Ketogenic Diet
Veggies are an essential part of any healthy diet. Here are the best options to add to your low-carb meal plan.
By
Lauren Bedosky
by
Kelly Kennedy, RDN
Green beans, cauliflower, and kale are all low in net carbs but high in nutrients, making them three great veggies to add to your keto meal plan.
Few diets have gained as much popularity in recent years as theketogenic diet.
The popular eating approach, nicknamed the keto diet, involves drastically reducing yourcarbohydrateintake to put you into a state ofketosis, or the point where your body shifts from using carbs to using fat as a primary fuel source. This shift can happen after just a few days of eating a diet that’s very low in carbs — think: between 20 and 50 grams (g) of carbs per day, depending on the individual — according to a past review. That’s because your central nervous system relies primarily on glucose, which is derived from carbs, to function, and it must find an alternate energy source ASAP.
But before you try the keto diet, you should know what you’re signing up for. “[Keto is] a very high-fat diet, which contains moderate protein, and very, very little carbohydrates,” saysGeorgie Fear, RDN, the Alberta, Canada–based author ofLean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss. To reach ketosis, you’ll need to limit your daily carb intake to 20 to 50 g per day.
That’s a lot lower than the current recommended daily allowance, or RDA, of 130 g of carbs per day to meet the average minimum amount of glucose used by the brain, per theNational Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. And unfortunately, this low-carb allotment can make it tricky to get enough vegetables in your diet, as some vegetables boast a high carb count. As a result, people on keto tend to take in lessfiberthan usual, which can exacerbate symptoms such asconstipationthat happen as part of the so-calledketo flu, per astudy published in Frontiers in Nutrition in March 2020. This period often lasts about two weeks, but tummy trouble can persist long after that if your fiber intake remains low.
This is one reason it’s so important to consult with a registered dietitian and your healthcare team before embarking on a restrictive diet such as keto. They’re likely to advise you to up your fiber intake by adding plenty of gut-friendly produce to your plate when doing keto. Furthermore, certain veggies will provide the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive — without knocking you out of ketosis.
One of the reasons keto is attractive is the potential for quick, short-term weight loss, says Leah Kaufman, CDE, RD, owner ofLeah Kaufman Nutritionin New York City. You’ll find no shortage of anecdotal evidence by way of before-and-after photos online, but it’s true there is some early research to support the idea that keto can help you whittle your waist. For example, one past meta-analysissuggested one possible reason the keto diet leads to weight loss is that ketosis may suppress appetite, even when you’re restricting calories. And a more recent meta-analysis, published in April 2021 in Trends in Food Science & Technology, noted that the keto diet could help manage obesity, though more high-quality research is necessary to confirm this effect is due to ketosis (and not just calorie restriction). In general, researchers caution that more research is needed to confirm the weight loss effect of the keto diet.
Still, Kaufman warns, “I would use caution if trying to use the keto diet as a sustainable approach.” Many registered dietitians (RDs) will say keto is a three-month diet max, but the aforementioned past review suggested people with obesity may be able to follow keto safely for one year, so long as they’re under the supervision of a physician.
Just manage your expectations. With its restrictive macronutrient requirements, keto is not an easy plan to follow. “If you eat out often, travel, or socialize with your friends at restaurants on a regular basis, it can be borderline-impossible to stay on the keto diet,” Fear says. After all, it’s very easy to go over the daily carb amount allowed on the keto diet — despite being high inpotassium, a largebananacan pack a whopping 31 g of total carbs, notes theU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Total carbs are different from net carbs; roughly speaking, net carbs are the number of carbs left over when you subtract the amount of fiber and sugar alcohols in a given food, perAtkins.com. Keto dieters often count these carbs.)
In addition, the keto diet generally isn’t recommended for people with kidney or liver problems,type 1 diabetes, heart disease, or gout; anyone whosegallbladderhas been removed; or individuals with a family history of cancer, Fear says. It’s also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with a history of eating disorders.
Bottom line: If you’re thinking about trying the keto diet, consult your healthcare team first. “A patient should go through a medical assessment to make sure that they are a candidate for something like [keto], and then it should be medically supervised,” Kaufman says.
Once you’ve gotten the all-clear from your doc to start the keto diet, stock your pantry, fridge, or freezer (frozen veggies may retain even more nutrients than fresh veggies, per theCleveland Clinic) with plenty of delicious veggies. Here are the 12 best vegetables to include in your keto diet plan.
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Zucchini
“Zucchini tops my list, as it’s low in carbs, has a sweet, mild taste that’s easy to like, and is versatile,” Fear says. Eat it raw, roast it, grill it, or try lightly cooked zucchini noodles topped witholive oiland Parmesancheese. For each cup of chopped zucchini with skin, you will get 3.9 g total carbs, 2.7 g net carbs, 0.4 g fat, and 1.5 g protein, per theUSDA. Plus, that same portion size offers an excellent source of vitamin C, with 22 milligrams (mg) per serving.
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Cauliflower
“Cauliflower is another vegetable that’s low in carbs, but also very high in vitamins and phytochemicals,” Fear says. Add chopped cauliflower to your salads, or top with paprika andgarlicpowder and roast in the oven. Riced cauliflower also makes a great low-carb replacement for traditional rice. In1 cupof chopped cauliflower, you’ll get 5.3 g of total carbs, 3.2 g of net carbs, 0.3 g of fat, and 2.1 g of protein, per the USDA. Not to mention, you get 320 mg of potassium, making this vegetable a good source of the nutrient.
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Spinach
Spinach is very low in carbs and easy to incorporate into your meals. If you don’t like spinach in salads, store baby spinach in your freezer and take some out anytime you fry upeggsor blend agreen smoothie. One cup of spinach contains 1.1 g of total carbs, 0.4 g of net carbs, 0.1 g of fat, and 0.9 g of protein, notes theUSDA.
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Bell Peppers
“Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers are awesome for adding much-needed vitamins to your keto diet, and satisfy a desire for crunch without the carbs of most snack foods,” such as potato chips, crackers, pretzels, and cookies, Fear says. In fact, why not use the slices to scoop up naturally high-fat guacamole or pesto? In a cup of chopped red bell peppers, there are 9 g of total carbs, 6 g of net carbs, 0.5 g of fat, and 1.5 g of protein, according to the USDA. Red bell peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin C, offering 191 mg of this nutrient.
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Asparagus
Asparagus is an easy veggie to add to any dish. In 1 cup you’ll get 5.2 g total carbs, 2.4 g net carbs, 0.2 g fat, and 3 g protein, per theUSDA. Also, the same portion size is loaded with gut-filling fiber (2.8 g, making it a good source).
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Broccoli
Not only isbroccoli easy to steam or add to stir-fry dishes, but just 1 cup, chopped, of the green veggie provides a whopping 90 percent of your daily vitamin C dose (81.2 g), notes the USDA. Additionally, it’s an excellent source of vitamin K, offering 93 mcg of this nutrient. As for macros, the same portion size contains 6.04 g of total carbs, 3.64 g of net carbs, 0.34 g of fat, and 2.57 g of protein.
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White Mushrooms
Mushrooms are incredibly low in carbs, and nearly one-half of those carbs are from fiber. According to theUSDA, in 1 cup of white mushrooms (pieces or slices), you get 0.7 g of fiber, not to mention nutrients such as potassium (223 mg). For the same amount, you get 2.3 g of total carbs, 1.6 g of net carbs, 0.2 g of fat, and 2.2 g of protein. Add them to soups, salads, and meat dishes.
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Celery
Celery, which is about 96 percent water, is a must-have low-carb option that will add crunch and flavor to any dish. “Add diced celery to any cold meat or seafood salad, use it to scoop upcottage cheese, or fill it with nut butter,” Fear says. One cup, chopped, of celery offers 3 g of total carbs, 1.4 g of net carbs, 0.2 g of fat, and 0.7 g of protein, according to theUSDA.
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Arugula
Arugula is a tasty salad green that won’t push you over your daily carb allotment. Use it on its own or mix it with other salad greens, add it to sandwiches, or pair it with eggs. Per cup of raw arugula, there are 0.7 g of total carbs, 0.4 g of net carbs, 0.1 g of fat, and 0.5 g of protein, notes theUSDA. Additionally, you’ll get a bounty of essential nutrients, such as 32 mg of calcium, 74 mg of potassium, and 3 mg of vitamin C.
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Kale
Kaleis extremely low in carbs, and dense in other important nutrients. Per theUSDA, in 1 cup of the raw greens, you get vitamin A (51 mcg), vitamin C (19.6 mg), and calcium (53 mg). As far as macros go, the same portion size contains 0.9 g of total carbs, 0 g of net carbs, 0.3 g of fat, and 0.6 g of protein. Steam a bunch to create a tasty side dish, or bake in the oven to make kale chips with a sprinkle of seasalt.
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Cucumber
Cucumber is made up of a whopping 96 percent water, noted apast article in Nutrients, making it the ideal veggie to add to salads, sandwiches, and side dishes or smother in your favorite low-carb dip. To put things in numbers, the USDA estimates that 1 cup of cucumber slices with the peel offers just 2 g of carbs, 1.7 g of net carbs, 0.1 g of fat, and 0.3 g of protein. (Bonus: Their high water content makes them a super-hydrating snack, per theCleveland Clinic.)
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Green Beans
Green beans make a tasty, nutritious side for a variety of dishes. According to theUSDA, 1 cup of green beans offers 7 g of total carbs, 4 g of net carbs, 0.2 g of fat, and 2 g of protein. Plus, it's a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin K. Try roasting them with a little Parmesan, to add a nutty, salty flavor hit without a ton of extra carbs.
