Vegetables form an extremely important part of a healthy and balanced diet. They provide a wide range of nutrients that are vital for maintaining our health. Vegetables are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Eating a wide variety of colorful vegetables supports weight management and reduces the risks of chronic diseases, including heart disease, and even certain types of cancer. 

If you are on a keto diet, you need to be aware that some vegetables may be higher in carbs. Eating too much of these can kick you out of ketosis. 

Thankfully, there are many low-carb vegetables you can choose from. Here are 15 best keto-friendly vegetables that are rich in nutrients, but low in carbs.

1. Kale

Net carbs: 0.32g

Kale is extremely low in carbs, with less than half a gram of net carbs (1). But it is extremely high in nutrients. Kale offers numerous minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, and zinc. It contains vitamins A, C, K, and folate. 

With 390 µg, 100g of kale has three times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin K. So all you need to do is add 25 to 30 grams of kale to your breakfast smoothie to hit the mark.

It is a good source of beta-carotene, a plant pigment that gets converted to vitamin A. Kale has carotenoid antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These have been linked to various health benefits, including promoting eye health. Its high fiber content promotes digestive health.

2. Celery

Net carbs (2): 1.37g

Its high water content and low calories make celery a hydrating and refreshing snack option. You can add chopped celery to soups and salads. Its high fiber and water content supports digestive health. It promotes satiety and may aid in weight management.

You can have celery sticks with a keto dip or peanut butter when food cravings hit. The combination of crunchy celery and the creamy dip is sure to hit all the right spots and help you stay on track with your diet and fitness goals. Celery contains vitamins A, C, and K. It also has some amounts of folate and potassium.

3 Spinach

Net carbs: 1.43g

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach are well known for their iron content. Spinach offers plenty of calcium too. With 483 µg of vitamin K, spinach stands out for its exceptionally high vitamin K content.

Other nutrients available in spinach include vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Vitamins A and C have antioxidant properties and help prevent oxidative stress and inflammation.

4. Lettuce

Net carbs: 1.72g

Lettuce is popularly used in salads and sandwiches. There are many types of lettuce, including iceberg, romaine, green leaf, and red leaf lettuce. They have slightly different nutritional profiles

Lettuce contains vitamins A, C, and K, folate, calcium, and potassium. Lettuce is also a great source of fiber. You can add other low-carb vegetables to make delicious and filling salads. If you don't have the time to shop and make these yourself, you can order from meal delivery services for weight loss. Keto Chef is one of the best keto meal delivery services in New Zealand. They specialize in healthy meals for weight loss. 

5. Asparagus

Net carbs (3): 1.78g 

Asparagus is rich in numerous essential nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, and K. iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. It is also high in beta-carotene and carotenoid antioxidants including lutein and zeaxanthin.

Regular consumption of asparagus may help prevent urinary tract infections as this vegetable has a high water content. With 2.2g of protein per 100 grams, this low-carb, fiber-rich vegetable is a great addition to a keto diet.

Asparagus can be eaten raw or cooked and added to various dishes. You can steam them or sautee them before adding them to soups or salads.

6. Zucchini

Net carbs: 2.11g

Zucchini is a type of summer squash with smooth, dark green skin. Another variety of summer squash is the yellow squash or golden zucchini. With its bright yellow color, it adds a pop of color to your keto dishes.

Zucchini is a blessing for those on a low-carb or keto diet. You can chop and grill this vegetable or even cut them into thin long strips and use them to make noodles. They are used as a popular low-carb alternative in pasta recipes. Zucchini is low in calories and rich in nutrients such as vitamins A and C, potassium, and dietary fiber.

7. Mushrooms

Net carbs (4): 2.26g

Mushrooms are generally low in carbs. Depending on their variety, their net carb content may vary a bit. Shiitake and maitake mushrooms have about 3 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. 

Mushrooms offer a modest amount of protein to your diet. Mushrooms are rich in potassium. They also contain other essential nutrients such as selenium, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.

Mushrooms can be added to any meal, soup, sandwich, or salad. You can add chopped mushrooms to eggs and make a delicious keto omelet for breakfast or lunch. 

8. Tomato

Net carbs (5): 2.69g

Depending on the variety and ripeness, tomatoes have about 3 to 4 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C. They also offer numerous other nutrients such as vitamin K, potassium, folate, and beta-carotene.

Tomatoes get their red color from a natural pigment called lycopene. This is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of heart disease and age-related macular degeneration 

9. Cauliflower

Net carbs: 2.97g

Cauliflower is one of the most popular low-carb vegetables in the keto diet. From cauliflower rice to cauliflower pizza crust and mashed cauliflower, this versatile cruciferous vegetable can be used to prepare a variety of delicious keto-friendly dishes.

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C and other antioxidants such as beta-carotene, quercetin, and kaempferol. It is rich in fiber and keeps you feeling full and satisfied for a long time. 

Cauliflower also offers you plenty of glucosinolates. These phytochemicals may help protect against certain types of cancer and even help improve cardiovascular health 

10. Cucumber

Net carbs: 3.13g

Cucumbers are a refreshing and hydrating addition to the keto diet. They have a high water content while being low in carbs and calories. Cucumbers make a crunchy addition to salads. Add them to smoothies or have them raw with a keto-friendly dip.

They contain minerals such as vitamin K, potassium, and magnesium. They also have small amounts of biotin and vitamin K (6). 

11. Cabbage

Net carbs: 3.3g

Cabbage has a decent amount of fiber making it relatively low in net carbohydrates. It is a good source of vitamin C. Cabbages also contain vitamin K, folate, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, and calcium.

You can chop and add raw cabbage to salads. Cabbage tastes delicious when stir-fried. Cabbage soup is famous for its weight loss benefits. You can also ferment cabbage and make sauerkraut.

12. Bell Peppers

Net carbs: 3.88g

Among the different types of bell peppers, green bell peppers have the lowest amount of carbs with less than 4 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. The red and yellow bell pepper varieties have about 5.4g net carbs per 100 grams.

Bell peppers are a good source of potassium. Did you know that you can get more vitamin C from bell peppers than from oranges? 100 grams of green bell peppers contain 99.5 mg of vitamin C while the same quantity of red bell peppers offers 142mg (7). 

13. Broccoli

Net carbs: 3.87g

Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable with high fiber and water content. It is relatively low in carbs, making it a valuable addition to the keto diet. 

With 91.3 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C. That’s 101% of your vitamin C RDA. 

Broccoli also offers many other nutrients such as iron, calcium, and folate. It contains carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

14. Green Beans

Net carbs: 4.4g

There are several varieties of green beans. When we say “green beans," this typically refers to string beans or snap beans. Green beans are a good source of vitamin K. It is also mineral-rich with potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.

Compared to the veggies mentioned above, green beans are higher in carbs. With 7.4g of carbs and 3 grams of fiber, get about 4.4 grams of net carbs from 100 grams of green snap beans (8)  

Green beans can be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, or roasted. You can add them to salads and stir-fries.

15. Brussels Sprouts

Net carbs: 5.15g

To get into ketosis quickly and to maintain this metabolic state, you need to keep your carb intake as low as possible. Your daily total carb total intake can range from 10 to 50 grams.

With Brussels sprouts, you need to practice portion control while on the keto diet. 100 grams of Brussels sprouts contain 8.95 grams of carbs and 3.8 grams of fiber (9). This brings the net grams to over 5 grams. 

Brussels sprouts are rich in fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium. It contains many other essential nutrients including vitamin A, folate, and selenium. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right combination of keto-friendly foods is key to achieving and maintaining ketosis.

From leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables to colorful peppers and mushrooms, there are plenty of low-carb vegetables for you to choose from. 

Regularly including a wide range of low-carb vegetables in your daily diet provides your body with essential nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. These keto-friendly veggies can help you shed pounds while keeping you satisfied and energized.

If you are looking for customized diet meal services in Auckland, Keto Chef offers numerous choices from healthy meals for weight loss and low-carb family-friendly dinners to nutritious clean eating meal plans and high-protein meal delivery. You can take a six-week subscription for their regular or premium meal range and save up to 20% on your weekly meals.