Most certainly! Carbs are one of three essential nutrients, coupled with protein and healthy fats, that humans need to thrive. There are various kinds of carbs, ranging from the highly beneficial to those that are only empty calories that leave you hungry. Those with the capacity to leave you hungry include white flour products, processed snack foods and sugar.
The ideal carbohydrate source is vegetables. If you are diabetic and need to limit your daily carb intake, the list below should help you make choices that keep you within your recommended limits.
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Let’s Look at Veggies
Carbs in vegetables can be calculated in two ways: total carbs and net carbs. The total carb is the units of carbohydrates from any given vegetable; the net carbs are those same vegetables minus the amount of fiber in those vegetables. You want to look at net carbs when determining the lowest number of carbs, keeping in mind that all vegetables have benefits. You will see that vegetables with the most fiber will yield the lowest net carbs.
Vegetable Total Carbs (g) Fiber (g) Net Carbs (g) Category
Low-Net Carb Vegetables
Spinach (raw) 3.6 2.2 1.4 Very Low-Carb
Lettuce (iceberg, raw) 3 1 .2 1. 8 Very Low-Carb
Cucumber (with peel) 3.6 0.5 3.1 Very Low-Carb
Zucchini 3.1 1 2..1 Very Low-Carb
Bell Pepper(green) 6 2.1 3.9 Low-Carb
Broccoli 6.6 2.6 4 Low-Carb
Cauliflower 5 2 3 Low-Carb
Asparagus 3.9 2.1 1.8 Very Low-Carb
Mushrooms(white) 3.3 1 2.3 Very Low-Carb
Green Beans 7 2.7 4.3 Low-Carb
High-CarbVegetables
Corn 21 2.7 18.3 High-Carb
Peas 14 5 9 Moderate-Carb
Carrots 9.6 2.8 6.8 Moderate-Carb
Onions 9.3 1.7 7.6 ModerateCarb
Beets 9.6 2.8 6.8 Moderate-Carb
Butternut Squash 12 2 10 High-Carb
Sweet Potato 20.1 3 17.1 High-Carb
Potato (white) 17 2.2 14.8 High-Carb
Parsnips 18 4.9 13.1 High-Carb
Yams 27.9 4.1 23.8 Very High-Carb
Keep in mind that there are benefits in all of these vegetables. Each has a unique combination of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Spreading your vegetable choices across the many colors and flavors of vegetables, while keeping net carbs in mind, is ideal.