How many carbs are in broccoli?
Broccoli has 11.2 g of total carbs per 1 cup chopped (156 g) — about 6.1 g net carbs after 5.1 g of fiber. That's 7.2 g of carbs per 100 g, roughly 4% of the 275 g Daily Value.
USDA FoodData Central · cooked, boiled · FDC 169967
Carbs by portion
| Portion | Total carbs | Net carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup chopped (156 g) | 11.2 g | 6.1 g | 5.1 g | 2.2 g | 55 |
| 100 g | 7.2 g | 3.9 g | 3.3 g | 1.4 g | 35 |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 2 g | 1.1 g | 0.9 g | 0.4 g | 10 |
Net carbs = total carbs − fiber (the carbs that raise blood sugar, used in keto/low-carb tracking). Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 169967, SR Legacy). cooked, boiled.
Broccoli is the low-carb vegetable people reach for, and the numbers back it up. A 1-cup chopped serving of cooked broccoli (156 g) carries about 11.2 g of total carbohydrate, but nearly half of that is fiber — roughly 5.1 g. Subtract the fiber and you land at about 6.1 g of net carbs, the figure that matters for keto and low-carb tracking. Per 100 g the totals are 7.2 g carbs, 3.3 g fiber, leaving about 3.9 g net. There’s almost no sugar in the mix either — only about 2.2 g per cup — so what you’re counting is a small, fiber-cushioned load.
Why net carbs are so much lower than total
Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber, and broccoli has a large gap between the two. About 45% of its carbohydrate is fiber — the indigestible part that passes through without being broken down into blood sugar. So while the total reads ~11.2 g per cup, the digestible, blood-sugar-relevant load is closer to 6 g. There’s barely any sugar to add to that, so broccoli’s carbs are mostly slow-digesting plant fiber rather than starch or sweetness. That’s the heart of why a heaping plate of broccoli costs so little against a carb budget: you get a lot of food, fiber and nutrients for very few usable carbs.
The keto and low-carb verdict
Broccoli is genuinely keto-friendly — one of the safest vegetables on a low-carb plan and the opposite of the starchy sides it replaces. At ~6.1 g net carbs per cup, it fits easily inside a strict 20 g keto day, and you can eat a generous serving without much worry. The same fiber that lowers net carbs also slows digestion, so broccoli produces a gentle, flat blood-sugar response — which, with its low sugar, makes it a diabetic-friendly green as well as a keto one. As a swap for potato, rice or pasta, it trades dense starch for volume and fiber at a fraction of the net carbohydrate.
Broccoli is more than a carb to manage, though — for a vegetable it carries a respectable amount of protein. If you want that side of the picture, see protein in broccoli. And for any packaged or frozen-with-sauce version, read the label’s own carb and fiber lines, since net carbs depend on both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbs are in a cup of broccoli?
About 11.2 g of total carbohydrate in a 1-cup chopped serving of cooked broccoli (156 g), which is 7.2 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 169967). But that total is misleading on its own — about 5 g of it is fiber, so the number that counts for low-carb eating is much lower.
What are the net carbs in broccoli?
Roughly 6.1 g net carbs per cooked cup — total carbs (~11.2 g) minus the ~5.1 g of fiber. Nearly half of broccoli's carbohydrate is fiber, which is exactly why this everyday vegetable is so low in usable carbs and so easy to fit on keto.
Is broccoli keto or low-carb?
Yes — broccoli is one of the most keto-friendly vegetables there is. At ~6.1 g net carbs per cup, it slots easily into a strict 20 g keto day, and you can eat a generous portion without much cost. Low total carbs, high fiber and almost no sugar make it a low-carb staple.
How much fiber and sugar is in broccoli?
About 5.1 g of fiber per cooked cup (3.3 g per 100 g) and only ~2.2 g of natural sugar. That high-fiber, low-sugar profile is the whole story: the fiber is what makes net carbs (~6 g) so much lower than total carbs (~11 g), and the lack of sugar is why broccoli barely affects blood sugar.
Does broccoli have fewer carbs than potato?
Far fewer of the kind that count. A cup of broccoli is ~11.2 g total carbs and just ~6.1 g net; a cup of potato is roughly 30 g of mostly digestible starch with little fiber. Broccoli delivers volume, fiber and nutrients for a fraction of the net carbohydrate, which is why it's the low-carb swap for starchy sides.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 169967 (Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). See our methodology and the macro calculator to turn this into a daily target.