Keto Foods

Is Cabbage Keto? – Net Carbs and Keto-friendly Recipes

By Bree

Last updated on September 6, 2022

Cabbage is one of the most widely used green veggies among keto dieters. A big part of that is because it’s just so flexible; you can use cabbage in all kinds of different keto recipes. But is cabbage keto after all?

It does contain more than double the amount of net carbs than both its protein and fat combined, so it makes sense for people to be confused about it. As we’ll find out today, sometimes there’s more to certain ‘keto foods’ than meets the eye.

What Makes Cabbage a Popular Choice for Low Carb Diets?

Green vegetables like cabbage are incredibly popular among people following low carb diet plans especially when compared to more starchy options like potatoes. Here are a few of the reasons why healthy greens are so popular for low carb dieters:

Healthy greens like cabbage are incredibly low calorie veggie options.
Cabbage is low in carbs, which means you can include plenty of cabbage with your meals without worrying about being knocked out of ketosis.
Cabbage is incredibly nutrient-dense as well, offering an excellent mix of essential vitamins and minerals.
It also provides you with both dietary fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants.
Cabbage can be used for everything from making green salads to veggie casserole dishes.

Is Cabbage Keto?

At first glance, you would never consider cabbage to be a ‘keto food’; after all, it has next to nothing to offer you in terms of either dietary fat or protein.

However, what cabbage does provide you with is an abundance of essential micronutrients in the form of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and especially antioxidants. These micronutrients are all just as essential for optimal health as fats and protein are while on the keto diet.

Green veggies like cabbage work great for providing you with these micronutrients, all the while keeping your overall carb intake to the bare minimum. For this reason, cabbage can indeed be considered a 100% keto-friendly vegetable.

Cabbage Nutrition Facts

If you’re curious about how cabbage breaks down nutrition-wise, then we’ve got you covered. One cup of chopped cabbage (about 89 grams total) breaks down as follows:

22 calories
0.1 grams of fat
1.1 grams protein
5 grams carbs
2.2 grams dietary fiber
2.8 grams sugar
0 mg cholesterol
16 mg sodium
151.3 mg potassium

Good Keto Cabbage Recipes

Garlic Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry

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Creamy and Tangy Keto Coleslaw

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Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl

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Rice-less Keto Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Keto Cabbage Weight Loss Soup

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Keto Taco Bowl

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Cabbage Health Benefits

Green veggies are widely known to provide you with an abundance of fantastic health benefits, and cabbage is no exception. Here are some of the best health benefits offered by cabbage:

Excellent source of antioxidants. Cabbage is incredibly rich in antioxidant compounds, which help to protect your body against various diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s. (1)
Relieves inflammation. In addition to its antioxidant content, cabbage also contains several anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds help to relieve chronic inflammation within the body, which in turn helps to further reduce your risk of developing inflammatory diseases. (2)
Improved digestion. Cabbage also contains a modest amount of dietary fiber, which can help with digestion and keeping bowel movements regular. The type of fiber in cabbage is soluble fiber, which studies have shown is able to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome. (3)

Keto Cabbage Alternatives

If you don’t like cabbage, then the good news is that you have plenty of viable replacement options when it comes to healthy green veggies you can include on the keto diet. Here are a few of our favorite keto-friendly cabbage alternatives.