Many food experts agree that avoiding starchy carbs and refined white sugars can help you loose weight and help prevent disease. The American Diabetes Association points out that carbohydrates raise your blood glucose levels, and that finding the right balance between carbohydrates, exercise and any health considerations you might have is key to staying healthy, especially for people with diabetes. If you're looking to balance or lower your carbohydrate intake, you don't have to resort to eating only meats or following crash diets. You can lower your intake sensibly by choosing from a wide variety of low-carb vegetables.
Greens
Greens are notoriously low carb and a staple on many low-carb diet plans. According to the Atkins website, lettuces like romaine and iceburg have less than 1g net carbohydrate per 1/2-cup serving. That's why the Atkins diet recommends a leafy salad with every meal. Net carbohydrate count refers to carbohydrates minus fiber, which have a minimal impact on blood sugar. Chicory greens, arugula, and other types of lettuce and greens also have similarly low levels of carbohydrates. Collard greens contain around 4.2g per serving.
Inflorescent Vegetables
Inflorescent vegetables, like artichokes, broccoli and cauliflower, are higher in carbs that lettuces and greens, but still considered low enough to be included in even the strictest phases of most low-carb plans. One-fourth of a medium artichoke contains about 4g net carbs, while and artichoke heart contains about 1g. Broccoli, broccoli flower, broccoli rabe and cauliflower each contain less than 2g per 1/2-cup serving.
Bulb Vegetables
Bulb vegetables are low carb. However, there is temptation to use them in high amounts to get their maximum flavor benefit. Foods like onions, scallions and garlic can add hidden or unexpected carbs to your plan. Count about three carbs per a 1/4-cup serving of onions. Count one carb for each clove of garlic.
Stalk Vegetables
Stalk vegetables are foods like celery, asparagus and fennel. A cup of fennel will net you around four carbs. A stalk of celery contains around 1g, and asparagus has 2 1/2g to 3g per six spears.
Misc.
Other popular vegetables include tomatoes, which have about four net carbs per small tomato. Mushrooms have 1.2 net carbs per 1/2 cup. A 1/2 cup of raw peppers has 2.3 net grams. Cucumber has 1.2g per 1/2 a cup of slices.
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