Can You Eat Cabbage on a Keto Diet?
Diet & NutritionKetogenic Diet

Is Cabbage Keto?

Is Cabbage Keto?
Canva; Everyday Health
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Updated on December 4, 2025
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If you follow a keto diet, cabbage can be a great low-carb veggie that adds some crunch and fiber to your meals. It really shines in dishes like coleslaw, stir-fries, and sauerkraut.

Cabbage Nutrition Facts

Cabbage is considered a nonstarchy vegetable, meaning it is lower in digestible carbohydrates. It is also a good source of fiber and vitamin C.

Additionally, fermented cabbage foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, provide probiotics, which may support beneficial bacteria in your gut.

One cup, or 90 grams (g), of raw green cabbage contains:

  • Calories 28
  • Protein 0.86 g
  • Fat 0.2g
  • Carbohydrates 5.74 g
  • Fiber 2.25 g
  • Vitamin C 36.3 milligrams (mg)

Can You Eat Cabbage on Keto?

Cabbage is low in "net carbs," which makes it a good keto-friendly option.

Net carbs is the amount of digestible carbohydrates in a food that can affect blood sugar levels. It is calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohol from the total amount of carbohydrates.

One cup of raw green cabbage has about 3.5 g of net carbs.

People following a keto diet often use net carbs as a guide to help them stay within their carbohydrate range. But because fiber and sugar alcohols are partially digested, a net carbs figure is only an estimate.

Also, because cabbage is high in vitamin C, you may want to choose it instead of higher carb foods, such as fruits and some vegetables. “Most fruits, with the exception of berries, are going to throw you out of ketosis. Including cabbage in your diet is a great idea,” says Diana Rodgers, RD, of Sustainable Dish in Concord, Massachusetts. One cup of cabbage may provide more than half the daily recommended intake.

Cabbage "supplies a nice amount of volume to a meal,” says Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy in New York City. “Many times with keto, you’re eating foods that are very dense, and cabbage can break up the monotony of your meals.”

Keto Recipes With Cabbage

Cabbage is a versatile vegetable: You can add it chopped, shredded, fermented as sauerkraut, or spiced and fermented as kimchi. Here are three keto cabbage recipes to try.

  • Keto Southern Fried Cabbage With Bacon This recipe from Wholesome Yum sautés seasoned cabbage and onion with bacon. Top it with a piece of chicken and consider dinner done.
  • Keto Cabbage Hash Browns Traditional potato hash browns may be out, but Low Carb Yum makes a worthy substitute with shredded cabbage and eggs, crisped up into pancake perfection.
  • Keto Sausage and Cabbage Skillet This one-pan meal from Maebells features browned sausage with cabbage for crunch, and it kicks up the flavor with several spices.

The Takeaway

  • Cabbage is low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and other healthy nutrients, making it a good option if you follow a keto diet.
  • Because it is high in vitamin C, cabbage can replace less keto-friendly sources, like fruits and starchy vegetables.
  • There are many ways to include cabbage in your diet. Try adding it to coleslaw, sautéing it in savory dishes, or using sauerkraut or kimchi as a garnish.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. 8 Health Benefits of Cabbage. Cleveland Clinic. September 2, 2022.
  2. Cabbage, green, raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central. October 31, 2024.
  3. Get to Know Carbs. American Diabetes Association.
  4. Vitamin C: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. July 31, 2025.
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Melissa Sleight, RDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Melissa Sleight, RDN, is a board-certified lifestyle medicine dietitian with over 15 years of experience. She has a passion for educating her clients about improving their health through nutrition and lifestyle changes, and seeing them motivated to improve their health each day.

Sleight earned her bachelor's in nutrition and food science from Utah State University. She is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition group for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is involved at the local level as the president-elect of Magic Valley Dietitians and is a liaison for her community as a board member of the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

She likes to cook and try new recipes, and loves water activities of all kinds — from paddleboards to hot tubs. She enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking, on all-terrain vehicles, and camping.
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Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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