One cup of raw Brussels sprouts contains about 8 grams of total carbohydrates. With 3 grams of fiber in that same cup, the net carb count drops to roughly 5 grams, making Brussels sprouts one of the lower-carb vegetables you can put on your plate.
Carbs in Raw vs. Cooked Brussels Sprouts
The carb count shifts depending on whether you’re eating Brussels sprouts raw or cooked, mostly because cooking changes how much fits in a cup. Raw Brussels sprouts are bulkier, so a one-cup serving weighs about 88 grams. Once cooked, Brussels sprouts shrink and soften, letting you pack more into the same measuring cup. A cup of boiled Brussels sprouts weighs around 156 grams and contains 11 grams of total carbohydrates with 4.1 grams of fiber. That puts the net carbs for a cooked cup at about 7 grams.
The carbs themselves come from a mix of fiber and natural sugars. A raw cup has about 2 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber. The sugar content is mild, roughly the same as what you’d find in a comparable serving of broccoli or cauliflower.
How Brussels Sprouts Compare to Other Vegetables
Per 100 grams of raw vegetable, Brussels sprouts contain about 9 grams of carbohydrates. That’s moderately low but not the lowest option in the produce aisle. Broccoli comes in at 6.6 grams of carbs per 100 grams, making it the leaner choice if you’re strictly counting. Cauliflower and zucchini sit even lower. On the other hand, Brussels sprouts are lower in carbs than root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, or beets, which can easily double or triple that number.
For most people watching their carb intake, Brussels sprouts land comfortably in the “eat freely” category alongside leafy greens, broccoli, and bell peppers.
Net Carbs and Keto Compatibility
If you follow a keto or low-carb diet, net carbs matter more than total carbs because fiber passes through your digestive system without raising blood sugar. A cup of raw Brussels sprouts at roughly 5 grams of net carbs fits easily within a typical keto target of 20 to 50 grams per day. Even a generous cooked serving at 7 net carbs leaves plenty of room.
Brussels sprouts also have a glycemic index of just 15 and a glycemic load of 1 per 100-gram serving. For context, anything under 55 on the glycemic index is considered low, and a glycemic load under 10 is minimal. This means Brussels sprouts cause very little blood sugar movement, which is useful information whether you’re managing diabetes or simply trying to avoid energy crashes after meals.
How Cooking Methods Change the Carb Count
Plain steamed or boiled Brussels sprouts stay close to their baseline nutrition. The real carb increases come from what you add during cooking. Roasting Brussels sprouts with olive oil adds fat and calories but doesn’t significantly change the carb count on its own. The trouble starts with glazes and sauces.
A half-cup serving of balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts, for example, jumps to 25.2 grams of total carbohydrates, according to a recipe from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That’s more than triple the carbs in plain cooked sprouts, and the extra grams come almost entirely from the balsamic vinegar reduction and any added sweetener. Honey garlic preparations, maple glazes, and teriyaki sauces create similar spikes. If you’re tracking carbs closely, stick to olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic for roasting. You’ll keep the carb count near its natural level while still getting plenty of flavor from the caramelization that happens at high heat.
What Else You Get From Those Carbs
Brussels sprouts pack a surprising amount of nutrition into a small carb budget. A half-cup of cooked Brussels sprouts delivers about 80% of your daily vitamin C, which supports immune function and helps your body absorb iron from plant foods. They’re also a strong source of vitamin K, important for blood clotting and bone health, along with folate and smaller amounts of potassium and manganese.
The fiber deserves its own mention. At 3 to 4 grams per cup depending on preparation, Brussels sprouts contribute meaningfully to the recommended daily intake of 25 to 30 grams. That fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, supports digestion, and helps you feel full longer, which is part of why Brussels sprouts show up so often in weight management plans. Gram for gram, few vegetables deliver this combination of low net carbs, high fiber, and dense micronutrition.