List of Keto Vegetables – Overview
The Keto diet is a low-carbohydrate meal plan that aims to put a body into ketosis.
Although fatty meats and dairy are the first products that come to our mind when someone mentions the keto diet, vegetables are also an essential part of this diet.
They offer precious nutrients that are essential to our health.
Generally, vegetables that grow above the ground contain fewer carbohydrates and can be included in this diet.
Below-ground vegetables, called root vegetables, contain more carbohydrates and are not a great choice. There are some exceptions as well.
Let’s look at some low-carb vegetables suitable for the keto diet.
1. Spinach – 3.5g per 100g
Incredibly low in carbohydrates and rich in vitamins, spinach is one of the best keto vegetables on our list.
It offers several health-boosting effects: it decreases oxidative stress, contributes to cardiovascular health, helps our eyesight and even improves glycemic control in diabetics.
Add fresh spinach to a salad or creamy sauce, consume it canned or steamed or prepare spinach smoothies. You can find out more about the health benefits of spinach here.
2. Kale – 2g per 100g
Kale is a little bit higher in carbs than spinach, but it shares the same health benefits.
You can enjoy it fresh in salads, use it as a base in different dishes instead of pasta or make delicious kale chips—more about the health benefits of kale here.
3. Celery – 3g per 100g
Celery is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. Apigenin, a molecule found there, has anti-inflammatory properties and positively affects hypercholesterolemia.
4. Tomatoes – under 5g per 100g
Tomatoes come in various forms and carb content differs. Standard tomatoes contain around 2 grams of sugar per serving, cherry tomatoes – contain around 4 grams, and grape tomatoes – 3 grams. But they are all suitable for the keto diet.
5. Brussels Sprouts – 4.5g per 100g
Spicy and nutritious, it tastes especially good when fried or roasted until crispy, with olive oil and garlic or bacon. It can be steamed with cheese sauce or served in a creamy sauce.
The options are limitless. With less than 5 grams of absorbable sugar per 100 g, you should not be worried about exceeding the daily carb limit of your keto diet.
It will also provide almost 100% of Recommended Dietary Intake of vitamin C and vitamin K.
6. Asparagus – 4g per 100g
With 4 g net carbs, it can find a spot in the weekly diet of every low-carb meal. You can steam or saute asparagus and add it to different dishes.
Other options include wrapping it in bacon and serving it with garlic and olive oil sauce. Or you can chop it and add it to the salad. Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamins, iron and potassium.
7. Green beans – 4g per 100g
Technically, they are fruits, not vegetables. But let’s still include them in this list. Green beans are part of the legume family but contain significantly fewer carbohydrates than most other members.
There are 6 grams of net carbs in one cup of green beans, making them a great addition to a variety of keto dishes.
Chopped green beans can be added to salads. They can also be steamed, fried or baked and it goes well with bacon or butter.
There are numerous bean dishes with various fats like olive oil and vegetable oil.
8. Broccoli – 4g per 100g
Broccoli can be boiled, steamed, fried in butter, baked with cheese, wrapped in bacon, etc. There are so many variations that even the pickiest eater can find something tasty.
9. Cucumber – 3.5g per 100g
Cucumbers are 95% water. They are extremely low in carbs and calories and will help you stay hydrated and receive dietary fiber.
10. Zucchini – 3g per 100g
Like cucumber, it is very low in carbs and calories, but you can make far more dishes using zucchini. You can cut them in long strips, spiralize and prepare low-carb noodles.
For those who crave french fries, zucchini fries can serve as a low-carb alternative – try to fry or bake breaded sticks of zucchini covered with parmesan cheese.
Other options include but are not limited to lasagna and pizza crusts.
11. Cabbage – 2.5g per 100g
This inexpensive vegetable is versatile and can be used as an ingredient in almost all salads and soups.
You can also combine them with cheese, eggs, meats and prepare burritos or dumplings. Like other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, cabbage is an excellent low-calorie, fiber-rich addition to your keto diet.
12. Vegetables that do not fit into the keto diet
You are rarely advised to avoid vegetables. But when your goal is to consume under 50 grams of carbs daily, you need to adjust to fit these limits.
As mentioned above, root vegetables like beetroot, potato, sweet potato, rutabaga, celeriac, onion, etc., contain relatively high amounts of carbohydrates and, therefore, are not the best options for a keto diet.
You can still include some of them in your dishes. For example, onions can be used for seasoning and consumed in small amounts.
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