30 of the Best Low Carb Vegetable Options

Can vegetables fit into a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern?

The short answer is yes.

However, focusing on lower-carb vegetable options makes meeting “stricter” carbohydrate intake targets easier.

This also allows more room for including other carbohydrate sources in the diet.

This article presents a list of some of the lowest-carb vegetable options.

Low Carb Vegetables

Various Fresh Vegetables Grouped Together - All Low-Carb Vegetable Options.

For each vegetable, carbohydrate, fiber, and ‘net carb’ data is available ‘per 100 grams’ and ‘per serving.’

‘Net carbs’ refers to the digestible carbohydrate content of food after deducting fiber from total carbohydrates.

The source of all nutritional information is the USDA’s FoodData Central database.

1) Asparagus (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 135-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.88 g5.24 g
Fiber2.1 g2.84 g
Net carbs1.78 g2.40 g
Calories20 kcal27 kcal
Carbohydrate content of asparagus per 100 grams and per cup

Asparagus contains a minimal amount of carbohydrates, most of which come from dietary fiber.

A 135-gram cup of asparagus provides 5.24 grams of carbohydrates, including 2.84 grams of fiber (1).

2) Bamboo Shoots (cooked)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 155-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.13 g4.85 g
Fiber1.4 g2.17 g
Net carbs1.73 g2.68 g
Calories41 kcal64 kcal
Carbohydrate content of bamboo shoots per 100 grams and per cup

Bamboo shoots are a popular food in several Asian cuisines and are very low in carbohydrates.

A 155-gram cup serving of bamboo shoots contains only 4.85 grams of carbohydrates, with 2.17 grams from fiber (2).

3) Beet Greens (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 38-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates4.33 g1.64 g
Fiber3.7 g1.41 g
Net carbs0.63 g0.23 g
Calories22 kcal8 kcal
Carbohydrate content of beet greens per 100 grams and per cup

Beet greens are a common leafy green vegetable with a really low carbohydrate content.

A cup of raw beet greens contains only 1.64 grams of carbs, with 1.41 grams coming from fiber (3).

4) Bell Pepper (red, raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 120-gram Bell Pepper
Total carbohydrates6.03 g7.24 g
Fiber2.1 g2.52 g
Net carbs3.93 g4.72 g
Calories26 kcal31 kcal
Carbohydrate content of red bell pepper per 100 grams and per cup

Despite their mildly sweet taste, a red bell pepper contains only minimal carbohydrate levels.

A typical 120-gram red bell pepper has 7.24 grams of carbohydrates, over a third of which is fiber.

5) Bok Choy (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 70-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates2.18 g1.53 g
Fiber1.0 g0.7 g
Net carbs1.18 g0.83 g
Calories13 kcal9 kcal
Carbohydrate content of bok choy per 100 grams and per cup

Also known as pak choi, bok choy is a popular variety of Chinese cabbage.

A 70-gram cup of shredded bok choy has a carbohydrate content of only 1.53 grams (5).

Furthermore, approximately half of the carbohydrate in bok choy is from fiber.

6) Broccoli (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 70-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates6.27 g4.76 g
Fiber2.4 g1.82 g
Net carbs3.87 g2.94 g
Calories39 kcal30 kcal
Carbohydrate content of broccoli per 100 grams and per cup

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable with a relatively low carbohydrate content of 4.76 grams per 76-gram cup serving (6).

7) Broccoli Raab (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 40-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates2.85 g1.14 g
Fiber2.7 g1.08 g
Net carbs0.15 g0.06 g
Calories22 kcal9 kcal
Carbohydrate content of broccoli raab (rapini) per 100 grams and per cup

Also known as rapini, and despite the name, broccoli raab is an altogether different vegetable from regular broccoli.

However, it has an even lower carbohydrate content.

A 40-gram serving of broccoli raab contains 1.14 grams of carbohydrates, mostly fiber (7).

8) Brussels Sprouts

NamePer 100 GramsPer 90-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates8.95 g8.06 g
Fiber3.8 g3.42 g
Net carbs5.15 g4.64 g
Calories43 kcal39 kcal
Carbohydrate content of Brussels sprouts per 100 grams and per cup

Brussels sprouts are another low-carb cruciferous vegetable.

A 90-gram cup serving of Brussels sprouts has a total carbohydrate content of 8.06 grams, nearly half of which is fiber (8).

9) Cabbage (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 90-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates5.8 g5.22 g
Fiber2.5 g2.25 g
Net carbs3.3 g2.97 g
Calories25 kcal23 kcal
Carbohydrate content of cabbage per 100 grams and per cup

Green cabbage has 5.22 grams of carbohydrates per 90-gram cup serving, with almost half of this coming from fiber (9).

10) Carrots (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 60-gram Carrot
Total carbohydrates9.58 g5.75 g
Fiber2.8 g1.68 g
Net carbs6.78 g4.07 g
Calories41 kcal25 kcal
Carbohydrate content of carrots per 100 grams and per carrot

Although they contain a bit more carbohydrates than most green vegetables, carrots are moderately low-carb vegetables.

A regular 60-gram carrot contains 5.75 grams of carbohydrates (10).

11) Cauliflower (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 110-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates4.97 g5.47 g
Fiber2.0 g2.2 g
Net carbs2.97 g3.27 g
Calories25 kcal28 kcal
Carbohydrate content of cauliflower per 100 grams and per cup

Cauliflower is one of the more popular low-carb vegetables and has a versatile range of uses.

For instance, ‘cauliflower rice is a popular rice alternative for those looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake.

A 110-gram cup of cauliflower provides 5.47 grams of carbohydrates (11).

12) Chili Peppers (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 15-gram Chili Pepper
Total carbohydrates7.66 g1.15 g
Fiber2.2 g0.33 g
Net carbs5.46 g0.82 g
Calories34 kcal5 kcal
Carbohydrate content of chili pepper per 100 grams and per chili pepper

Very small quantities of chili peppers can enhance the taste of a dish, which means few calories (and minimal carbohydrates).

A 15-gram chili pepper contains 1.15 grams of carbohydrates (12).

13) Collard Greens (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 36-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates5.42 g1.95 g
Fiber4.0 g1.44 g
Net carbs1.42 g0.51 g
Calories32 kcal12 kcal
Carbohydrate content of collard greens per 100 grams and per cup

Like most leafy green vegetables, the small carbohydrate content of collard greens is mostly fiber.

A 36-gram cup of collards provides less than two grams of dietary carbohydrates (13).

14) Eggplant (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 80-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates5.88 g4.7 g
Fiber3.0 g2.4 g
Net carbs2.88 g2.3 g
Calories25 kcal20 kcal
Carbohydrate content of eggplant per 100 grams and per cup

Eggplant is another good low-carb vegetable option; it has 4.7 grams of carbohydrates per cup.

Furthermore, more than half of the carbohydrate content is fiber (14).

15) Kale (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 25-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates4.42 g1.1 g
Fiber4.1 g1.02 g
Net carbs0.32 g0.08 g
Calories43 kcal11 kcal
Carbohydrate content of kale per 100 grams and per cup

The vast majority of kale’s carbohydrate content is fiber.

Per 25-gram cup of raw kale, the vegetable provides 1.1 grams of carbohydrates, including more than a gram of fiber (15).

16) Kohlrabi (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 135-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates6.2 g8.37 g
Fiber3.6 g4.86 g
Net carbs2.6 g3.47 g
Calories27 kcal36 kcal
Carbohydrate content of kohlrabi per 100 grams and per cup

A cup serving of kohlrabi provides 8.37 grams of carbohydrates; more than half of the carbohydrate content is fiber (16).

17) Mushrooms (white button, raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 70-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.26 g2.28 g
Fiber1.0 g0.7 g
Net carbs2.26 g1.58 g
Calories22 kcal15 kcal
Carbohydrate content of white button mushrooms per 100 grams and per cup

Not only do white button mushrooms provide a lot of nutritional value, but they are also mainly water by weight.

Thus, these mushrooms contain very few carbohydrates (and calories).

A 70-gram cup of white button mushrooms provides 2.28 grams of carbohydrates (17).

18) Okra (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 8 Okra Pods (95g)
Total carbohydrates7.45 g7.08 g
Fiber3.2 g3.04 g
Net carbs4.25 g4.04 g
Calories33 kcal31 kcal
Carbohydrate content of okra per 100 grams and per eight okra pods

A serving of eight okra pods provides 7.08 grams of carbohydrates, of which 3.04 grams are fiber (18).

19) Pumpkin (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 116-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates6.5 g7.54 g
Fiber0.5 g0.58 g
Net carbs6.0 g6.96 g
Calories26 kcal30 kcal
Carbohydrate content of pumpkin per 100 grams and per cup

Pumpkin is a versatile low-carb vegetable with a carbohydrate content of 7.54 grams per cup (19).

20) Radicchio (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 40-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates4.48 g1.79 g
Fiber0.9 g0.36 g
Net carbs3.58 g1.43 g
Calories23 kcal9 kcal
Carbohydrate content of radicchio per 100 grams and per cup

Radicchio is a popular leafy green vegetable that has a small carbohydrate provision.

A cup of radicchio contains only 1.79 grams of carbohydrates (20).

21) Radish (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 115-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.4 g3.91 g
Fiber1.6 g1.84 g
Net carbs1.8 g2.07 g
Calories16 kcal18 kcal
Carbohydrate content of radish per 100 grams and per cup

Radishes are a great low-carb vegetable option with only 3.91 grams of carbohydrates per cup.

Approximately half of the carbohydrate content of radish is fiber (21).

22) Savoy Cabbage (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 70-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates6.1 g4.27 g
Fiber3.1 g2.17 g
Net carbs3.0 g2.10 g
Calories27 kcal19 kcal
Carbohydrate content of savoy cabbage per 100 grams and per cup

A cup serving of savoy cabbage provides 4.27 grams of carbohydrates, approximately half of which are fiber (22).

23) Scallions (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 100-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates7.34 g7.34 g
Fiber2.6 g2.6 g
Net carbs4.74 g4.74 g
Calories32 kcal32 kcal
Carbohydrate content of scallions per 100 grams and per cup

Scallions, also known as green or spring onions, are moderately low-carb vegetables.

Each cup of scallions contains 7.34 grams of carbohydrates, which includes 2.6 grams of fiber (23).

24) Seaweed (dried, raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 2 tbsp (10g) Serving
Total carbohydrates5.11 g0.51 g
Fiber0.3 g0.03 g
Net carbs4.81 g0.48 g
Calories35 kcal4 kcal
Carbohydrate content of seaweed per 100 grams and per two-tablespoon serving

Seaweed is a low-carb-friendly vegetable from the sea.

A typical two-tablespoon serving (10g) of dried seaweed laver contains only 0.51 grams of carbohydrates (24).

25) Spinach (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 30-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.63 g1.09 g
Fiber2.2 g0.66 g
Net carbs1.43 g0.43 g
Calories23 kcal7 kcal
Carbohydrate content of spinach per 100 grams and per cup

Spinach is a nutrient-rich leafy green with a small amount of carbohydrates.

A cup of spinach provides 1.09 grams of carbohydrates, over half of which comes from fiber (25).

26) Swiss Chard (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 36-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates3.74 g1.35 g
Fiber1.6 g0.58 g
Net carbs2.14 g0.77 g
Calories19 kcal7 kcal
Carbohydrate content of swiss chard per 100 grams and per cup

Swiss chard is another low-carb leafy green vegetable.

A cup of swiss chard contains 1.35 grams of carbohydrates (26).

27) Tomatoes (raw)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 60-gram Tomato
Total carbohydrates4.04 g2.42 g
Fiber1.2 g0.72 g
Net carbs2.84 g1.7 g
Calories20 kcal12 kcal
Carbohydrate content of tomatoes per 100 grams and per tomato

Although tomatoes are botanically a fruit (see low-carb fruit here), they are usually classed as a vegetable for culinary purposes.

A 60-gram tomato has a carbohydrate content of only 2.42 grams (27).

28) Turnip (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 130-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates6.43 g8.36 g
Fiber1.8 g2.34 g
Net carbs4.63 g6.02 g
Calories28 kcal36 kcal
Carbohydrate content of turnip per 100 grams and per cup

Turnips provide a relatively low-carbohydrate content of 8.36 grams per cup (28).

29) Turnip Greens (raw weight)

NamePer 100 GramsPer 55-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates7.13 g3.92 g
Fiber3.2 g1.76 g
Net carbs3.93 g2.16 g
Calories32 kcal18 kcal
Carbohydrate content of turnip greens per 100 grams and per cup

The leafy part of the turnip plant, known as turnip greens, is a nutrient-rich leafy green vegetable.

A cup serving of turnip greens offers 3.92 grams of dietary carbohydrates (29).

30) Watercress

NamePer 100 GramsPer 34-gram Cup
Total carbohydrates1.29 g0.44 g
Fiber0.5 g0.17 g
Net carbs0.79 g0.27 g
Calories11 kcal4 kcal
Carbohydrate content of watercress per 100 grams and per cup

Watercress is 95% water, thereby containing minimal carbohydrate and calorie levels.

A cup of watercress contains only 0.44 grams of carbohydrates (30).

Final Thoughts

As this list of low-carb vegetables demonstrates, vegetables can fit into even the strictest of low-carb diets.

These vegetables have a low-carbohydrate content and contribute a broad range of vitamins and minerals.

Photo of author

Michael Joseph, MSc

Michael works as a nutrition educator in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He believes in providing reliable and objective nutritional information to allow informed decisions.