Is going on a keto diet easy? I think that it is easy as well as not that easy. Easy in the sense that you get to eat a whole new variety of stuff that is rich in healthy fats and delicious as well. The recipes take the keto form such as fat bombs and keto desserts, still, those are as amazing as the word dessert.
Not that easy in the sense that you are restricted to foods that are low in carbs. Any kind of food that is high in carbs needs to be avoided, be it vegetables! You have been advised since childhood to make vegetables an important part of your diet. But not all of them are good for the keto lifestyle that you have adopted.
You can guess why.
Carbs! simple.
But, if you are a vegetable fan, then you may not want to give up on them when following the keto diet. And the good news is that you don’t even need to think of doing that. There are a lot of vegetables that are low carb which nobody will stop you from eating them.
These vegetables are heavily used in the keto recipes, making the recipes so yummy that even the people who never wanted to eat vegetables enjoy them. Want to know which low carb vegetables can add the green touch to your keto life? Well, here are they.
1. Broccoli
Carbs: 6.64g per 100g
Broccoli might be one of the most less liked vegetables in its raw form, but it forms an important part of many keto recipes that taste amazing.
Though I do enjoy broccoli in its raw form, when given the option it would take no time for me to pour some ranch on a handful of broccoli to make a quick keto snack. If you ask me about including some broccoli in your dinner, ranch chicken with bacon and broccoli in keto slow cooker recipes is the one to go for me.
Broccoli is always at the top of my veggies list because it is low calorie, low carb and packed with a lot of vitamins and other nutrients.
2. Spinach
Carbs: 3.63g per 100g
Spinach always reminds me of Popeye. Spinach is the most relatable when we talk about green leafy vegetables. I have always heard my mom saying this,” eating green leafy vegetables will improve your eyesight and make you strong.” Well, spinach does reduce the risk of certain eye diseases.
Spinach is a great food to add to your keto salads. It boasts in several vitamins and minerals. No doubt Popeye always had a can of spinach with him.
3. Tomato
Carbs: 3.89 per 100g
So low in carbs! Tomato is a very common veggie which is widely used in recipes as the base, to make the puree, etc, be it a ketogenic recipe or non-ketogenic one. Isn’t tomato sauce very much responsible for improving the taste of your favorite pizzas and pasta?
The same goes for the healthy recipes including the ketogenic ones. You have a fair idea about the role they play in making the gravy of keto meatballs.
4. Cucumber
Carbs: 3.63 per 100g
Cucumber is great as an ingredient in detox waters but that isn’t it. It can act as quick snacks. Cucumber dipped in ranch seasoning makes a quick healthy snack when you are getting late.
It is a low carb veggie so it can be used to bring variety to your keto meals.
The person (that is me) who is saying this is the one who once used to think of cucumbers as something that is grown to eat in just salads.
5. Cauliflower
Carbs: 4.97g per 100g
I have always enjoyed eating cauliflowers. Its texture, the type of crispiness it has amongst other vegetables drives me towards eating this vegetable again and again.
Yet another advantage is its low carb content which means that I can eat it endlessly even if I follow the keto diet.
Actually, its a gem for the keto dieters as it acts as a substitute for mashed potatoes and rice along with being used in making anything that is ketogenic. Combine cauliflower with cheese to make an irresistible keto soup.
6. Asparagus
Carbs: 3.88g per 100g
A spring vegetable which I am not a fan of. But you can be if you want one more option when you think of low carb vegetables. If you are already a fan of it, that’s good. It is a good source of several vitamins. Ahh…Okay…You are bored with hearing this. What about this- it reduces anxiety. Yes, it does and it is great, you can’t argue over this.
7. Zucchini
Carbs: 3.11g per 100g
The most common summer squash, I always used to think of it as some kind of cucumber. Although it is very low in carbs just like cucumbers.
Other varieties of summer squash are low in carbs too, while the winter squash stands opposite.
You can be very innovative with zucchini when it comes to molding it into some recipe. Like, you can make noodles out of it which are termed as zoodles. Or these parmesan zucchini tots? What more do I need to say?
8. Cabbage (green)
Carbs: 6.1 per 100g
Again…another low carb veggie like the ones above.
Anything different?
Yes, there is.
It is a source of phytochemicals.
Now, what are these?
A compound that can deal with cancer and heart diseases. Brilliant, isn’t it?
9. Watercress
Carbs: 1.29g per 100g
Watercress is a superfood packed with a high density of nutrients. It is a powerhouse veggie which is linked with reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Leave everything aside, I got amazed by its such a low carb content. Just 1.29g in 100g of this vegetable! Now, this is a must inclusion in your keto diet.
10. Arugula
Carbs: 3.7g per 100g
To be honest, I hardly knew anything about this thing until I googled it while writing this. Do you know what was my reaction after researching about this cruciferous vegetable?
“Why the hell I ignored this vegetable my entire life?”
Yes, this was it.
Apart from being good as a low carb vegetable, eating arugula reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, improves bone health and improves muscle oxygenation when you exercise.
It has a peppery flavor and works as topping like coriander or ingredient. It is a common ingredient in Italian cuisines.
11. Bell pepper
Carbs: 4.6g per 100g
My bond with the green bell pepper (capsicum) is a little weird. I like them a lot in noodles, otherwise, my hunger vanishes at the thought of eating them.
Sometimes I do think that I should start loving them because these guys are really great. Because being low carb and keto compliant is not just enough for these. These are very nutritious and have great things in the box for your health.
12. White Mushrooms
Carbs: 3.26g per 100g
White mushrooms are low in the carb as well as zero calorie foods. As of now, carbs are our focus, so being in low in carbs these are suitable to be included in your keto cuisines.
Mushrooms are a rich source of various types of vitamin B. Mushrooms are good for your immune system.
Not just inner health, mushrooms benefit your outer health too. These are one of the best sources of certain anti-aging antioxidants (glutathione and ergothioneine).
13. Lettuce
Carbs: 2.9g per 100g
Lettuce is one of the zero calorie foods like mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, etc. it lacks in both calories and carbs. Definitely a weight loss promoter. Isn’t that good? On top of that, it is packed with an enormous amount of nutrients, which totally makes it a boon for the dieters.
I tried it once in its original state and I completely hated it. As an ingredient of some recipe, it is fine.
14. Bok choy
Carbs: 2.18g per 100g
If by chance you don’t know, bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage. Like your regular cabbage even these are low carb foods. You can include these in your keto food list. So if you are having some problem with those cabbages, you can try this Chinese cabbage.
15. Bamboo shoots
Carbs: 5.2g per 100g
Eating bamboo shoots makes you tall. Got the joke?
I don’t know about the height but it does improve your health.
First of all, it helps with weight loss (actually all of these veggies). Well that you must guess owing to its low carb-calorie content and stuff. The fiber in it suppresses weight gain, improves metabolism and improves your digestion and bowel movements.
Like some other vegetables in the list, bamboo shoots too can help reduce the risk of cancer, especially colorectal cancer. It looks after the cholesterol levels and is good for the heart. I think these are enough to convince you to include these shoots in your keto plan.
Final Words
If you would have observed, all these vegetables that are keto compliant grow above ground? This means that there are more chances for a vegetable to be low carb if it grows above the ground. None of the vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes which grow underground is low carb. Now, this doesn’t mean that it is the hard and fast rule that applies every time.
All veggies have carbs, be it high or low, you need to eat according to your daily limit of carb intake to stay in ketosis and successfully lose weight. Otherwise, it can become one of the reasons for not losing weight.
