The ketogenic (keto) diet has become incredibly popular over the past few years. This low-carb high-fat diet puts your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. To get into ketosis, you need to restrict your carb intake to around 50 grams per day. This means saying goodbye to obvious carb-heavy foods like bread pasta and sugary treats. But what about vegetables? Can you still enjoy veggies like green beans on keto?
The short answer is yes! Green beans are a keto-friendly food that can absolutely be included in a well-formulated ketogenic diet Here’s what you need to know about eating green beans and other low-carb vegetables on keto
An Overview of the Keto Diet
The keto diet works by severely limiting carbohydrate intake and replacing those calories with healthy fats. It typically provides around 70-80% of calories from fat, 15-20% from protein and just 5-10% from carbs.
By restricting carbs to around 20-50 grams per day, your body enters ketosis. In this fat-burning state, your liver breaks down fat into ketones, which become the main source of fuel for your body and brain
People choose to follow keto for a variety of reasons, including:
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar control
- Reduced appetite
- More energy and mental clarity
- Treatment of neurological conditions like epilepsy
Research shows keto can be beneficial for weight loss, diabetes, PCOS and more. However, it does require carefully tracking your nutrient intake, especially carbs.
Why Are Carbs Restricted on Keto?
Carbs are restricted on keto because they’re broken down into glucose, the main source of fuel for your body. As long as glucose is available, your body prefers to use that over fat and ketones.
By slashing carb intake way down, you “low-carb flu” as your body gets used to burning fat and ketones. Symptoms like fatigue, headaches and irritability usually subside within a week or two.
After adapting to keto, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat. Ketosis suppresses your appetite and provides steady energy, a big reason the diet is so effective for weight loss.
However, getting into and staying in ketosis requires keeping carbs low enough to prevent your body from returning to using glucose as its go-to fuel. That’s why carb counting is so important on keto.
How Many Carbs Can You Eat on Keto?
Experts recommend limiting carbs to around 5–10% of total calories for ketosis. This works out to:
- 20–50 grams of net carbs per day
- 25 grams of net carbs or less for faster weight loss
Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber since it isn’t digested and absorbed. For example, 1 cup of broccoli has 6g total carbs and 2g of fiber. 6g – 2g = 4g net carbs.
Many keto dieters aim for the lower carb range of 20–30 grams of net carbs daily, especially when first starting out. This ensures ketosis while still allowing room for low-carb veggies and small amounts of berries and nuts.
What About Green Beans and Other Veggies on Keto?
Non-starchy vegetables like green beans, spinach and Brussels sprouts can absolutely be included on a ketogenic diet. They provide important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Most low-carb veggies have around 2–5 grams of net carbs per serving. This makes them a smart choice when you’re counting carbs.
Green beans are one of the best keto veggies. Just a half-cup serving of cooked green beans contains 2 grams of net carbs and just 22 calories.
They’re an excellent source of vitamin K, providing over 30% of the daily value. Green beans also provide vitamin C, manganese and fiber.
Here are some other great low-carb vegetable choices on keto:
- Lettuce and leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula): 1–2g net carbs per serving
- Cucumbers: around 2g net carbs per serving
- Bell peppers: around 3g net carbs per serving
- Broccoli and cauliflower: around 3–5g net carbs per serving
- Asparagus: around 2–3g net carbs per 4 spears
- Celery and radishes: under 1g net carb per serving
- Tomatoes: around 3g net carbs per tomato
- Mushrooms: under 2g net carbs for 6 mushrooms
- Zucchini and summer squash: 2–4g net carbs per serving
- Eggplant: around 5g net carbs per serving
- Green beans: 2g net carbs per 1/2 cup cooked
When purchasing veggies, opt for fresh or frozen without added sauces or sugars. Low-carb options can be found in most grocery stores.
Prioritize leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and other nutrition powerhouses. Buy a variety of colors to maximize nutrient diversity.
Veggies to Avoid on Keto
While green beans and other low-carb veggies get the green light, some higher-carb varieties should be minimized or avoided on keto.
Starchy vegetables to limit include:
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Peas
- Winter squash
- Beets
Each serving of these veggies provides at least 10-15g net carbs, which can quickly use up your daily carb allowance.
Legumes like beans and lentils are also too high in carbs for keto. Just 1/2 cup of kidney beans has a whopping 20g net carbs.
Fruits can be tricky on keto as well. Berries are the best low-carb fruit options. Limit high-sugar fruits like bananas, grapes, apples and mangos.
Tips for Adding More Low-Carb Veggies
Here are some simple tips to pump up your vegetable intake on keto:
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Make salads and lettuce wraps. Fill them with plenty of keto-friendly veggies. Top with olive oil or avocado instead of sugary dressings.
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Try veggie noodles. Spiralized zucchini or palmini noodles are a perfect pasta swap. Opt for red sauce over creamy sauces to cut carbs.
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Sauté veggies like asparagus, broccoli, peppers and green beans in olive oil with garlic and seasonings.
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Steam or roast cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, eggplant and other low-carb veg. Toss in olive oil and spices.
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Add veggies to omelets. Spinach, mushrooms and peppers make great keto omelet fillings.
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Enjoy crunchy veggies like cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers and celery with full-fat dips for an easy snack.
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Drink green smoothies. Blend spinach or kale with avocado, chia seeds, collagen and keto-friendly protein powder.
The Bottom Line
Green beans and other low-carb vegetables can absolutely be part of a healthy ketogenic diet. Just be mindful of portions.
Aim for 4-6 cups of veggies daily, focusing on leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, peppers and other nutrition powerhouses. Avoid going overboard on starchy veggies like potatoes and corn.
With a little creativity, you can enjoy plenty of delicious low-carb vegetables on keto. Vibrant plant foods provide nutrients and fiber to support your health.
Eat your green beans
Well the age old saying of eating your vegetable still holds true as green beans are extremely healthy. They are full of fiber which is an important nutrient. It generally helps with your gut and intestines and keeping things working smoothly. They also have lots of vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and calcium. But you get it right? Vegetables are good for you. Whether you are eating spinach or cauliflower or or mushrooms or green beans. Just eat them.
Pair it with dishes!
What goes great with these green beans. I personally would love it on the side of something like my Keto bacon bomb. These would go well with my Keto pork ribs or my tandoori roast chicken.
You can leave out the butter and cheese and just use olive oil to make this dish vegan. You can also throw in some nuts like peanuts for a bit of crunch and texture.
Are beans keto-friendly? Can I eat beans on keto?
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