What Are Vegetables?
Vegetable is a broad term that refers to a group of plants that you can eat. You may be able to eat the whole plant or just parts, such as the leaves, stalk, and seeds. In general, vegetables are low in calories but high in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They’re also high in natural chemical compounds called antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.
Health experts recommend that you eat several servings of vegetables each day. Research shows that eating a balanced diet rich in plant foods is one of the best ways to boost your health.
Types of Vegetables
There are five types of vegetables:
- Dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens
- Red and orange vegetables including squash, carrots, red peppers, and sweet potatoes
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and winter squash
- Other vegetables, such as eggplant, beets, onions, and mushrooms
Starchy vs. non-starchy vegetables
Vegetables are either starchy or non-starchy. Both types contain vitamins and minerals and are good for you.
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, green peas, chickpeas, and lima beans have more calories and carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables. The extra carbs raise your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, you may need to limit the amount of starchy vegetables you eat.
Non-starchy vegetables include asparagus, beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, and turnips. These vegetables are lower in calories and carbs and don’t raise your blood sugar as much as starchy vegetables do.
Health Benefits
Vegetables are full of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide many important health benefits for your body, such as:
Improved digestive health
Vegetables are a good source of dietary fiber, a type of carbohydrate that helps food pass through your digestive system. Eating plenty of vegetables can keep your bowel movements regular and help prevent constipation.
Lower blood pressure
Many green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and chard contain potassium. Potassium helps your kidneys filter sodium out of your body more efficiently, which can reduce your blood pressure.
Lower risk of heart disease
Green leafy vegetables also contain vitamin K, which is believed to prevent calcium from building up in your arteries. This can lower your risk of artery damage and help prevent many heart health complications in the future.
Blood sugar management
Non-starchy vegetables have a low glycemic index. This is a measure of a food's effect on your blood sugar. Low-glycemic foods have little effect on your blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association recommends at least three to five servings per day of non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower.
Weight management
Vegetables are low-energy-density foods. They’re high in water and fiber, so they fill you up without adding a lot of calories. Water gives volume to food. Fiber takes longer to digest than other nutrients.
Eating more low-energy-density foods can help you lose weight. Studies show that people who eat four or more servings of vegetables per day don’t gain as much weight as those who eat fewer daily vegetable servings.
Anti-aging
Polyphenols are natural chemicals that give vegetables their vibrant colors. These chemicals protect against aging in a couple of ways. They reduce the inflammation in your body that contributes to chronic conditions such as heart disease and dementia. Also, they act as antioxidants, protecting your cells against damage from harmful molecules called free radicals in the environment.
Nutritional Values of Vegetables
Vegetables are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These nutrients help keep your body healthy and prevent illness.
Nutrients in vegetables
In general, vegetables are an important source of dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and potassium. Below is a list of nutrients in a 1-cup serving of raw vegetables from each of the five groups.
Vegetable | Calcium | Dietary Fiber | Iron | Potassium | Vitamin A | Vitamin C |
Beans (green) | 37 milligrams (mg) | 3 grams (g) | 1 mg | 211 mg | 35 micrograms (mcg) | 12 mg |
Broccoli | 35 mg | 2 g | 0.5 mg | 230 mg | 6 mcg | 69 mg |
Carrots | 42 mg | 4 g | 0.4 mg | 410 mg | 1,070 mcg | 8 mg |
Corn | 3 mg | 3 g | 1 mg | 392 mg | 13 mcg | 10 mg |
Mushroom | 2 mg | 1 g | 0.4 mg | 223 mg | 0 mcg | 1 mg |
Onion | 37 mg | 3 g | 0.3 mg | 234 mg | 0 mcg | 12 mg |
Peas (green) | 36 mg | 8 g | 2 mg | 354 mg | 55 mcg | 58 mg |
Potatoes (1 medium with skin) | 28 mg | 3 g | 2 mg | 888 mg | 0 mcg | 12 mg |
Red pepper | 10 mg | 3 g | 1 mg | 314 mg | 234 mcg | 191 mg |
Spinach | 30 mg | 1 g | 1 mg | 167 mg | 141 mcg | 8 mg |
Calories in vegetables
Vegetables fill you up while being low in calories. Starchy vegetables contain more calories than non-starchy vegetables.
Here are the calorie counts for one cup of these raw vegetables:
- Broccoli: 31
- Carrots: 53
- Cauliflower: 27
- Corn: 125
- Eggplant: 20
- Green beans: 31
- Lettuce: 5
- Onion: 64
- Red pepper: 39
- Spinach: 7
- Sweet potato: 114
Vegetables Portion Sizes
You measure vegetable portion sizes in cups. One serving is equal to:
- 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables
- 1 cup of vegetable juice
- 2 cups of raw leafy salad greens
How many servings of vegetables the USDA recommends that you eat each day depends on your age and gender. Children should eat 1 to 4 cups of vegetables daily. Women need 2 to 3 cups, while men should eat 2 1/2 to 4 cups of vegetables daily.
To get in the recommended servings of vegetables in one day, you might have:
- 1 cup of 100% vegetable juice for breakfast, a green salad for lunch, and cooked broccoli and a sweet potato for dinner
- An omelet made with 1/2 cup bell pepper and 1/2 cup onion for breakfast, a spinach quiche for lunch, and half of a stuffed squash with a kale salad for dinner.
- A fruit smoothie with spinach for breakfast, a wrap with hummus and cucumber at lunch, and a broccoli stuffed baked potato for dinner.
Cooked vs. Raw Vegetables: Which Is Better?
That depends on which vegetables you eat. Heat can reduce the amount of certain nutrients in vegetables. For example, boiling vegetables reduces the amount of water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B vitamins.
Other vegetables are healthier when cooked. Heat makes the nutrients easier for your body to absorb. Cooked carrots contain more of the antioxidant beta-carotene than raw carrots. Cooking tomatoes boosts their lycopene content.
You may need to avoid eating certain raw vegetables because of a health condition. If you have inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD), cooked vegetables are easier for your body to digest and less likely to irritate your gut. For kidney stones, cooking leafy greens reduces your body’s absorption of oxalate, a plant compound that makes stones form.
Raw vegetables can contain germs that cause food poisoning. Avoid eating raw foods if you are at higher risk of getting very sick from food poisoning because:
- You’re 65 or older.
- Your immune system is weak due to conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease or from a medicine you take.
- You’re pregnant.
Healthiest cooking methods
Some cooking methods are better for you than others. Frying in oil is less healthy because it adds extra calories and fat to your vegetables. Boiling can remove some of the nutrients from your veggies.
These cooking methods maximize the health benefits of vegetables:
- Stir-frying
- Microwaving
- Steaming
- Pressure cooking
- Baking
- Roasting
How to Prepare Vegetables
Many varieties of vegetables can be found in grocery and health food stores across the country. They can be bought in both organic and conventionally grown varieties. Experts recommend eating a varied diet of vegetables regularly to maximize their nutrient potential.
Vegetables are a versatile food that can be steamed, roasted, mixed into stir-fry, and more. They’re an essential part of cuisines all around the world, served as either a main dish or a side dish in countless recipes.
Here are some easy ways to include vegetables in your diet:
- Try a mixed salad with kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
- Cook onions, peppers, and zucchini together for a vegetable kabob meal.
- Roast your tomatoes in the oven with olive oil, parmesan cheese, and basil.
- Create a fresh Mediterranean garden salad with lettuce, sweet peas, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
- Fry vegetables with oil in a wok with chicken or tofu to create a delicious stir-fry.
- Create a vegetable melt by adding asparagus, mushrooms, and peppers to toasted cheese bread.
Takeaways
Vegetables are full of nutrients that protect your body against the effects of disease and aging. Try to get a variety of different colored vegetables at each meal. Use healthy cooking methods such as steaming or roasting to preserve the nutrients in your vegetables without adding extra fat and calories.
Health Benefits of Vegetables: FAQs
What vegetable has the most health benefits?
No one vegetable can be considered best for your health, as each one contains a different mix of nutrients. That’s why experts recommend eating a variety of vegetables every day.
What happens when you start eating more vegetables?
Eating more vegetables can lower your risk for conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. A diet that’s rich in vegetables also helps improve blood sugar control and promotes weight loss.
What are the best vegetables to eat daily?
Choose the vegetables you like best, so that you’ll eat them. Try to get a mix of colors from veggies such as red peppers, spinach, squash, and beets.
What happens if you don't eat vegetables?
A diet low in vegetables is linked to several chronic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. People who don’t eat enough vegetables are also more likely to die at a younger age than those who eat lots of vegetables.
