Many people think vegetarians and vegans are doomed to gain weight because they’re eating lots of carbs. It is possible to reduce your carbs on a vegetarian diet. You just need to know what to eat and what to avoid.
The lowest
This list of the lowest carb veggies comes from About.com’s Low Carb Diets site. The full page and resource is located here.
Low-Carb Vegetables
This list is roughly arranged from lowest to highest carbohydrate counts, but all are non-starchy and generally low in carbohydrates. Exact carb count depends on serving size. Remember when counting carbs in vegetables that the fiber is not counted, and can be subtracted from the total.
Sprouts (bean, alfalfa, etc.)
Greens – lettuce, spinach, chard, etc.
Hearty Greens – collards, mustard greens, kale, etc.
Radicchio and endive count as greens
Herbs – parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.
Bok Choy
Bamboo Shoots
Celery
Radishes
Sea Vegetables (Nori, etc)
Mushrooms
Cabbage (or sauerkraut)
Jicama
Avocado
Asparagus
Okra
Cucumbers (or pickles without added sugars)
Green Beans and Wax Beans
Fennel
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Peppers
Green Bell Peppers
Red Bell Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Summer Squash
Zuchinni
Brussels Sprouts
Scallions or green onions
Snow Peas/Snap Peas/Pea Pods
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Tomatillos
Artichokes
Turnips
Pumpkin
Rutabagas
Spaghetti Squash
Celery Root (Celeriac)
Carrots
Onions
Leeks
Which to avoid?
Also on the About.com’s Low Carb Diets site is a listing of the highest carb vegetables:
Carrots (some diets flag carrots as a problem, though they are lower in carbs than others in this group)
Beets
Peas
Winter Squashes, such as acorn and butternut
Water Chestnuts
Parsnips
Potatoes in all forms
Sweet Potatoes
Corn
Plantains
I don’t understand why winter squashes such as butternut and acorn are considered high carb, but pumpkin and spaghetti squash are low carb. If you know the answer, I’d love for you to share it in the comments.
T-Day sides
I tried three low-carb recipes for Thanksgiving this year that were new tastes for my family, and all three were warmly received:
- Rosemary Roasted Radishes
- Pumpkin Bisque
- Cauliflower Gratin
(Check ‘em out at the SheKnows.com blog here.)
It was a nice offset to all the high-carb fare that you can’t avoid on Thanksgiving, such as stuffing, mashed potatoes and warm dinner rolls.
Tags: low carb, thanksgiving
