1.

Artichoke
Artichoke (or artichoke heart) is a kind of thistle.
Interestingly, this vegetable is actually the flower buds of the plant before they bloom.
Nutritionally, artichokes offer a decent mix of vitamins and minerals per 100g (1);

 Calories: 47 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 10.5 g
 Fiber: 5.4 g
 Sugar: 1.0 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 3.3 g
 Vitamin C: 20% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 18% RDA
 Folate: 17% RDA
 Magnesium: 15% RDA
 Manganese: 13% RDA
Key Point: Artichokes are a good source of fiber and they are reasonably high in vitamin C.

2. Arugula
Arugula leaves are otherwise known as ‘rocket’, and they are particularly popular in the
Mediterranean and Middle-East.
In fact, arugula is one of the tastiest foods on this vegetable list, and it adds a complex flavor to
any dish.
These leaves are relatively nutrient-dense too, and their nutritional profile looks like the
following (2);

 Calories: 25 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 3.7 g
 Fiber: 1.6 g
 Sugar: 2.1 g
 Fat: 0.7 g
 Protein: 2.6 g
 Vitamin K1: 136% RDA
 Vitamin A: 47% RDA
 Vitamin C: 25% RDA
 Folate: 24% RDA
 Calcium: 16% RDA
Key Point: Arugula leaves supply a decent source of vitamin A and K1, and they are very low in
calories and carbohydrate.
3. Asparagus

Out of all the different vegetables in the world, asparagus has a good argument for being the
tastiest.
After all, it’s often the one which steakhouses serve alongside the main attraction.
As well as being one of the tastiest vegetables, it provides a good source of nutrition too (3);

 Calories: 20 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 4.0 g
 Fiber: 2.1 g
 Sugar: 1.9 g
 Fat: 0.1 g
 Protein: 2.2 g
 Vitamin K1: 52% RDA
 Vitamin A: 15% RDA
 Folate: 13% RDA
 Iron: 12% RDA
 Vitamin B1: 10% RDA
Key Point: Asparagus is a nutritious (and very delicious) vegetable.

4. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all grow from the same plant.
The difference between green, yellow, orange and red varieties is merely the state of ripeness.
Red bell peppers are the ripest and sweetest, while green peppers are the freshest and slightly
bitter.
Technically bell peppers are a fruit, but since most people use them as a vegetable, they make
this list.
Nutritionally, each color pepper has a very slight difference, but they are fairly similar.
Here is the nutrition profile for a yellow bell pepper (4);

 Calories: 27 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 6.3 g
 Fiber: 0.9 g
 Sugar: ~ g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 1.0 g
 Vitamin C: 306% RDA
 Vitamin B6: 8% RDA
 Folate: 6% RDA
 Potassium: 6% RDA
 Manganese: 6% RDA
Key Point: Bell peppers provide a significant amount of vitamin C.
5. Beet Greens

The leaves of the beetroot plant are incredibly nutritious, so don’t throw them away!
Out of all plant foods, beet greens are one of the most impressive for nutrient density (5);

 Calories: 22 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 4.3 g
 Fiber: 3.7 g
 Sugar: 0.5 g
 Fat: 0.1 g
 Protein: 2.2 g
 Vitamin K1: 500% RDA
 Vitamin A: 127% RDA
 Vitamin C: 50% RDA
 Potassium: 22% RDA
 Manganese: 20% RDA
See this guide to leafy greens for an in-depth look at the nutritional benefits of leafy vegetables.
Key Point: Beet greens provide very large amounts of vitamins A, C and K1. Additionally, their
carbohydrate content is almost all fiber.

6. Beets / Beetroot
Depending where you are from, beets (or beetroot) goes by different names.
Beets are a root vegetable, and they are quite adaptable too. For instance, they can be boiled,
fried, roasted, mashed, or you can even buy pickled beets.
Consuming beets leads to a large intake of nitrate, which has many purported health benefits.
Most notably, nitrate helps to lower blood pressure (6).
This vegetable also has a reasonably decent mix of micronutrients (7);
See here for a full guide to beets.

 Calories: 43 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 9.6 g
 Fiber: 2.8 g
 Sugar: 6.8 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 1.6 g
 Folate: 27% RDA
 Manganese: 16% RDA
 Potassium: 9% RDA
 Vitamin C: 8% RDA
 Magnesium: 6% RDA
Key Point: The biggest benefit of beets is likely their high nitrate content.
7. Bok Choy

Some people call it ‘Chinese cabbage’, but the proper translation is bok choy.
Bok choy belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside others such as cabbage and
brussels sprouts.
It’s a tasty vegetable that features in a wide variety of Asian dishes, and it’s rich in nutrients too
(8);

 Calories: 13 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 2.2 g
 Fiber: 1.0 g
 Sugar: 1.2 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 1.5 g
 Vitamin A: 89% RDA
 Vitamin C: 75% RDA
 Vitamin K: 57% RDA
 Folate: 16% RDA
 Calcium: 11% RDA
Key Point: Bok choy provides a significant amount of nutrients for very little calories.

8. Broccoli
Broccoli is another nutritious cruciferous vegetable, and numerous studies show it can lower the
risk of various cancers (9, 10).
Interestingly, wild broccoli doesn’t exist, and the vegetable was “made” by man through
selectively breeding cabbage plants.
Man-made or not, it has an impressive range of nutrients (11);

 Calories: 34 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 6.6 g
 Fiber: 2.6 g
 Sugar: 1.7 g
 Fat: 0.4 g
 Protein: 2.8 g
 Vitamin C: 149% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 127% RDA
 Folate: 16% RDA
 Vitamin A: 12% RDA
 Manganese: 13% RDA
Key Point: Broccoli is a nutrient-dense vegetable that contains a particularly large amount of
vitamin C.
9. Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)

A lesser-known vegetable is broccoli rabe (also called ‘rapini’).

Despite containing the broccoli name and belonging to the same family of plants, they are two
separate vegetables.
Rapini has a strong, flavorful but slightly bitter taste, and it’s commonly found in the
Mediterranean region’s cuisine.
Nutritionally speaking, broccoli rabe has a lot to offer (12);

 Calories: 22 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 3.1 g
 Fiber: 2.7 g
 Sugar: 0.4 g
 Fat: 0.5 g
 Protein: 3.2 g
 Vitamin K1: 280% RDA
 Vitamin A: 52% RDA
 Vitamin C: 34% RDA
 Folate: 21% RDA
 Manganese: 20% RDA
Key Point: Broccoli rabe is even more nutritionally dense than broccoli.

10. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of the more interesting looking plant foods. In fact, they look like little
mini cabbages.
Sprouts belong to the cruciferous category of vegetables, and they share some common benefits
with broccoli and cabbage.
They taste particularly good with a roast dinner or mixed with bacon.
A look at their nutritional values show they’re a good choice of vegetable too (13);

 Calories: 43 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 9 g
 Fiber: 3.8 g
 Sugar: 2.2 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 3.4 g
 Vitamin K1: 221% RDA
 Vitamin C: 142% RDA
 Manganese: 117% RDA
 Folate: 15% RDA
 Vitamin A: 15% RDA
Key Point: Brussels sprouts are one of the most beneficial vegetables, and they’re full of
nutrients too.
11. Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is the second on this vegetable list that is technically a fruit. However, similar
to bell peppers, everyone uses it as a vegetable.
Butternut squash has a taste not dissimilar to a pumpkin, with a sweet and nutty flavor.
It is also very adaptable, and features in a wide range of recipes whether grilled or roasted, or in
soups and porridge.
With a bright orange flesh, this squash is also very high in vitamin A (14);

 Calories: 40 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 10 g
 Fiber: ~ g
 Sugar: 2.0 g
 Fat: 0.1 g
 Protein: 0.9 g
 Vitamin A: 223% RDA
 Vitamin C: 25% RDA
 Manganese: 9% RDA
 Potassium: 8% RDA
 Magnesium: 7% RDA
Key Point: A tasty vegetable high in vitamin A, butternut squash is similar to pumpkin in both
taste and appearance.

12. Cabbage (Green)

Cabbage is a large-headed green vegetable that has close botanical links to broccoli, cauliflower,
and brussels sprouts.
Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous category of vegetables and like others, it has links to similar
anti-cancer health benefits.
Nutritionally, they offer (15);

 Calories: 25 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 5.8 g
 Fiber: 2.5 g
 Sugar: 3.2 g
 Fat: 0.1 g
 Protein: 1.3 g
 Vitamin K1: 95% RDA
 Vitamin C: 61% RDA
 Folate: 11% RDA
 Manganese: 8% RDA
 Vitamin B6: 6% RDA
Key Point: Cabbage provides a decent source of vitamins C and K1, and it may potentially
lower cancer risk.
13. Cabbage (Red)
Green and red cabbage are different in color, but they are basically the same type of vegetable.
Despite a similar appearance, the major contrast is the dark red/purple leaves of red cabbage.
However, their nutrient profile is slightly different, and red cabbage offers more in the way of
vitamins and minerals (16);

 Calories: 31 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 7.4 g
 Fiber: 2.1 g
 Sugar: 3.8 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 1.4 g
 Vitamin C: 95% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 48% RDA
 Vitamin A: 22% RDA
 Manganese: 12% RDA
 Vitamin B6: 10% RDA
Key Point: Red cabbage is similar to the green variety but with the addition of some extra
micronutrients.

14. Carrots

Carrots are a sweet-tasting, bright orange root vegetable.

See here for a full guide to root vegetables.
However, it is possible to find rarer cultivars of the vegetable that are red, yellow and even black.
Carrots grow underground, and they are mainly known for their high vitamin A (in the form of
beta-carotene) content.
That said, it’s essential to eat them with a source of fat if you want to absorb this (fat-soluble)
vitamin.
For instance, we can only digest 3% of the vitamin in raw carrots. This figure rises to 39% in
carrots cooked with fat (17).
Here are the nutrition values in full (18);

 Calories: 41 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 9.6 g
 Fiber: 2.8 g
 Sugar: 4.7 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 0.9 g
 Vitamin A: 334% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 16% RDA
 Vitamin C: 10% RDA
 Potassium: 9% RDA
 Vitamin B6: 7% RDA
Key Point: Carrots are a root vegetable that supply a decent source of beta-carotenoids.
15. Cauliflower
Right now, cauliflower is one of the most popular types of vegetables around.
You can find all sorts of cauliflower products, ranging from cauliflower rice to mashed
cauliflower.
For home-baking enthusiasts, cauliflower pizza is even a thing. In my opinion, though,
cauliflower cheese will always be the best.
On the positive side, this vegetable is reasonably nutritious too; the macro and micronutrient
composition looks like this (19);

 Calories: 25 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 5.3 g
 Fiber: 2.5 g
 Sugar: 2.4 g
 Fat: 0.1 g
 Protein: 2.0 g
 Vitamin C: 77% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 20% RDA
 Folate: 14% RDA
 Vitamin B6: 11% RDA
 Potassium: 9% RDA
Key Point: Cauliflower comes in all shapes and sizes, and it’s a tasty and nutritious veggie.

16. Celery

Usually eaten in its raw state, celery is a popular salad vegetable with high water content.
Notably, quite a lot of research shows that celery may have some interesting health properties
too.
According to one systematic review, the vegetable can have a positive impact on fertility (20).
Celery offers the following vitamins and minerals (21);

 Calories: 16 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 11.7 g
 Fiber: 1.6 g
 Sugar: 1.8 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 0.7 g
 Vitamin K1: 37% RDA
 Vitamin A: 9% RDA
 Folate: 9% RDA
 Potassium: 7% RDA
 Manganese: 5% RDA
Key Point: Celery is a refreshing salad vegetable.
17. Chives
Chives provide a delicious flavor to any dish, and they also taste great on their own.
Often used as a flavoring herb, chives are a key feature in French cuisine, and a little goes a long
way.
Slightly similar to regular chives, garlic chives (or ‘Chinese chives’) are another variety of this
vegetable. However, these are used more like a standard vegetable than like a herb.
Chives are very nutrient-dense, and they supply (22);

 Calories: 30 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 15.9 g
 Fiber: 2.5 g
 Sugar: 1.9 g
 Fat: 0.7 g
 Protein: 3.3 g
 Vitamin K1: 266% RDA
 Vitamin C: 97% RDA
 Vitamin A: 87% RDA
 Folate: 26% RDA
 Manganese: 19% RDA
Key Point: Packed with vitamins and minerals, chives are a decent source of nutrition and a
great flavoring herb.

18. Collard Greens

As their name may suggest, collard greens are a leafy green vegetable.
This vegetable is popular throughout the world, and it is usually served either boiled, steamed, or
in stews.
Collard greens have a slightly bitter flavor, and they provide a wide range of nutrients.
In fact, they are among the most nutrient-dense options on this list of vegetables (23);

 Calories: 30 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 5.7 g
 Fiber: 3.6 g
 Sugar: 0.5 g
 Fat: 0.4 g
 Protein: 2.5 g
 Vitamin K1: 638% RDA
 Vitamin A: 133% RDA
 Vitamin C: 59% RDA
 Folate: 41% RDA
 Manganese: 14% RDA
Key Point: Collard greens are among the most nutritious of all vegetables.
19. Crookneck Squash
Some types of veggies have strange names, and this one certainly belongs to that group.
The crookneck squash is a bright yellow vegetable with a crooked hook-like neck.
Similar to other vegetables in the squash category, crookneck squashes have a mild, buttery taste.
Nutrient-wise, they supply (24);

 Calories: 25 kcal
 Carbohydrate: 5.5 g
 Fiber: 1.4 g
 Sugar: 2.3 g
 Fat: 0.2 g
 Protein: 1.3 g
 Manganese: 13% RDA
 Vitamin C: 11% RDA
 Potassium: 7% RDA
 Magnesium: 7% RDA
 Vitamin K1: 7% RDA
Key Point: Crookneck squash is low in calories and macronutrients, and it isn’t a significant
source of any vitamin or mineral.

20. Daikon Radish

The daikon radish is native to East and South-East Asia.

Daikon radish has numerous culinary uses, and many different pickles, salads, soups and stews
are made with it.
It is very low in calories, yet supplies a reasonable range of nutrients (25);

1. Calories: 18 kcal
2. Carbohydrate: 4.1 g
3. Fiber: 1.6 g
4. Sugar: 2.5 g
5. Fat: 0.1 g
6. Protein: 0.6 g
7. Vitamin C: 37% RDA
8. Folate: 17% RDA
9. Copper: 6% RDA
10.Potassium: 6% RDA
11.Magnesium: 4% RDA
Key Point: Daikon radish is a tasty and very crunchy vegetable usually eaten raw.