Everyone knows your mother was right when she told you to eat your vegetables. But if you’ve recently adopted a keto diet (after consulting a health professional, of course) or are managing health conditions related to diabetes and/or obesity, you might be wondering whether some vegetables are better than others when it comes to carb count. Fortunately, we put together a complete list of low carb veggies that you can use as a resource when forming a healthy diet plan, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central.
How Many Carbs Should You Aim for in a Day?
According to the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, people who are not on a doctor-approved dietary plan should get 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbs, which translate to somewhere between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates per day if you’re on a 2,000 calorie diet. And to be perfectly clear, carbs are not the enemy. In fact, healthy carbohydrates, specifically the complex kind, are a valuable source of energy and nutrients that your body needs to thrive.
That said, weight loss and diabetes are a couple reasons why you might consider reducing carbs. Research does indeed show that modest carbohydrate reduction can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity; when it comes to shedding pounds, though, the general consensus among medical experts is that carb-cutting is only an effective way to achieve short-term weight loss—so if you want results that last, it’s best to incorporate exercise and other healthy eating practices into your lifestyle.
The takeaway? Unless you have consulted a doctor, your goal should be to consume carbs according to the above guidelines (i.e., 225 and 325 grams per day) and incorporate some of the following low carb veggies into your meal plan, so your body can benefit from a balanced, nutrient-rich diet that doesn’t exclude wonderful things like rice, potatoes and bread.
One more thing: When it comes to carb count, there’s a difference between total carbs and net carbs. Total carbs are, well, the total amount of carbs in food. Net carbs, on the other hand, are determined by removing fiber and sugar alcohols…