There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Fruits and vegetables are complex carbohydrates which supply nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, as well as carbohydrates and protein to your body. Fruits and vegetables are so important that the World Health Organization estimates up to 2.7 million less people would die each year if the consumption of fruit and vegetables were increased.
Less than One Carbohydrate
Some servings of vegetables, but not fruit, offer trace amounts or zero carbohydrates. The portions of raw vegetables in the Nutritive Value of Foods with trace amounts of carbohydrates are: one tablespoon of chopped chives; 1 tsp. of cilantro; 5 sprigs of dill; one leaf of butter-head, Boston type lettuce; one leaf of iceberg lettuce; one inner leaf of romaine lettuce; one radish; and one leaf of spinach.
Less than Five Grams of Carbohydrates
If you want servings of foods that contain 5 g of carbohydrates or less, eat fresh fruits and raw vegetables with your daily diet. According to information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, fresh fruits and raw vegetables that contain 5 g of carbohydrates or less include: one cup of alfalfa sprouts or one large strawberry with 1 g of carbohydrates; 4 spears of asparagus or 1 cup of peeled and slice cucumber with 3 g of carbohydrates; 1 cup of red or Savoy shredded cabbage, one pitted apricot with 4 g of carbohydrates; and 1 cup of chopped broccoli or cauliflower with 5 g of carbohydrates.
Over 40 Grams of Carbohydrates per Serving
Some single servings of fruit products can add over 40 grams of carbohydrates to your daily diet. The United States Department of Agriculture produces a publication called the "Nutritive Value of Foods" which provides a list of fruits and fruit products along with their corresponding nutritional values, including grams of carbohydrates. Generally, dried fruit and sweetened fruit products contain more carbohydrates than fresh fruit. According to information provided in the "Nutritive Value of Foods," 1 cup of chopped dates has 131 g of carbohydrates; 1 loose cup of seedless raisins has 115 g of carbohydrates; 1 cup of stewed and unsweetened prunes with liquid has 70 g of carbohydrates; 1 cup of canned peaches in heavy syrup has 52 g of carbohydrates; and 1 cup of canned fruit cocktail with heavy syrup has 47 g of carbohydrates.
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