Cabbage is one of the lowest-carb vegetables you can eat. A cup of chopped raw green cabbage has roughly 3 grams of net carbs, and even generous servings barely make a dent in daily carb limits for most diets. Whether you’re counting carbs for keto, blood sugar management, or general health, cabbage is about as carb-friendly as vegetables get.
Carbs by Cabbage Variety
Not all cabbage is created equal, but the differences are small. Green cabbage is the lightest option at around 2.9 grams of net carbs per cup (chopped, raw). Red cabbage runs slightly higher, with a chopped cup providing about 4.7 grams of net carbs. Napa cabbage is the leanest of all, coming in under 2 grams of net carbs per cup of shredded leaves.
Cooking concentrates the carbs somewhat because cabbage shrinks as it loses water. A cup of boiled, shredded red cabbage climbs to about 6.5 grams of net carbs. That’s still low by any standard, but worth noting if you’re tracking closely and eating large portions of cooked cabbage in soups or stir-fries.
How Cabbage Compares to Other Vegetables
A half-cup of raw shredded green cabbage has just 2 grams of carbohydrates. The same amount of raw broccoli has 3 grams, making cabbage slightly lower even compared to other well-known low-carb vegetables. The real contrast shows up against starchy options: a single medium baked potato contains 34 to 37 grams of carbohydrate, roughly 17 times what you’d get from a serving of cabbage.
This puts cabbage in the same tier as leafy greens, zucchini, and cucumbers. It’s a vegetable you can pile onto your plate without worrying about carb counts adding up quickly.
Cabbage on Keto and Low-Carb Diets
Most ketogenic diets aim for fewer than 50 grams of net carbs per day. Since a cup of raw cabbage stays well under 5 grams of net carbs regardless of variety, it fits comfortably into that budget. You could eat several cups a day and still have plenty of room for other foods. Napa cabbage is the best pick if you want maximum volume for minimal carbs, working well as a lettuce substitute in wraps or salads.
Cabbage also works as a stand-in for higher-carb ingredients. Shredded cabbage can replace noodles in stir-fries, and whole leaves make surprisingly good tortilla or bun substitutes. These swaps can cut carbs dramatically in meals that would otherwise push your daily total higher.
Glycemic Index and Blood Sugar
Cabbage has a glycemic index of 10, which is extremely low. For reference, anything below 55 is classified as low-GI. This means eating cabbage causes almost no spike in blood sugar, making it a safe choice for people managing diabetes or insulin resistance.
The fiber in cabbage plays a role here too. Half a cup of raw red cabbage provides about 0.7 grams of dietary fiber. That might sound modest, but cabbage is rarely eaten in half-cup portions. A more realistic serving of two or three cups in a coleslaw or stir-fry delivers a meaningful amount of fiber, which slows digestion and helps keep blood sugar steady after meals. Research on the insoluble fiber extracted from cabbage leaves has shown it can improve how the body handles glucose and lipids by influencing gut bacteria and supporting the body’s ability to store sugar properly rather than letting it circulate in the bloodstream.
Raw vs. Cooked Carb Counts
Raw cabbage is lower in carbs per cup than cooked, but this is mostly a volume trick. When you boil or sauté cabbage, it wilts down significantly, so a “cup” of cooked cabbage represents more actual cabbage than a cup of raw. Health Canada data shows a half-cup of raw shredded green cabbage has 2 grams of carbs, while the same volume boiled and drained has 4 grams. You’re not creating new carbohydrates by cooking. You’re just fitting more cabbage into the measuring cup.
If you’re tracking carefully, weigh your cabbage rather than measuring by volume. That gives you a consistent number regardless of whether it’s raw, roasted, or sautéed.