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Yes, you can eat veggies on a low carb diet. I know the trend is to avoid them because the carbs are so high compared to foods like cheese and eggs and almonds. And you’re right – it’s not as sexy to save up your carbs for a salad over a piece of sugar-free chocolate, but it’s still important to get your veggies in.
Why? Let’s explore a few reasons!
Micronutrients!
Vitamins! Minerals! Other phyto-chemicals that are co-factors in your regular bodily functions! Basically, you’re body needs lots of nutrients that are predominantly found in plant foods. Yes, you can take a multi-vitamin, but it won’t absorb as well as the nutrients in food, leaving you with expensive pee.
Fiber!
No one likes being constipated, and fiber does more than just “sweep out” waste from your intestines. Insoluble fiber is actually foodstuffs for your friendly microbiome. So, if you want your gut bacteria to be happy (also, the poo-sweeping thing) – veggies!
Fill that tummy!
Veggies are often high in water and fiber, and low in calories. This combo will help you feel fuller for longer. Win.
But what veggies can I eat that are low in carbs?
Great question! Here’s a quick list for you, which net effective carbs written in for convenience! Some veggies, like mustard greens, can be eaten fairly liberally, with no dramatic spike in carb intake!
- Mustard greens: .2g net carbs/cup
- Raw Spinach: .2g net carbs/cup
- Bok Choi: .4g net carbs/cup
- Endive: .4g net carbs/cup
- Lettuce: .4g net carbs/cup
- Broccoli florets: 1.6g net carbs/cup
- Cauliflower: 1.8g net carbs/cup
- Cucumber: 2g net carbs/cup
- Green cabbage: 2.2g net carbs/cup
- Summer Squash: 2.6g net carbs/cup
- Red cabbage: 2.8g net carbs/cup
- Button mushroom: 2.8g net carbs/cup
- Zucchini: 3g net carbs/cup
- Tomato: 4.8g net carbs/cup
- Carrot slices: 8.6g net carbs/cup
Is there a difference in carb for raw and frozen/ cooked spinach?
Hi Liz, thanks for your amazing article. I have also been living with endometriosis for most of my life. I am just about to embark on a vegan keto diet (I’m already a vegan). Strange, I had read about high carbs being related to endometriosis in the past but as a veggie (then) I felt it would be a bit too difficult going on a low carb diet. Then yesterday I was so fed up of getting bitten by mossies that I thought I’d do a fresh internet search to see if they’d been any new developments in the research into why certain people get bitten. Low and behold it’s keytones that deter mosquitoes. Following this I searched some keytone diet forums and found lots of people who no longer get bitten at all after being on a low carb paleo diet and having bit heavily in the past. I then wondered if a low carb diet could heal the excessive sweating I’ve been living with since I was a kid. Amazingly, again lots of people found that the keytone diet completely healed them of lifelong issues with hyperhydrosis. Then finally I decided to reseach endo. and a low carb/keytone diet and found you. Thanks again for your thoughful and rounded article-I loved what you wrote about the importance of including plenty of low carb veggies on a low carb diet/lifestyle plan. I totally resonate with that. I now realise that the low carb/keytone and for me, vegan keytone prebiotic /probiotic diet is the missing health link, healing the microbiome, bringing down inflammation and in turn healing a whole host of other health and mind issues. I’m so excited to go on this journey!
With much love,
Victoria.
Hi Victoria, thank you so much for sharing your story. I actually had no idea that keto was good for mosquitos! I have noticed that I don’t get bitten quite as much as my husband when we are outside together, though. I’m going to look into that more!
It’s amazing what keto and low carb diets have done for people. I hope that you experience similar relief from your symptoms!
Best of luck on your journey – please feel free to reach out with any questions!
With kindness,
Liz