Is Cauliflower Keto?!(Carbs, Benefits, Risks, Recipes)

Cauliflower is among the best healthy cruciferous vegetables. The head portion of cauliflower is widely used in several healthy dishes.

But is it low carb or is cauliflower keto-approved vegetable? If you are a low-carb or keto lover you must insert the low carb and fiber-rich cauliflower in your ketogenic recipes.

In this article, we will look into a detailed analysis of ketogenic cauliflower benefits, risks, substitutes, and recipes.

Is Cauliflower Low in Carbs?

Cauliflower is not only low in carbs but also low in net carbs. These two properties make cauliflower among the best ketogenic vegetables.

A 100 gram serving of cauliflower provides only 4.97 grams of total carbs with 2 grams of dietary fiber. After deduction of the dietary fiber, the net carbs of cauliflower come down to only 2.97 grams.

How Many Net Carbs in 1 Cup of Cauliflower?

1 cup chopped cauliflower or half pieces of cauliflower weighs 107 grams. You will get 5.32 grams of total carbs from this serving size.

After omitting the 2.14 grams of dietary fiber, the net carbs of 1 cup cauliflower becomes 3.18 grams.

Benefits & Risks of Cauliflower on Keto

Cauliflower is low in net carbs which helps to achieve quick ketosis symptoms. These symptoms of ketosis are used to identify whether you are on ketosis or not.

However, cauliflower is not high in fat like all other keto vegetables. So, to get the required high fat on keto you should consume other fatty keto-friendly foods also.

Moreover, cauliflower is a great source of both macronutrients and micronutrients. Cauliflower contains a high amount of fiber.

The fiber helps to prevent constipation on keto. That’s why you can consume cauliflower as a natural laxative.

Also, you may include cauliflower with your anti-constipation vegetable list. Moreover, the high fiber component of cauliflower can help to lose weight.

Studies have shown that intake of fiber-rich foods can promote healthy weight loss (1). That’s why cauliflower is considered among the best keto weight loss vegetables.

However, there are some adverse effects of too much cauliflower consumption also observed. Cauliflower is famous for causing stomach troubles especially cauliflower can make you gassy.

It’s because fiber-rich cauliflower falls under the high FODMAP category. According to studies, a high FODMAP diet can trigger bloating, gas, and stomach pain (2).

Moreover, the high dietary fiber component of ketogenic cauliflower can make you bloated on keto. As fiber can cause gas and bloat in healthy adults (3).

These two factors are also a leading cause of morning stomach aches after eating too much cauliflower on the previous night.

However, you can get rid of cauliflower-related stomach problems easily by controlling the intake of cauliflower. Also, adding more water to your diet helps you to handle unabsorbed dietary fiber easily, which in turn reduces the risk of gas, bloating, and stomach pain.

Cauliflower Nutrient Value

Cauliflower contains a rich nutrient profile. It is high in several minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Keto-friendly cauliflower is a rich source of vitamin C. That’s why if you are looking for a keto vegetable high in vitamin C, cauliflower can fulfill your requirement.

In fact, with only 100-gram consumption of cauliflower, you can get more than 50 percent of vitamin C DV(daily required value). It’s because our daily standard vitamin C requirement is 90 grams and the 100 grams of cauliflower provides 48 grams of vitamin C.

Moreover, cauliflower is a potassium-rich keto vegetable. You can add cauliflower to your diet plan to overcome potassium deficiency on keto.

Also, cauliflower is a good source of fiber and protein. The low-calorie formula of cauliflower helps you to save from calorie overload.

A 100 gram serving of raw cauliflower provides (4)

  • Calories: 25
  • Protein: 1.92 g
  • Fat: 0.28 g
  • Carbs: 4.97 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 1.91 g

What Are The Substitutes of Cauliflowers on Keto

There are several nutritious alternatives to cauliflower. Furthermore, all of these substitutes are low in carbs and perfectly fitted for a ketogenic diet plan.

Some best and highly nutritious cauliflower substitutes are:

Cauliflower Recipes

Cauliflowers are widely used in numerous ketogenic recipes. All of these delicious recipes are low in carbs and will not kick you out of ketosis.

Some famous keto-approved cauliflower recipes are:

Final Thoughts

Cauliflower is a powerhouse of healthy nutrients. The low carb and high fiber formula of cauliflower makes it an ideal keto vegetable.

Cauliflower can provide several health benefits especially aiding in weight loss and prevention of constipation. Moreover, potassium-rich cauliflower can also help to reduce the risk of potassium deficiency.

However, cauliflower is high in FODMAP which may cause gas, bloating, and stomach pain. Moreover, the high fiber component of cauliflower increases the risk of bloating.