Zucchini Noodles: Calories, Nutrition and Health Benefits

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One cup of raw zucchini noodles (113 g) has about 19 calories, 1.4 g protein, 3.5 g carbs, 1.1 g fiber, 2.8 g sugar and 0.4 g fat. That is roughly one-tenth of the 200 calories Slender Kitchen lists for a cup of spaghetti. Zucchini is about 95% water, so the volume is large and the calories are small, and a cooked cup holds about twice as much zucchini.

Quick Nutrition Facts

Per 1 cup spiralized, raw (113 g)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	19 kcal
Protein	1.4g
Carbohydrates	3.5g
Fiber	1.1g
Sugars	2.8g
Fat	0.4g
Sodium	9 mg

Macronutrient Breakdown

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NUTRITIONIST'S INSIGHT

Zoodles are a vegetable, not a pasta swap with matching nutrition. A raw cup has 19 calories and 3.5 g of carbs, while a cup of spaghetti is about 200 calories, so the swap cuts a lot of calories and carbs. It also cuts protein: 1.4 g in the cup versus around 7 to 8 g in pasta, so a zoodle dinner needs a protein like chicken, shrimp, turkey meatballs or beans. Water is the other thing to plan for. Zucchini is about 95% water and releases liquid when heated, which is why cooked cups show higher numbers (about 38 calories and 7 g carbs per cup at Inspiralized): the noodles shrink and you pack more zucchini into the measuring cup. Salt and drain them first, then saute for 1 to 3 minutes. Most of the calories in a zoodle meal come from what goes on top. Two tablespoons of olive oil add about 240 calories and a half cup of alfredo sauce adds more than that, so the sauce is the number to watch.

Myth Busters

MYTH #1: Zucchini noodles have the same calories as pasta, just in a different shape

TRUTH: A cup of raw zoodles has about 19 calories and 3.5 g of carbs. Slender Kitchen puts a cup of spaghetti near 200 calories. The gap is real, but the sauce and oil you add can erase it. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)

MYTH #2: Zoodles are a high-protein swap

TRUTH: Zucchini has about 1.4 g of protein per cup. A pasta meal made with zoodles needs a protein source added, such as chicken, shrimp, eggs or lentils, or the meal will leave you hungry in an hour or two. Zucchini, raw, includes skin: USDA FoodData Central entry 169291 (per 100 g); Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)

MYTH #3: Zucchini noodles raise blood sugar as much as pasta

TRUTH: A cup has about 3.5 g of carbs and 1 g of fiber, and the American Diabetes Association counts zucchini as a non-starchy vegetable that may not raise blood glucose much. Pasta carries about 40 g of carbs in a cup, so the two are not comparable. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup); What is the Diabetes Plate? Non-starchy vegetables such as zucchini fill half the plate (American Diabetes Association)

MYTH #4: Cooked and raw zoodles have the same nutrition per cup

TRUTH: They do not. Zucchini is about 95% water and shrinks when cooked, so a cooked cup has more zucchini in it. Inspiralized lists about 38.5 calories and 7 g of carbs for a cooked cup, about double the raw cup. Per gram of zucchini, the values stay about the same. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup); Spaghetti vs. Zoodles: cooked zucchini noodle nutrition per cup (Inspiralized)

NutriScore by Health Goals

Health Goal	NutriScore	Why This Score?
Weight Loss		19 calories a cup means you can eat a large bowl for very little energy, and the volume fills the plate. Add lean protein so the meal keeps you full. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)
Muscle Gain		1.4 g of protein and 3.5 g of carbs per cup barely register for training. Zoodles work only as a side to a protein-heavy dish. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)
Diabetes		About 3.5 g of carbs and 1 g of fiber per cup, and the ADA lists zucchini as a non-starchy vegetable for half the plate. Watch sauces with added sugar. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup); What is the Diabetes Plate? Non-starchy vegetables such as zucchini fill half the plate (American Diabetes Association)
Heart Health		Zucchini has roughly 9 mg of sodium and almost no fat per cup, so heart-friendliness depends on what you add. Olive oil and a tomato sauce keep it so; cream sauce and cheese do not. Zucchini, raw, includes skin: USDA FoodData Central entry 169291 (per 100 g); Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)
Low-Carb / Keto		About 2.4 g of net carbs per cup (3.5 g carbs minus 1.1 g fiber) fits a low-carb plan easily. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup)

PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

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Blood Sugar Response to Zucchini Noodles

A cup of raw zucchini noodles has about 3.5 g of carbs and 1 g of fiber, so it has almost no effect on blood glucose. In a person with typical glucose handling, expect a very small rise of a few mg/dL within 30 to 45 minutes, back to baseline within 2 hours. These are illustrative values, not a measured curve. The meal curve is set by what you serve with them: a tomato sauce with meatballs stays flat, while sweet jarred sauce or a pile of garlic bread can push it up. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zucchini Noodles (Slender Kitchen, citing USDA: 19 kcal, 3.5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar per cup); What is the Diabetes Plate? Non-starchy vegetables such as zucchini fill half the plate (American Diabetes Association)

Typical Glucose Response Curve

Not medical advice

How to flatten the spike

Add protein such as chicken, shrimp, turkey meatballs or beans so the meal digests slowly.
Pick a tomato or pesto sauce with no added sugar; check jarred sauces for 'sugar' in the first few ingredients.
Salt and drain the noodles, then saute for 1 to 3 minutes so they stay firm and you do not need extra starchy thickeners.
Keep sauces and oil measured, since they hold most of the calories in the bowl.

Cultural Significance

Zucchini noodles, nicknamed zoodles, grew popular in the 2010s with home spiralizers and low-carb and paleo diets, as a way to eat a pasta-style dinner with far fewer carbs. They are now sold in supermarkets as fresh spirals and frozen packs, and they show up in recipes from garlic shrimp to pesto, alfredo and stir-fry. They are a vegetable dish served in the shape of pasta, which is why cooking time and salt-and-drain steps get so much attention in recipes.

Compare & Substitute

Zucchini Noodles vs Similar Foods

Nutrient	Cooked spaghetti, 1 cup (140 g)	Cooked spaghetti squash, 1 cup (155 g)	Cauliflower rice, raw, 1 cup (107 g)
Calories	221 kcal	42 kcal	27 kcal
Protein	8.1g	1g	2.1g
Carbohydrates	43.2g	10g	5.3g
Fat	1.3g	0.4g	0.3g

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in zucchini noodles?

A cup of raw zucchini noodles has about 19 calories, based on USDA data cited by Slender Kitchen. Down to Earth gives about 20. A cooked cup can be about 38 calories because the water cooks out and more zucchini fits in the cup, and the sauce and oil you add count on top.

How many carbs are in zucchini noodles?

About 3.5 g of carbs in a cup of raw noodles, with about 1.1 g of fiber, so roughly 2.4 g of net carbs. A cooked cup has about 7 g of carbs because it holds more zucchini.

Are zucchini noodles good for diabetes?

Yes. The American Diabetes Association counts zucchini as a non-starchy vegetable and recommends filling half your plate with such vegetables. Choose sauces without added sugar and include protein in the meal.

Are zucchini noodles healthier than pasta?

Per cup they are much lighter, about 19 calories against about 200 for spaghetti, with far fewer carbs. They also have much less protein, so add a protein topping.

How do you keep zucchini noodles from getting soggy?

Salt them and drain on paper towels or in a colander, then saute briefly at the end of cooking. Microwaving for about one minute also works. Frozen zoodles turn mushy, so use them in sauces.