If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, you might focus on meals consisting of lean meats and generous servings of vegetables. You find carbs primarily in grains, cereals, pasta, bread and sugars. Starchy vegetables also contain a significant amount of carbs. Watery, fibrous vegetables tend to be lower in carbs.
Significance
Many diets emphasize restricting carbohydrates to assist with weight loss. Some plans limit your daily carb intake to 25 to 39 percent of calories, amounting to just 112 g to 175 g of carbs per day for an 1,800-calorie plan. Highly restrictive low-carb diets, such as the induction phase of South Beach or phase one of Atkins, limit you to even fewer. Compare this with the Institute of Medicine's recommendation that you consume 45 to 65 percent of daily calories from carbs, which amounts to between 202 g and 292 g daily. While vegetables tend to be lower in carbs than fruits and grains, the carb counts can add up quickly if you do not choose the lowest carb versions regularly.
Choices
The lowest-carb vegetables are those you tend to use for salads. Romaine and iceberg lettuce, celery, endive, chicory, bell peppers, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, radishes, escarole and mushrooms provide 4 g or fewer carbs per raw 1-cup serving. Broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, summer squash, spinach, eggplant, kale and chard are other vegetables that contain few carbs. Although slightly higher in carbs, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi and artichokes are also good low-carb choices.
Research
Low-carb diets rich in vegetables can actually reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, suggests a study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in November 2006. Harvard researchers evaluated more than 82,000 women's diets over the course of 20 years and found that those who chose a diet lower in carbs and higher in vegetable sources of protein and fat had a lower incidence of heart disease. A diet high in vegetables might also reduce your risk of other diseases, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, including some cancers and type 2 diabetes. The long-term effects of following a low-carb diet plan are unknown, so be sure to check with your physician before beginning such a regimen.
Considerations
Some vegetables with a higher amount of carbs might be included as part of a healthy diet. A baked sweet potato, for example, contains 41 g of carbs per cup, but also provides 7 g of fiber and more than 700 percent of the daily value for vitamin A, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Beans, such as black or pinto, also contain about 41 g of carbs per cup, but offer 15 g of protein and 14 g of fiber as well. Carrots contain 12 g of carbs per chopped cup, and acorn squash contains 30 g per baked cup, but both offer important nutrients such as fiber, vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fruits and Veggies Matter
- Every Diet: Low Carb Diets
- Institute of Medicine; "Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids"; September 2002
- Mayo Clinic; "Low Carb Diets"; May 2010
- Atkins: Phase 1 Acceptable Foods
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; "Low-Carbohydrate-Diet Score and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women"; T. L. Halton et al.; November 2006
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