How Many Carbs Are Really in Vegetables?

We dig vegetables…seriously!  They’re probably on the top of our favorite foods list; and, we have a long favorite food list. You can have them in so many ways (sauteed, baked, mashed, raw, in soup).  There’s really no way you can get bored if you use a lil’ bit of creativity. But, even though we all know they’re good for us, there are some medical reasons (like those with diabetes) that need to be mindful of carbs.  We want to be crystal clear that you have a green light to include any and all vegetables in your diet. For good reason, noshing on four or more servings per day has been linked to a smaller waist circumference and lower risk for weight gain…along with many other health benefits. Since most vegetables are low in fat and protein, those with the higher calorie counts generally have higher carb counts as well. Nothing to worry about…just something to be aware of when you do have to count carbs.   If you have to be more aware of carb counting for medical reasons, you’ll want to study up on the vegetables that are considered starchy—meaning they provide more carbs per serving than most of your typical vegetables, but still provide delicious nutrients (think potatoes, corn, peas and winter squash). What’s most important to remember is to focus on eating food, not nutrients!  RELATED: What’s the Deal WIth Carb Cycling? Read on to see how many carbs are found in some of the most common vegetables. Plus, see healthy recipes to put them all to good use. Carbohydrate Counts For 9 Common Vegetables Spinach 1 gram per 1 cup raw With just 6 calories in each loosely-packed cup, Popeye’s favorite greens are also crazy low in carbs. Toss a handful into smoothies, soups or omelets, or take just 15 minutes to make this Broiled Salmon with Spinach for a healthy low-carb dinner. Kale 2 grams per 1 cup raw In similar leafy green news, sturdy kale leaves have a mere 12 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates per loosely-packed cup. Top pizzas, pasta or eggs with Vegan Kale Pesto Sauce, or make crunchy kale chips in your dehydrator or air fryer. (This handy GoWISE USA appliance can do both! $130, amazon.com).  Cucumber 2 ½ grams per 1 cup sliced Nearly all water, each hydrating cup of this low-carb vegetable has 14 calories. Use cucumber slices to scoop up hummus or tzatziki sauce for a snack, or start your dinner with a Cucumber Salad with Chickpea, Tomato and Broccoli Rabe. Cauliflower 5 grams per 1 cup With 27 calories per cup (compared to 495 calories in flour), it’s no wonder cauliflower has become the go-to substitute for higher-carb ingredients. Try the low-carb option yourself with this Dijon Cauliflower Mash or snag a few Caulipower Cauliflower Crust Pizzas ($6.89, target.com) to toss in the freezer for a quick-fix dinner on busy evenings. Broccoli 5 grams per 1 cup florets Just like its paler cruciferous cousin, cauliflower, broccoli is light in carbs and cals (24 calories in each cup of florets). Since this green vegetable can err on the bitter side—hence, why some picky eaters aren’t fond of broccoli—we recommend roasting, searing or grilling the stalks and florets to caramelize and accentuate the natural sugars. Tom Brady’s TB12 Caramelized Broccoli with Smoky Romesco Sauce will show you exactly how to do it. Asparagus 5 grams per 1 cup A perennial spring favorite, this low-carb veggie clocks in at 27 calories per cup. Chop into bite-sized pieces and add to pastas or scrambles, or let the stalks take center stage in this Raw Asparagus Salad with Broccoli Rabe. Green Beans 7 grams per 1 cup These green beauties are great for more than just creamy casseroles on Thanksgiving. Make them a meal mainstay for just 31 calories per cup by simply steaming, air frying or using this Garlic and Lemon Haricots Verts side dish recipe as a guide. Carrots 12 grams per 1 cup, chopped Even though they’re slightly higher in carbs than many of the vegetables on this list, we’re rooting for you to add more of these vitamin A-strong, 53-calorie-per-cup root vegetables to your diet. In addition to those nutrition wins, carrots are great multitaskers. Try the roots as hummus-scooping vessels or in this Carrot Ginger Squash Soup. Then, use the tops in place of the greens called for in your favorite pesto recipe. Corn  19 grams per 1 medium ear There’s a reason why this star of summer is called “sweet corn.” It contains a fair amount of sugars in each 88-calorie ear, but those are all natural sugars (a.k.a. better for you than added sugars, btw). During corn season think fresh; otherwise, opt for frozen—either one will make a tasty and healthy addition to this Avocado Toast with Roasted Zucchini and Corn.

Diets Decoded: Macro Counting

Is Macro Counting Healthy? We’re going to let you in on a little secret. Most popular healthy diets that are touted for weight loss—from Paleo to Mediterranean and vegetarian—share many of the same basic principles. All involve eating whole foods (as opposed to packaged and processed) and filling your plate with quality sources of protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and vitamin-, mineral-, and fiber-rich vegetables. (Again, we’re talking about the ones that fall somewhere on the healthy spectrum, not unhealthy fad diets like, ahem, the Grapefruit Diet.) However, each proposes a slightly different path that leads to fulfilling those principles. In this column, we’ll be breaking them down for you, one by one, so you can figure out which (if any!) is right for you. We’ll explain the facts and then provide quick, actionable tips on how to follow the diet as part of a Nutritious Life. You’ve probably heard fitness influencers or healthy eating enthusiasts talk about “counting their macros.” But what does that really mean? Essentially, they are monitoring how many grams (and calories) they consume from the three macronutrients—carbohydrate, protein and fat. The idea is that if you create a calorie deficit and properly proportion how much of each macronutrient you eat in a day, you’ll achieve your desired weight and, at the same time, reach other health goals—including maintaining or building muscle. Here, we have Macro Counting decoded. What is Macro Counting? Macros aka macronutrients are the calorie-providing nutrients that your body needs in large quantities. The three macronutrients—protein, carbohydrate and fat—each play a unique role and are essential for optimal health.  To calculate your calorie needs and macro proportions, the specific target numbers will depend on sex, age, physical activity and weight and fitness goals, so there’s no one-size-fits-all formula.  It’s recommended that you aim to get 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh. The remaining number of calories will be made up of carbs and fat set to round out your daily calorie intake. For example, you may determine that you need 1800 calories per day, so those calories should be 40% carbs (720 calories), 35% protein (630 calories) and 25% fat (450 calories).  Instead of counting your total caloric intake for the day, you’ll be counting the macros.  What You Eat You can eat anything as long as you stay within your target numbers for each macronutrient. Check out the popular #ifitfitsyourmacros for inspo. There are no specific recommendations on the types of foods you should eat, so you decide how you want to meet your proportioned daily macro amounts. What You Don’t Eat No foods are off limits in macro counting. You can enjoy all your favorite foods as long as they don’t put you over your macronutrient target numbers. Want a slice of cake after dinner? Go for it! But if you’ve already consumed all your carbs for the day, you’ll have to skip that cake. Pros and Cons Tracking your macros can help you pay more attention to what you eat and provide clear guidelines when making food choices. Unlike many popular diets today, macro counting doesn’t eliminate or demonize any foods. The flexibility and ability to tailor your intake to your own needs and goals means this approach may be more sustainable than other weight-loss diets.  However, there’s no evidence to suggest that specifically monitoring macronutrients will provide greater weight-loss benefits than other calorie-restriction diets. A 2-year clinical trial randomly assigned participants to four different reduced-calorie diets varying in macronutrient composition; however, they didn’t find any clinically meaningful differences in weight loss. Plus, calculating and monitoring your macro intake can be time-consuming and tedious. While there are apps and fitness trackers that can help, it still requires a lot of legwork on your part. This monitoring can also promote an unhealthy obsession with food and induce stress and anxiety, which makes it more difficult to stick with it for the long haul.  It’s important to note, while macro counting is a step-up from calorie counting, it still ignores micronutrients and overall food quality. Eating 100 grams of carbs from bagels, chips and cookies will not provide the same health benefits as eating 100 grams of carbs from whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Research shows that quality, not just quantity, matters when it comes to your diet’s impact on your overall health. The Bottom Line There’s nothing magical about this diet approach— you’re creating a calorie deficit and eating a specific proportion of macronutrients.  If you find tracking your intake helpful and consume mostly whole unprocessed foods, then counting macros can be an effective and flexible way to lose weight and get lean.  If calculating and monitoring macronutrient intake sounds difficult and stressful, then you’ll probably be better off focusing on eating whole foods and listening to your hunger and fullness cues to monitor your intake.