Non-starchy vegetables can be part of a diabetes meal plan, but they do not replace prescribed treatment. Among the ten vegetables compared here, boiled green beans provide the most fiber: 3.2 g per 100 g.
The CDC's plate method puts non-starchy vegetables on half of a 9-inch (23 cm) plate, with lean protein and carbohydrate foods filling the other two quarters. Eating carbohydrate alongside fiber, protein, or fat can slow the rise in blood sugar. Your portions and the whole meal still matter; a care team can help you plan around your individual needs and medicines.
How we ranked this
We selected ten common vegetables from the American Diabetes Association's non-starchy list and ordered them by dietary fiber per 100 g in USDA SR Legacy. Green beans and okra are boiled and drained without salt; the other eight are raw. Equal fiber values are ordered by lower total carbohydrate. This compares the selected preparations, not the ten highest-fiber vegetables or their effectiveness against diabetes; changing the preparation or portion can change the order. Cup amounts are our calculation from USDA portion weights.
| No. | Vegetable (form) | Fiber (g per 100 g) | Total carbohydrate (g per 100 g) | Calories (per 100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green beans (boiled) | 3.2 | 7.88 | 35 |
| 2 | Carrots (raw) | 2.8 | 9.58 | 41 |
| 3 | Broccoli (raw) | 2.6 | 6.64 | 34 |
| 4 | Okra (boiled) | 2.5 | 4.51 | 22 |
| 5 | Green cabbage (raw) | 2.5 | 5.80 | 25 |
| 6 | Spinach (raw) | 2.2 | 3.63 | 23 |
| 7 | Romaine lettuce (raw) | 2.1 | 3.29 | 17 |
| 8 | Cauliflower (raw) | 2.0 | 4.97 | 25 |
| 9 | Radishes (raw) | 1.6 | 3.40 | 16 |
| 10 | Cucumber with peel (raw) | 0.5 | 3.63 | 15 |
10. Cucumber
Raw cucumber with its peel supplies 0.5 g of fiber and 3.63 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. The same amount contains 95.23 g of water. A half cup of slices weighs 52 g and provides about 0.3 g of fiber and 1.9 g of carbohydrate.
Its crisp texture works well alongside softer foods: slice it into a salad, cut it into sticks, or add it to a sandwich. Try thin rounds with radishes or thicker pieces alongside a meal. The figures describe plain cucumber with peel, rather than pickles or a prepared salad. The small seeds and pale flesh are part of the edible portion measured here.
9. Radishes
Raw radishes provide 1.6 g of fiber and 3.40 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, along with 14.8 mg of vitamin C. A cup of slices weighs 116 g and gives about 1.9 g of fiber and 3.9 g of carbohydrate. That cup is a little larger than the table's 100 g portion.
Their peppery flavor and crisp bite can add variety to a salad without needing a complicated recipe. Slice them thinly with cucumber, shred them into a cabbage slaw, or serve them beside a meal. The numbers here are for ordinary raw radishes, not pickled radishes with added sugar. For more ways to vary a salad, see our vegetables you can eat raw.
8. Cauliflower
Raw cauliflower contains 2.0 g of fiber and 4.97 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. It also provides 48.2 mg of vitamin C in that amount. A cup chopped into small pieces weighs 107 g and supplies about 2.1 g of fiber and 5.3 g of carbohydrate.
Break the head into florets for a crunchy salad or vegetable platter, or chop the florets into smaller pieces to mix with other vegetables. Roasting or steaming offers another way to serve it. For a prepared cauliflower dish, use its ingredient list and nutrition label because the table describes plain raw cauliflower. A whole head gives you room to divide it between several meals.
7. Romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce has 2.1 g of fiber and 3.29 g of carbohydrate per 100 g raw. That amount also contains 136 micrograms of folate, measured as dietary folate equivalents (DFE). Leafy vegetables are light for their volume: a cup of shredded romaine weighs 47 g and provides about 1.0 g of fiber and 1.5 g of carbohydrate.
Use the leaves as a salad base, chop them into a sandwich, or keep them whole to hold a filling. This entry is specifically romaine, also called cos lettuce. Larger outer leaves and smaller inner leaves offer different sizes for serving. When assembling a salad, include the dressing and toppings in your meal plan too—the lettuce figures cover only the leaves.
6. Spinach
Raw spinach provides 2.2 g of fiber and 3.63 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, as well as 482.9 micrograms of vitamin K. A cup of raw leaves weighs just 30 g and supplies about 0.7 g of fiber and 1.1 g of carbohydrate. The loose leaves take up plenty of space in a bowl.
Use tender leaves in a salad or sandwich, or cook them as part of a meal. If you take warfarin, keep your intake of vitamin K-containing foods consistent and discuss diet changes with your clinician. This is a reason to plan changes, not to suddenly remove leafy greens. Our guide to nutrients in common vegetables offers more ways to add variety.
5. Cabbage
Raw green cabbage supplies 2.5 g of fiber and 5.80 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. The same amount contains 36.6 mg of vitamin C. A cup chopped weighs 89 g and provides about 2.2 g of fiber and 5.2 g of carbohydrate. Its tightly packed leaves separate into broad pieces that are easy to cut into strips.
Shred cabbage for a crisp slaw, add thin strips to a sandwich, or combine it with other raw vegetables. Carrots and radishes bring different colors and textures to the bowl. For packaged slaw, check the label for the dressing and portion size; the table describes plain raw cabbage. You can also serve the shredded vegetables and dressing separately.
4. Okra
Okra boiled and drained without salt provides 2.5 g of fiber and 4.51 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, plus 16.3 mg of vitamin C. It shares cabbage's 2.5 g fiber figure. Okra appears first because our tiebreak uses lower total carbohydrate: 4.51 g compared with cabbage's 5.80 g.
Half a cup of boiled okra slices weighs 80 g and gives about 2.0 g of fiber and 3.6 g of carbohydrate. Serve it as a side or add it to a stew with other vegetables. Cut across the pods for small rounds, or keep them whole when serving them alongside a meal. These figures apply to boiled okra, rather than fried or breaded versions.
3. Broccoli
Raw broccoli contains 2.6 g of fiber and 6.64 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, along with 89.2 mg of vitamin C. A cup chopped weighs 91 g and supplies about 2.4 g of fiber and 6.0 g of carbohydrate. USDA's boiled, drained broccoli entry has 3.3 g of fiber per 100 g, which would place it above these green beans.
Serve raw florets in a salad, arrange them on a vegetable platter, or choose a cooked version you enjoy. Smaller florets are easy to mix with chopped carrots or cauliflower. Broccoli is one of the non-starchy vegetables the CDC names for the vegetable half of a meal. The table uses the raw form.
2. Carrots
Raw carrots supply 2.8 g of fiber and 9.58 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. They contain more total carbohydrate than any of the other nine vegetables in this table. The same amount provides 835 micrograms of vitamin A, measured as retinol activity equivalents (RAE). A cup chopped weighs 128 g and provides about 3.6 g of fiber and 12.3 g of carbohydrate.
Carrots are still classified as non-starchy vegetables by the American Diabetes Association; the category does not mean carbohydrate-free. Grate them into a salad, cut them into sticks, or scatter chopped pieces among leafy vegetables. Their orange color stands out alongside green leaves and pale cabbage. Choose the cut that works best with the rest of your meal.
1. Green beans
Green beans boiled, drained, and prepared without salt provide 3.2 g of fiber and 7.88 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. They lead these ten selected preparations by fiber. The same amount contains 9.7 mg of vitamin C. Half a cup weighs 62.5 g and supplies about 2.0 g of fiber and 4.9 g of carbohydrate.
Serve them as a side with the other parts of your meal. Plain frozen or canned vegetables can also be useful options; the ADA advises choosing versions without added sodium, fat, or sugar. Check the package because this table measures boiled green beans, not every canned or frozen product. For broader meal variety, explore our healthy foods worth adding to your diet.
A note about medicines and individual needs
Keep taking diabetes medicines as prescribed, and talk with your care team before taking supplements, which may affect how your medicines work. Bitter-melon supplements and other herbal products have not been proven effective for diabetes and should not replace treatment. If you take warfarin, keep vitamin K intake consistent, as noted under spinach. If you have kidney disease, ask your care team what potassium intake is right for you.
This is general information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or registered dietitian.
SourcesSources are linked throughout the article. The main sources are listed below.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release — April 2018; official data archive. Table records: NDB 11053, 11124, 11090, 11279, 11109, 11457, 11251, 11135, 11429, and 11205. Cooked-broccoli comparison: 11091. Portion figures are our calculations from USDA household weights.
- American Diabetes Association: Non-Starchy Vegetables — selection and food-group guidance.
