry | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Vitamin C | 18 |
Tomatoes, Green | 5 | 1.1 | 4 | 3.9 | Vitamin C | 23 |
Tomatoes, Red | 3.9 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 2.7 | Vitamin C | 18 |
Tomatoes, Yellow | 3 | 0.7 | 0 | 2.3 | Vitamin C | 15 |
Tung Ho | 3.9 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 | Vitamin A | 24 |
Turnips | 6 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 4.2 | Vitamin C | 28 |
Water Chestnut | 24 | 3 | 4.8 | 21 | Vitamin B6 | 97 |
White Radish (Daikon) | ||||||
Yam | 28 | 4 | 0 | 24 | Vitamin C | 118 |
Yellow Wax Beans | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | Vitamin C | 31 |
Yu Choy Sum | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | Vitamin C | 23 |
Yucca (Cassava) | 38 | 2 | 2 | 36 | Vitamin C | 160 |
Zucchini (Courgette) | 3.1 | 1 | 2.5 | 2.1 | Copper | 17 |
Low Carb Eating Tips
Here are other tips to help you on your low-carb journey:
- Replace as many as possible high-carb foods in your diet with healthy lower carb alternatives.
- Include protein and fat whenever you eat a high-carb food.
- Choose low-carb whole grains over refined as often as possible.
- Reduce the blood-sugar impact of any food by pairing it with one that has a lower glycemic index.
- If it’s a leaf, you can definitely eat it!
- Control your portions: aim for 2 cups of leafy low carb vegetables, 1 cup of non-starchy veggies.
There you have it: a list of low carb vegetables to keep you full while you burn up any of the fat your body may have stored. Who says you have to compromise to live healthily?