Vegetables are the foundation of the diet. If this is not currently true for you, we’ve got some work to do. I agree with the American Diabetes Association in recommending 3 or more servings of vegetables a day. While we consider all vegetables to be healthy, some vegetables tend to be better than other for people with diabetes. Vegetables that tend to be better for people with diabetes are those that have more fiber and less starch and sucrose, since veggies with more fiber have less digestible calories and spike the blood sugar less.
Most people categorize vegetables into “starchy” and “nonstarchy” vegetables, with “starchy” vegetables having more starch and sucrose. While vegetables fit across a spectrum of “starchiness”, there are some general patterns you should be aware of. If you want to understand the differences between starch and fiber, review the “understanding carbohydrates” page.
| Serving | Cal | Net carbs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artichoke hearts | 1 cup | 90 | 15 |
| Asparagus | 6 medium | 20 | 3 |
| Bamboo shoots | 1 cup | 14 | 2 |
| Bean sprouts | 1 cup | 25 | 5 |
| Beets | 1 cup | 60 | 11 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 55 | 9 |
| Brussels sprouts | 8 small | 60 | 9 |
| Cabbage (chopped) | 1 cup | 18 | 2 |
| Carrots (chopped) | 1 cup | 50 | 10 |
| Cauliflower (chopped) | 1 cup | 30 | 3 |
| Celery (chopped) | 1 cup | 30 | 5 |
| Chayote squash | 1 cup | 40 | 6 |
| Cucumber sliced | 1 cup | 15 | 2 |
| Eggplant (chopped) | 1 cup | 20 | 3 |
| Fennel (sliced) | 1 cup | 25 | 5 |
| Green beans | 1 cup | 40 | 8 |
| Green onions (chopped) | 1 cup | 40 | 4 |
| Green peas | 1/2 cup | 60 | 9 |
| Jicama (sliced) | 1 cup | 45 | 8 |
| Kohlrabi sliced | 1 cup | 35 | 6 |
| Leeks sliced | 1 cup | 55 | 12 |
| Mung bean sprouts sliced | 1 cup | 30 | 5 |
| Mushrooms | 4 ounces | 25 | 3 |
| Okra | 1 cup | 30 | 6 |
| Onions (chopped) | 1 cup | 70 | 15 |
| daikon radish sliced | 1 cup | 30 | 2 |
| Peppers, all varieties chopped | 1 cup | 40 | 8 |
| Radishes sliced | 1 cup | 20 | 3 |
| Rutabaga (cubed) | 1 cup | 50 | 10 |
| Spinach | 3 cups | 20 | 2 |
| Spinach | 9 oz | 60 | 6 |
| Sugar snap peas | 1 cup | 60 | 9 |
| Snow peas | 1 cup ~5.5oz | 50 | 8 |
| Summer squash chopped | 1 cup | 20 | 4 |
| Swiss chard chopped | 1 cup | 6 | 1 |
| Tomato chopped | 1 cup | 30 | 6 |
| Turnips chopped | 1 cup | 35 | 6 |
| Water chestnuts sliced | 1 cup | 70 | 15 |
| Zucchini sliced | 1 cup | 20 | 3 |
| Dill pickles | 1 whole | 7 | 1 |
Since starchy vegetables are high in carbohydrates, they have a much larger impact on insulin production and blood glucose. Therefore, they must be limited.
When you eat startchy vegetables, I recommend limiting the portion to 30 grams of net carbohydrate
| Potatoes | Calories | – | Net Carb |
| Baked potato (medium, 173 grams) | 161 | 37 | |
| Mashed potato (1 cup) | 214 | 35 | |
| Potato chips (1 ounce, ~12 chips) | 150 | 15 | |
| Sweet potato (130g, ~ 1cup) | 112 | 26 | |
| Roasted fingerling potatoes (3 potatoes) | 110 | 25 | |
| French fries (mcdonalds, small) | 224 | 28 | |
| Corn | Calories | – | Net Carb |
| Corn (1 medium ear) | 90 | 17 | |
| Corn (cooked, 1 cup) | 180 | 36 | |
| Legumes | Calories | – | Net Carb |
| Black beans (cooked, 1/2 cup) | 100 | 20 | |
| Black soy beans (cooked, 1/2 cup) | 120 | 5 | |
| Cannellini beans (cooked, 1 cup) | 200 | 34 | |
| Red kidney beans (cooked, 1 cup) | 154 | 27 | |
| Chickpeas (cooked, 1 cup) | 240 | 32 | |
| Pinto beans (cooked, 1 cup) | 200 | 40 | |
| Lentils (cooked, 1 cup) | 230 | 32 |
I recommend eating either fresh or frozen vegetables. Freezing vegetables does an excellent job preserving the nutrient content, though it can cause some vegetables to have a less than desirable texture. The least preferred source of vegetables (though still healthy), are canned vegetables. This is for two reasons. First, the canning process neutralizes some of the nutrients, and second, it often causes the vegetables to have an inferior flavor and texture.
You should avoid routinely drinking processed vegetable juices. These may be laced with added sugar, and are stripped of the critically important insoluble fiber. I am OK with you drinking vegetable juices you make yourself, but I strongly recommend having a vegetable smoothie instead (which leaves in the insoluble fiber). Below is an example of a basic veggie smoothie.